Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Bruno Independent Living Aids; Town of Oconomowoc (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Bruno Independent Living Aids seeks a Manufacturing Engineering Manager to lead the engineering team and advance manufacturing and assembly capabilities. You will drive process improvements, equipment upgrades, and capital investments to meet safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.

You will partner with Operations, Product Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and New Product Development to transition new products to production and deliver measurable performance gains.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related
• Minimum of 7–10 years progressive manufacturing engineering experience
• Minimum of 3–5 years supervising engineers, technicians, or other technical professionals
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, RCA, and structured problem solving
• Experience with NPI and transitioning products to production
• Cross-functional collaboration across Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain
• Experience with capital equipment justification, automation, and manufacturing technology

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Manufacturing Engineering team, aligning priorities with business objectives
• Provide technical leadership, coaching, and accountability for engineers and technicians
• Establish measurable objectives and allocate resources to high-priority needs
• Lead development and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes, tooling, and production methods
• Partner with Operations to improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost
• Apply Lean, data analysis, and root cause methods to deliver measurable improvements
• Support New Product Introduction and manufacturability of new products
• Identify and implement manufacturing technology, automation, and capital investments
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve issues and drive sustainable improvements

Skills

Leadership & team development

Lean manufacturing

Data analysis & problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Engineering drawing interpretation

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing/Industrial/Mechanical Engineering or related

Minimum 7–10 years manufacturing engineering experience

3–5 years supervising engineers/technicians

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Inventor

Job description

Overview

The Manufacturing Engineering Manager leads the Manufacturing Engineering team and advances Bruno’s manufacturing and assembly capabilities in support of safety, quality, delivery, cost, and growth objectives. This role develops and continuously improves manufacturing processes, equipment, tooling, fixtures, and production methods across Bruno’s operations.

Reporting to the Director of Engineering, the Manufacturing Engineering Manager works closely with Operations, Product Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and New Product Development to improve existing manufacturing processes and successfully transition new products into production.

This leader identifies and implements improvements that strengthen manufacturing performance, efficiency, and scalability through continuous improvement, technology, automation, and capital investment. The role requires strong technical leadership, effective cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on measurable operational results.

Responsibilities

Manufacturing Engineering Leadership:

• Lead and develop the Manufacturing Engineering team, establishing priorities and allocating resources in alignment with Engineering, Operations, and business objectives.
• Provide technical leadership, coaching, and accountability while developing the capabilities of engineers and technical team members.
• Establish measurable objectives for the function and ensure Manufacturing Engineering resources are focused on the highest-priority business needs.

Manufacturing Process & Continuous Improvement:

• Lead the development and continuous improvement of manufacturing and assembly processes, equipment, tooling, fixtures, and production methods.
• Partner with Operations to improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, throughput, capacity, and manufacturing cost.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing, data analysis, root cause analysis, and structured problem-solving methods to identify opportunities, eliminate waste, and deliver measurable process improvements.

New Product Introduction & Manufacturing Technology:

• Partner with New Product Engineering and other cross-functional teams to ensure products are designed for manufacturability and successfully transitioned into production.
• Lead Manufacturing Engineering activities supporting new product introduction, including process development, tooling, equipment, capacity planning, and production readiness.
• Identify and implement manufacturing technology, automation, equipment, and capital investments that improve current operations and support future business needs.

Cross-Functional & Operational Support:

• Partner with Operations, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain, and Engineering to resolve manufacturing issues and implement sustainable improvements.
• Support manufacturing-related safety and ergonomic improvements, quality investigations, supplier initiatives, and corrective actions.
• Provide technical leadership on significant manufacturing projects and effectively communicate priorities, risks, progress, and results across the organization.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical discipline
• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive manufacturing engineering experience within a manufacturing environment
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience supervising engineers, technicians, or other technical professionals
• Demonstrated experience developing and improving manufacturing processes, equipment, tooling, fixtures, and production systems
• Experience supporting New Product Introduction and transitioning products from development into production
• Experience applying Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, root cause analysis, and structured problem-solving methodologies
• Demonstrated success working cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to improve manufacturing performance
• Experience with capital equipment justification, implementation, automation, and manufacturing technology

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Engineering Management, Business Administration, or related discipline
• Experience with assembly, fabrication, welding, machining, or similar manufacturing processes
• Experience with engineering and design software such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor, or comparable 2D/3D CAD systems
• Six Sigma, Lean, or other relevant technical / operational certification

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to provide technical direction, develop team members, and work effectively across Engineering and Operations. Demonstrated ability to analyze manufacturing challenges, apply structured problem-solving methods, and translate opportunities into practical solutions and measurable business results.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, equipment, tooling, automation, and production systems. Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, Bills of Materials, equipment specifications, technical documentation, and manufacturing data. Effective project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and lead cross-functional initiatives.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate technical information, project status, risks, and recommendations to employees, leadership, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Proficient with Microsoft Office and relevant engineering and manufacturing systems, with the ability to leverage data and technology to improve manufacturing performance and operational effectiveness.

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:

• Mixed Office and Production environment, with occasional lifting up to 50lbs, squatting and full range of motion.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit or stand; use hands to handle or touch; ambulate, talk and hear.
• Occasional travel both domestically and internationally may be required.