NPI Manufacturing Engineer: From Prototypes to Production

Blue Signal Search; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Signal Search is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing / NPI Engineer to drive the transition of new products from engineering development into reliable, repeatable production.

The role focuses on manufacturing readiness, process improvement, and scalable production methods across design, operations, quality, and supply chain teams. You will work directly with prototypes and production teams to ensure smooth launches and ongoing manufacturing excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or closely related technical discipline.
• Experience leading New Product Introduction (NPI) or product industrialization.
• Proven ability to move designs into repeatable production with quality improvements.

Responsibilities

• Own the path from engineering release to stable production handoff.
• Plan and support prototype and pilot builds; capture issues and implement fixes.
• Assess drawings, tolerances, and assembly concepts with a manufacturing lens; recommend changes.
• Develop production methods, process flows, routings, and work instructions for controlled launches.
• Create or improve fixtures, tooling, and equipment for safer, more efficient production.
• Collaborate with design, operations, quality, supply chain, and production teams to remove launch barriers.
• Troubleshoot launch and post-launch issues using structured root-cause methods.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce scrap, rework, cycle time, and variation.
• Support process validation, first article activities, and readiness reviews.
• Manage manufacturing impacts of engineering changes and ensure clean implementations.
• Evaluate opportunities for automation and capital equipment to improve throughput and quality.

Skills

New product introduction

Manufacturing process optimization

DFM and DFA

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Prototype to production handoff

Problem solving on production floor

Industrial/electromechanical products

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

CAD tools

CNC machinery

Job description

Blue Signal Search is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing / NPI Engineer to drive the transition of new products from engineering development into reliable, repeatable production.

The role focuses on manufacturing readiness, process improvement, and scalable production methods across design, operations, quality, and supply chain teams. You will work directly with prototypes and production teams to ensure smooth launches and ongoing manufacturing excellence.