Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Rehrig Pacific; De Soto (KS); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Rehrig Pacific seeks an Engineering Manager to lead a manufacturing engineering team and drive safety, process improvements, and new product development at the De Soto facility. You will partner with plant leadership to deliver projects on time and within budget while advancing continuous improvement initiatives.

The role requires strong project management, cross‑functional collaboration, and travel up to 10%.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in engineering or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment (plastic injection molding preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and develop standardized processes.
• Experience leading or developing others in a team environment preferred.
• Strong project management and prioritization skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive change.
• Experience managing budgets, timelines, and resources for engineering projects.
• Willingness to travel up to 10%.

Responsibilities

• Lead, prioritize, and delegate engineering projects aligned with plant priorities in partnership with the Plant Manager.
• Develop team capability through coaching, feedback, and support of the Engineering Development Program (EDP).
• Ensure engineers have the skills and development plans needed to meet current and future business needs.
• Ensure delivery of engineering projects on time and within budget.
• Lead local implementation of national engineering initiatives with strong change management practices.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support successful new product development (NPD) and plant startup readiness.
• Identify gaps in engineering systems and define future-state processes.
• Utilize the Rehrig Management System to standardize, audit, and continuously improve engineering processes.
• Lead engineering efforts that deliver cost savings, process improvements, automation, reliability enhancements, and operational excellence objectives that support the company's long-term business strategy.
• Collaborate with Plant Leadership, New Product Development, and Reliability leadership to align engineering priorities with business needs.
• Provide engineering expertise to support customer solutions and plant performance.
• Promote cross-functional problem solving and knowledge sharing across plants.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Budget management

Process improvement

Change management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Job description

Purpose of Role

The Engineering Manager is accountable for leading engineering projects and team to support plant performance in safety, process improvement, expansion, and new product development. This role ensures effective execution of engineering initiatives by establishing strong cross‑functional partnerships and driving continuous improvement of systems and processes. The Engineering Manager identifies gaps, defines future state capabilities, and leads structured improvement efforts to support plant metrics.

Areas of Accountabilities

Lead and Develop Engineering Team

• Lead, prioritize, and delegate engineering projects aligned with plant priorities in partnership with the Plant Manager.
• Develop team capability through coaching, feedback, and support of the Engineering Development Program (EDP).
• Ensure engineers have the skills and development plans needed to meet current and future business needs.

Execute Engineering Projects

• Ensure delivery of engineering projects on time and within budget.
• Lead local implementation of national engineering initiatives with strong change management practices.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to support successful new product development (NPD) and plant startup readiness.

Drive Continuous Improvement and Process Excellence

• Identify gaps in engineering systems and define future‑state processes.
• Utilize the Rehrig Management System to standardize, audit, and continuously improve engineering processes.
• Lead engineering efforts that deliver cost savings, process improvements, automation, reliability enhancements, and operational excellence objectives that support the company's long‑term business strategy.

Cross Functional Partnerships

• Collaborate with Plant Leadership, New Product Development, and Reliability leadership to align engineering priorities with business needs.
• Provide engineering expertise to support customer solutions and plant performance.
• Promote cross‑functional problem solving and knowledge sharing across plants.

Lead Safety, Culture, and Engagement

• Champion safety initiatives and ensure engineering aligns with plant safety expectations.
• Lead with company values and foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Human Capital to support hiring, onboarding, development, and retention strategies.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Bachelors degree in engineering or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment (plastic injection molding preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and develop standardized processes.
• Experience leading or developing others in a team environment preferred.
• Strong project management and prioritization skills.
• Ability to influence cross‑functional teams and drive change.
• Experience managing budgets, timelines, and resources for engineering projects.
• Willingness to travel up to 10%