Mgr, Manufacturing Engineering

Visionworks of America; Schertz (TX); On-site; USD 81,447 - 108,596; Full time

Job summary

Visionworks of America in Schertz, Texas is seeking a key team leader for the Lens Rx Operations Team. This role entails managing a team of manufacturing and product engineers, overseeing capital improvement projects, and ensuring operational excellence across multiple business units.

The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, with at least 3 years of management and automation experience. Strong negotiation and cross-functional collaboration skills are essential to succeed in this position.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years management experience including hiring and training.
• Experience with automation, controls, or PLC programming for at least 3 years.
• Strong knowledge in manufacturing or product engineering.

Responsibilities

• Assess current manufacturing capabilities to increase equipment capacity.
• Manage lab capital expenditure budgets and asset protection.
• Negotiate with vendors for equipment specifications and pricing.
• Utilize data for operations process modifications.
• Measure lab network results for quality improvements.

Skills

Management experience

Automation controls

Process engineering

Negotiation skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in related field or equivalent experience

Job description

Summary

This role will work as a key team leader within the Lens Rx Operations Team and will manage a team of manufacturing and product engineers supporting multiple business units. The leader will interact closely with the operations teams across the lab network to drive capital improvement projects, manufacturing process changes and new product validation for manufacturability.

Pay Class

Full Time

Pay

$81,447.62 - $108,596.15

Essential Responsibilities

• Assess the current manufacturing capabilities and equipment needs of the business unit across all operational processes as well as maintenance to determine actions to be taken to increase equipment capacity, identify capability upgrades, create automation, set controls, maximize the life of the equipment.
• Provide key components for lab capital expenditure budgets.
• Manage and protect assets through strong governance procedures for incoming and decommissioned assets.
• Negotiate with equipment and service vendors on specifications, pricing, and agreements. Manage the purchase and installation of laboratory production and AR technology. Negotiate with suppliers for best terms on cost, delivery times, and service/support. Develop and maintain strategic relationships with domestic equipment, material and information, and process suppliers/partners.
• Utilize data from the operational and maintenance technology systems to put together data‑driven business cases for operations process modifications or innovative manufacturing process solutions needed to meet production goals.
• Measure and monitor lab network results for opportunities to apply quality and technical support. Work with members of the VSP operations team to drive process modifications needed to meet production goals and ensure sustainable practices are implemented.
• Collaborate with the operations team to develop product specifications or testing requirements, audit protocols, or process improvements required to maintain a high level of quality during processing.
• Coordinate closely with the product development team to ensure that the newly engineered products can be operationalized, or design new processes/capabilities to support the production of new products.
• Provide direction to engineering team to balance resource utilization, facility CAD drawings and drive digital twin efforts.
• Develop and implement quality and technical department plans, budgets, and procedures that either optimize cost reduction or maximize return on investment.
• Coordinate the monitoring of supplier performance. Align metrics across programs to measure growth, efficiency, and operational excellence.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in related field or equivalent experience.

Experience & Background

• Minimum of 3 years of management experience with responsibilities for hiring, training, assigning work and managing performance of direct reports.
• Minimum of 3 years of automation, controls or PLC programming experience installing, programming or designing systems.
• Strong knowledge of process, systems, manufacturing or product engineering.
• Proven ability to work in a cross‑functional environment and build consensus among diverse groups, both internal and external.
• Skilled negotiator, strong interpersonal/influencing skills, and the ability to work under pressure.
• Able to travel 25% of the time.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The working environment is generally favorable. Lighting and temperature are adequate, and there are no hazardous or unpleasant conditions caused by noise, dust etc.

The above information in this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Visionworks is an Equal Opportunity Employer. With regard to all employment practices, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or current military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state and local law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.