Manufacturing Process Engineering Lead

NovAtel Inc.; Tucson (AZ); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Hexagon’s Autonomous Solutions in Tucson, Arizona is seeking a Manufacturing Process Engineering Lead to join our high‑tech engineering and manufacturing team. This hybrid role blends hands‑on engineering with team leadership to deliver robust manufacturing solutions for electronic enclosures.

You will lead a small cross‑functional team, drive DFMs, PFMEAs, process development and NPI; partner with Product Development, Quality and Production to meet performance targets while shaping department

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or higher in Mechanical, Electrical, or Manufacturing Engineering with 5+ years in high-tech manufacturing.
• Proven project leadership and technical supervision of teams.
• Strong root cause analysis and structured problem-solving skills.
• Experience developing PFMEAs and Control Plans.
• Proven track record of implementing manufacturing process improvements.
• Lean manufacturing knowledge.
• Excellent communication and coordination skills; able to drive actions to completion.
• Advanced computer skills (MS Office, 3D modeling tools).

Responsibilities

• Provide direct line support for 8D investigations and production issues.
• Monitor and analyze production yields and key performance indicators.
• Drive continuous process improvements.
• Define manufacturing strategies and conceptual process designs for new products.
• Apply DfM principles and collaborate with Product Design on manufacturability.
• Develop manufacturing documentation (Process Flows, PFMEAs, Control Plans, PPAP deliverables).
• Design and validate work instructions, fixtures, and production aids.
• Support and lead NPI builds, pilot builds, and process validation activities.
• Develop MBOMs in ERP/PLM systems.
• Support supplier quality and manufacturing process validation.
• Investigate process deviations and implement corrective actions.
• Evaluate and deploy new manufacturing technologies and equipment.
• Balance and prioritize sustaining production support activities across the team.
• Scope manufacturing engineering work for NPI and improvement projects.
• Develop and maintain department-level project plans, timelines, and deliverables.
• Align team priorities with business objectives and production needs.
• Provide day-to-day guidance, coaching, and technical support to team members.
• Support onboarding, training, and development of Process and Test Engineers.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team environment.
• Act as the primary Tucson point-of-contact for Manufacturing Engineering.
• Coordinate with Product Development, Quality, Supply Chain, and Production teams.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment across sites.
• Identify gaps in processes, tools, and capabilities and drive improvements.
• Standardize best practices across manufacturing processes and documentation.
• Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing initiatives.

Skills

Root cause analysis

Problem solving

Manufacturing process improvements

Lean Manufacturing

Communication & coordination

Leadership

3D modeling tools/MS Office

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Mechanical, Electrical, or Manufacturing Engineering degree/diploma

Tools

PFMEA

Control Plans

SAP

MBOM creation

Job description

Overview

Hexagon’s Autonomous Solutions division is seeking a Manufacturing Process Engineering Lead to join our high-tech engineering and manufacturing team in Tucson, Arizona. This is a hybrid working manager role, where approximately 50% of time is focused on hands-on engineering and 50% on team leadership and coordination activities. In this role, you will function as both a technical contributor and site lead, supporting manufacturing process development and sustaining production while providing day-to-day leadership for a small cross-functional team. From a technical standpoint, you will develop and implement manufacturing solutions for electronic enclosure products, working closely with Product Development, Supplier Quality, and Production. This includes Design for Manufacturing (DfM), process development, PFMEA/Control Plan creation, and fixture and tooling design. From a leadership standpoint, you will be responsible for prioritizing production support activities, defining project scope, establishing department-level plans, and ensuring team alignment and execution. You will play a key role in building team capability, driving engagement, and ensuring consistent delivery of manufacturing performance targets.

You will lead a Tucson-based Manufacturing Process Engineering team supporting both sustaining production and NPI initiatives. The team works closely with global partners, including Product Design and Manufacturing teams, to deliver robust, scalable manufacturing solutions and continuous improvement across the product lifecycle.

This position is based in Tucson, Arizona, with close collaboration with global teams.

Responsibilities

As Manufacturing Process Engineering Lead you will be responsible for the following:

• Provide direct line support for 8D investigations and production issues
• Monitor and analyze production yields and key performance indicators
• Drive continuous process improvements
• Define manufacturing strategies and conceptual process designs for new products
• Apply DfM principles and collaborate with Product Design on manufacturability
• Develop manufacturing documentation (Process Flows, PFMEAs, Control Plans, PPAP deliverables)
• Design and validate work instructions, fixtures, and production aids
• Support and lead NPI builds, pilot builds, and process validation activities
• Develop MBOMs in ERP/PLM systems
• Support supplier quality and manufacturing process validation
• Investigate process deviations and implement corrective actions
• Evaluate and deploy new manufacturing technologies and equipment

• Production Support Prioritization

  • Balance and prioritize sustaining production support activities across the team
  • Ensure timely resolution of manufacturing issues impacting quality and delivery

• Project Planning & Execution

  • Scope manufacturing engineering work for NPI and improvement projects
  • Develop and maintain department-level project plans, timelines, and deliverables
  • Align team priorities with business objectives and production needs

• Team Leadership & Development

  • Provide day-to-day guidance, coaching, and technical support to team members
  • Support onboarding, training, and development of Process and Test Engineers
  • Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team environment

• Cross-Functional Coordination

  • Act as the primary Tucson point-of-contact for Manufacturing Engineering
  • Coordinate with Product Development, Quality, Supply Chain, and Production teams
  • Ensure effective communication and alignment across sites

• Continuous Improvement & Capability Building

  • Identify gaps in processes, tools, and capabilities and drive improvements
  • Standardize best practices across manufacturing processes and documentation
  • Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing initiatives

Qualifications

Must-Have

• Mechanical, Electrical, or Manufacturing Engineering degree or diploma, with 5+ years of experience in a high-tech manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated experience leading projects and/or providing technical leadership to teams
• Strong experience with root cause analysis and structured problem-solving methods
• Experience developing and using PFMEAs and Control Plans
• Proven track record of implementing manufacturing process improvements
• Strong working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles
• Excellent communication and coordination skills, including driving actions to completion
• Advanced computer skills (MS Office, 3D modeling tools, etc.)

Nice-to-Have

• Prior experience in a lead or supervisory role
• Lean Certification (Bronze or higher)
• Experience with CNC programming and fixturing
• Experience with SAP and MBOM creation

Key Success Factors

• Strong balance of technical depth and leadership capability
• Able to effectively prioritize competing demands between production support and project work
• Proactive problem solver with a continuous improvement mindset
• Comfortable leading in a dynamic, fast-paced manufacturing environment
• Strong collaborator who builds relationships across functions and sites
• Self-starter with the ability to operate independently while developing others