Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Rehrig Pacific Company; De Soto (KS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Rehrig Pacific Company seeks an Engineering Manager to lead the engineering team and drive safety, process improvements, and new product development in a manufacturing setting. You will build strong cross-functional partnerships to ensure on-time, within-budget project execution and plant performance improvements.

You will develop team capabilities, lead structured improvement efforts, and deploy the Rehrig Management System to standardize and audit engineering processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s 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.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering projects and team to support plant performance in safety, process improvement, expansion, and new product development.
• Establish cross-functional partnerships to drive continuous improvement of systems and processes.
• Identify gaps, define future-state capabilities, and lead structured improvement efforts.
• Lead local implementation of national engineering initiatives with change management practices.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support NPD and plant startup readiness.
• Drive cost savings, automation, reliability improvements, and operational excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Budget management

Process improvement

Coaching and development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Job description

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.
• 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
• Bachelor’s 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.