Manufacturing Equipment Engineer

Nextern; Maple Grove (MN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Birthday holiday

Life Insurance

Job summary

Nextern is seeking a Manufacturing Equipment Engineer 2 to own the equipment and inspection-equipment lifecycle for our manufacturing lines, including specifications, drawings, PM programs, fixture/tooling ownership, and new equipment qualification. The role focuses on precision metrology such as laser micrometers and dimensional gauging.

Successful candidate will bring 3–5 years of experience with production equipment in regulated environments, familiarity with IQ/OQ/PQ, TMV, Gage R&R, and CAD

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical field.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain equipment specifications, drawings, and documentation for production equipment, fixtures, and tooling.
• Build and run a preventive maintenance program for line equipment with PM schedules and spare-parts planning.
• Own fixture and tooling design, qualification, and lifecycle management.
• Lead specification, vendor evaluation, and qualification of new inspection and metrology equipment.
• Support Test Method Validation (TMV) and IQ/OQ/PQ activities, including Gage R&R studies.
• Maintain a prioritized equipment-sustaining backlog and escalate long-lead needs.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering on root-cause investigations where equipment is a factor.
• Execute other duties and projects as assigned.

Skills

Equipment ownership

Preventive maintenance

Metrology & inspection

Gage R&R

GD&T

CAD (SolidWorks)

IQ/OQ/PQ validation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Mitutoyo/Keyence/LaserLinc metrology tools

SolidWorks CAD

Job description

We are seeking an Manufacturing Equipment Engineer 2 to own the equipment and inspection-equipment lifecycle for our manufacturing lines — equipment specifications and drawings, preventive maintenance, fixture and tooling ownership, and the selection and qualification of new equipment, including precision dimensional metrology such as laser micrometers. The ideal candidate will have 3‑5 years of experience owning production equipment, fixtures, or tooling in a regulated manufacturing environment, and will give equipment sustaining a dedicated technical owner within the Manufacturing Engineering team.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Equipment Documentation: Own and maintain equipment specifications, drawings, and documentation for production equipment, fixtures, and tooling; keep drawings synchronized with the as-built/as-run configuration and clear known documentation backlog items
• Preventive Maintenance Program: Build and run a preventive maintenance (PM) program for line equipment in partnership with Technicians, including PM schedules and spare-parts planning, with a clear escalation split between mechanical failures (Technician-owned first) and process issues (Engineering-owned first)
• Fixture & Tooling Ownership: Own fixture and tooling design, qualification, and lifecycle management, including revisions driven by process or product changes
• Metrology & Inspection Equipment: Lead specification, vendor evaluation, and qualification of new inspection and metrology equipment (e.g., laser micrometers and other dimensional gauging), including measuring-range and accuracy trade‑off analysis, cross‑vendor comparison, and fixture compatibility
• Validation Support: Support Test Method Validation (TMV) and equipment IQ/OQ/PQ activities, including Gage R&R studies, right‑sizing validation effort to risk (CSA principles) in partnership with Quality
• Sustaining Backlog Management: Maintain a prioritized equipment‑sustaining backlog with a defined update cadence; elevate long‑lead capital equipment and qualification needs
• Root Cause Support: Partner with Manufacturing Engineering on root‑cause investigations where equipment is a suspected contributing factor to scrap, yield loss, or line‑down events
• Other duties and projects assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical field

Experience:

• 3–5 years of engineering experience owning production equipment, fixtures, or tooling in a regulated manufacturing environment; medical device experience preferred
• Experience specifying and qualifying precision metrology or inspection equipment
• Direct experience with laser micrometer / non‑contact dimensional gauging systems (e.g., Mitutoyo, Keyence, LaserLinc, or similar) laser welders, HIPOT/ electrical safety equipment, Oscilloscopes, Hotbox and reflow towers and other calibration required manufacturing equipment, preferred not required
• Experience building or formalizing a preventive maintenance program from an informal/ad hoc state preferred
• Experience in a catheter, balloon, or similarly high‑precision disposable medical device manufacturing environment preferred

Technical Skills:

• Experience with equipment/process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) and test method validation (TMV), including Gage R&R methodology
• Working knowledge of GD&T, mechanical drawings, and CAD review (SolidWorks or similar)
• CMfgE, CQE, or similar professional certification a plus

Regulatory Knowledge:

• Familiarity with FDA 21 CFR Part 820 (Quality System Regulation) and ISO 13485, including design and equipment controls
• Understanding of validation documentation requirements in a regulated medical device environment

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Paid Time Off, Personal Days, AND Birthday Holiday!
• Lifetime Membership Subsidy and Wellness Resources
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Taco Thursdays!!!

Nexternis an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.