NPI Manufacturing Engineer III

Rubbercraft; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 102,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

Rubbercraft in Long Beach, CA is seeking an NPI Manufacturing Engineer III to lead the introduction and transition of new products into manufacturing. You will develop processes, support producibility, and drive manufacturability for rubber and elastomer-based products.

The role collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure safety, quality, delivery, cost, and regulatory requirements are met, while supporting phase-gate activities, documentation, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• New Product Introduction and Process Development: Analyze product requirements, define manufacturing methods, and support production implementation.
• Develop, document, validate, and improve manufacturing process sequences, tooling, equipment, and production controls.
• Translate requirements into manufacturable process plans with BOMs, routers, and work instructions.
• Support manufacturing readiness activities for prototype to production handoff.
• Review designs to identify manufacturability risks, constraints, tooling needs, and costs.
• Define process flow, equipment needs, operator requirements, and launch readiness actions.
• Support phase gate activities by delivering manufacturing engineering outputs and communicating risks.

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

NPI Manufacturing Engineer III

Full Time Rubbercraft, Long Beach, CA, US

8 days ago Requisition ID: 2028

Salary Range: $101,743.00 To $123,110.00 Annually

Rubbercraft is seeking an NPI Manufacturing Engineer III to join our organization and support the introduction, development, validation, and transition of new products into the manufacturing environment. The NPI Manufacturing Engineer III is a capable manufacturing engineering contributor responsible for developing manufacturing processes, supporting producibility, improving process capability, and supporting successful production launch of rubber and elastomer-based products.

This role supports new product introduction activities with limited supervision and works closely with cross-functional teams to ensure new products meet safety, quality, delivery, cost, customer, regulatory, and manufacturability requirements.

About Rubbercraft: Rubbercraft is a trusted leader in engineered elastomer solutions serving the aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. We design and manufacture precision-molded seals, gaskets, and custom rubber components that perform in the world's most demanding environments. Our culture is built on innovation, collaboration, quality, and customer commitment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

As an NPI Manufacturing Engineer III, the role is instrumental in supporting new product introduction, manufacturing process development, production readiness, technical problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

New Product Introduction and Process Development

• · Develop and transfer new products into production by analyzing product requirements, defining manufacturing methods, and supporting production implementation.
• · Develop, document, validate, and improve manufacturing process sequences, tooling approaches, equipment requirements, and production controls.
• · Translate product, drawing, customer, and contractual requirements into manufacturable process plans, including BOMs, routers, work instructions, inspection support documentation, and labor assumptions.
• · Support manufacturing readiness activities for assigned programs, including prototype builds, pilot builds, first article support, production readiness reviews, and handoff to operations.
• · Review product designs and technical requirements to identify manufacturability risks, process constraints, tooling needs, inspection challenges, and cost drivers.
• · Work with cross-functional teams to define process flow, production sequence, equipment needs, operator requirements, and launch readiness actions.
• · Support phase gate activities by completing assigned manufacturing engineering deliverables and communicating risks, open actions, and required resources.

Rubber Manufacturing and Process Support

• · Apply knowledge of rubber manufacturing processes, including compression molding, transfer molding, injection molding, extrusion, bonding, coating, and secondary operations as applicable.
• · Support development and optimization of manufacturing processes for elastomeric and polymer-based products.
• · Define process parameters, tooling needs, equipment requirements, and manufacturing controls to support repeatable product and process capability.
• · Support tooling, fixtures, jigs, templates, and manufacturing aids required for manufacturability, repeatability, safety, ergonomics, and efficiency.
• · Partner with Design Engineering to support design for manufacturability, producibility, inspection feasibility, and cost effectiveness.
• · Evaluate manufacturing methods and equipment options by considering product requirements, process capability, labor needs, safety, quality, and capacity.
• · Support process trials, production builds, and manufacturing studies used to establish or improve process capability.

Quality, Compliance, and Documentation

• · Support compliance with applicable QMS requirements, engineering procedures, customer requirements, and aerospace/defense expectations.
• · Support contract and technical requirement reviews to identify manufacturing feasibility, capability, cost, documentation, and compliance risks.
• · Participate in phase gate, QMS, and controlled documentation processes.
• · Create, review, and maintain manufacturing documentation, including BOMs, routers, work instructions, process flows, production readiness records, and supporting technical documentation.
• · Support GD&T interpretation, drawing review, mechanical testing, inspection planning, and process validation requirements as needed.
• · Ensure manufacturing documentation clearly communicates process steps, tooling requirements, equipment requirements, inspection points, safety considerations, and quality controls.
• · Support development and maintenance of labor standards and process assumptions used to evaluate direct labor, indirect labor, machine performance, capacity, and cost.

Problem Solving and Continuous Improvement

• · Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action activities related to NPI builds, production launch issues, scrap, rework, quality escapes, or process instability.
• · Apply structured problem-solving methods to analyze product and process performance.
• · Use data, observation, production feedback, inspection results, and technical judgment to identify process improvement opportunities.
• · Support productivity improvements, waste