Process Engineer

American Axle & Manufacturing; Gallatin (TN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Dauch Corporation in Detroit, MI, seeks a Process Engineer for our Gallatin, TN plant to coordinate and optimize bonding processes on the shop floor. You will analyze performance metrics, investigate failures, and implement improvements across the production line in a hands‑on role.

The role requires a strong foundation in metallurgy or materials engineering, plus experience with SPC, DOE, and process documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in metallurgical, chemical, or materials engineering.
• 2+ years of experience in heavy manufacturing or chemical industry.
• Proficient in Excel and documentation practices (SOPs, FMEA).

Responsibilities

• Analyze bonding process performance relative to production requirements and customer specifications.
• Audit bonding process failures and develop cost‑effective solutions.
• Plan and implement bonding process control schemes including SPC and shop floor trials.
• Lead bonding process design, equipment selection, and production line integration.
• Train employees on bonding process standards and troubleshooting techniques.

Skills

Excel

Statistical analysis

Documentation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering or related field

Job description

Job Posting TitleProcess EngineerJob Description SummaryDauch is seeking a Process Engineer to join our world-class team. This is an outstanding opportunity to be part of a leading company in the automotive industry, where you will have the chance to contribute to the flawless execution of our manufacturing processes. This role located at our Gallatin plant in Gallatin, TN.The Process Engineer is responsible for coordinating and overseeing all activities related to process control within the Bonding manufacturing process. The Process Engineer needs to be comfortable scaling communication between operators and senior level leaders, along with working on the plant floor.Job Description:Analyze bonding process performance (yield, scrap rate, UPH, Cp/Cpk) relative to production requirements and customer specifications.Analyze and audit bonding process failures (e.g., NSOP, weak/low pull strength, lifted bonds, voiding, delamination, misalignment) and develop cost-effective solutions.Assess the need for bonding process changes based on defect trends, equipment capability, material changes, or new product requirements.Conduct experiments, DOE, and statistical studies to improve bonding quality, reliability, cost efficiency, and safety performance.Assist in transferring new bonding technologies, materials, and R&D developments into stable and controlled mass production.Investigate bonding process trends and correlations, equipment failures, quality system deviations, and reject causes to identify root causes and corrective actions.Plan and implement bonding process control schemes, including SPC systems, shop floor trials, parameter monitoring, and documentation systems (SOPs, work instructions, control plans, PFMEA).Establish bonding testing methods (e.g., pull test, shear test, visual inspection standards) and define process control targets.Implement design or practice changes with hands-on involvement in bonding machine setup, parameter tuning, validation trials, and production support.Conduct cost/benefit analysis for bonding-related process improvements, automation upgrades, tooling changes, and material substitutions.Participate as a member of the Internal Quality Audit Team to ensure compliance with internal standards, customer requirements, and industry regulations.Perform preliminary technical and feasibility evaluations for new bonding equipment, tooling, or process upgrades.Lead bonding process design, including equipment selection, parameter development, and production line integration.Prepare cost estimations for bonding-related capital and improvement projects.Work closely with Engineering and cross-functional teams for capital project development and implementation.Support supplier qualification and bid evaluation for bonding equipment and materials.Oversee equipment installation, qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ), debugging, and production ramp-up.Responsible for training full-time employees, contractors, and agency employees on bonding process standards, equipment operation, troubleshooting techniques, and quality requirements. Develop training materials and ensure operator certification and process complianceAll other duties as assigned.Required Skills and EducationBachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering, chemical engineering, materials engineering, or similar.2+ years of experience, heavy manufacturing or chemical industry preferred.Proficient in Excel.Experienced in maintaining proper documentation (training materials, SOPs, FMEA, etc)About Dauch:Dauch Corporation is a premier Driveline and Metal Forming supplier serving the global automotive industry with a powertrain-agnostic product portfolio that supports electric, hybrid, and internal combustion vehicles. The company is headquartered in Detroit, MI, with operations that span 24 countries and more than 175 locations. Formed through the acquisition of Dowlais Group plc and its subsidiaries - GKN Automotive and GKN Powder Metallurgy, Dauch unites deep engineering roots with global manufacturing capabilities and an entrepreneurial spirit to move mobility forward. Visit www.dauch.com to learn more.Dauch will not discriminate against any Associate or applicant for employment because of age, race, color, gender, religion, weight, height, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, national origin, or other characteristic protected by law. Dauch will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that Associates are treated equally during employment, without regard to their age, race, color, gender, religion, weight, height, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, national origin, or other characteristic protected by law. For the Disabled Job Seeker: We offer reasonable accommodations for qualified disabled individuals who are applicants for employment. To request assistance or accommodations, please e-mail [e-mail]. Dauch is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.