Mechanical Engineering Leader - Sustaining Engineering

barrywehmiller; Sheboygan (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

BW Papersystems in Sheboygan, WI seeks a Mechanical Engineering Leader for Sustaining Engineering to guide a small team responsible for lifecycle support of folding carton machinery.

You will own post-release issues, drive root-cause analyses, implement corrective actions, and work cross-functionally with Operations, Supply Chain, and Technical Service to meet business priorities.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of capital equipment experience with significant leadership responsibility.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to apply structured problem-solving to complex processes, equipment and manufacturing issues.
• Experience driving Lean initiatives and standardizing documents and processes.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage daily sustaining engineering activities with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Technical Service, and customers.
• Serve as the primary engineering owner for post-release production and field issues.
• Lead and develop the Sustaining Mechanical Engineering team, coordinating with electrical, controls, manufacturing and product engineering teams.
• Develop and maintain engineering standards, sustaining workflows, and change-control processes.
• Act as the main engineering contact for inquiries about released products and recurring issues.
• Provide support for safety, quality, performance and productivity improvements across operations.

Skills

Leadership experience

Communication skills

Structured problem-solving

Lean principles

Education

B.S. in Engineering

Job description

About Us:

BW Papersystems, part of the Barry-Wehmiller Group, builds capital equipment that transforms paper into products for consumers - every day, around the world. We offer innovative technologies, service and parts, and years of global experience in corrugating, finishing; slitting and packaging; stationery; bookbinding and security documents. Customers rely on our machines to produce and convert items such as corrugated boxes, folding cartons, passports, notebooks, copy paper, board, and coated and other specialty papers. For more information, visit bwpapersystems.com.

Barry-Wehmiller is a diversified global supplier of engineering consulting and manufacturing technology for the packaging, corrugating, sheeting and paper-converting industries. By blending people-centric leadership with disciplined operational strategies and purpose-driven growth, Barry-Wehmiller has become a $3 billion organization with nearly 12,000 team members united by a common belief: to use the power of business to build a better world.

Job Description:

The Mechanical Engineering Leader - Sustaining Engineering is responsible for leading the mechanical engineering team that supports released and legacy folding carton product lines. The Sustaining Engineering team owns post-release product support, including issue resolution, product improvements, cost reduction, obsolescence management, and technical support for Operations, Supply Chain, Technical Service, and customers. The team partners with New Product Design Engineering to establish a clear, timely handoff of new products into production and ongoing lifecycle support.

The leader must have a strong understanding of manufacturing operations and communicate effectively with internal and external customers. This role establishes priorities, manages team capacity, and coordinates schedules so sustaining work is completed in line with business needs and agreed-upon deadlines.

The Mechanical Engineering Leader - Sustaining Engineering reports to the Sheboygan Engineering Leader and directs a team of approximately 5-7 mechanical engineering professionals focused on the lifecycle support and continuous improvement of released folding carton machinery.

The role leads engineering response to field and production issues after product release, including structured root-cause analysis, containment, corrective-action design, validation, and implementation. New Product Design Engineering retains ownership of products still in active development until an agreed-upon release and handoff are complete.

This is a key leadership position requiring the ability to translate business priorities into disciplined execution, coordinate cross-functional support, develop engineering capability, and represent the company in customer-facing technical matters.

The leader is responsible for the professional development of the Sustaining Engineering team and for implementing the standards, processes, change controls, and governance needed to support released products and approved customer-specific modifications.

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and manage daily sustaining engineering activities that support Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Technical Service, and customers.
• Serve as the primary engineering owner for production and field issues after formal product release and handoff from New Product Design Engineering.
• Lead and develop the Sustaining Mechanical Engineering team, coordinating with electrical, controls, manufacturing, and product engineering resources as required.
• Develop and maintain engineering standards, sustaining workflows, prioritization practices, and change-control processes.
• Act as the principal engineering point of contact for technical inquiries involving released products, approved modifications, and recurring product issues.
• Provide support for operations and engineering requirements in safety, quality, service, performance, and productivity improvement opportunities.
• Proactively engage the engineering teams and customers to eliminate trending issues and concerns affecting the customer.
• Analyze current state processes for internal and external customer support and develop plans to address areas of need.
• Lead sustaining projects for safety, quality, reliability, cost, obsolescence, manufacturability, and customer requirements.
• Support culture of continuous improvement through Lean journey by assisting with development and coaching of associates and team leaders on Lean principles.

Essential Knowledge and Skills:

• B.S. degree in Engineering (mechanical, manufacturing, electrical, systems, industrial)
• Minimum of 5 years of capital equipment experience including significant leadership experience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to apply structured problem-solving approach to provide solutions for complex process, equipment and manufacturing issues
• Ability to initiate and drive systemic improvement activities including standardization of documents, processes,