Production Engineer

TRAK Group; Erlanger (KY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

TRAK Group is seeking a hands-on Production Engineer in Erlanger, Kentucky to support daily manufacturing operations, drive improvements, and lead tooling and equipment optimization on the shop floor. The role emphasizes safety, quality, productivity, and cross-functional teamwork with Maintenance and Operations to sustain high performance.

The ideal candidate has a mechanical or manufacturing engineering background, experience with industrial machinery, and a passion for solving technical

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering or Engineering Technology.
• 2+ years of production engineering experience in manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience with industrial machinery and equipment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting abilities.
• Experience resolving production process and equipment issues.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Support daily manufacturing operations to achieve safety, quality, and production efficiency goals.
• Identify and implement process improvements to increase throughput and reduce scrap.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment, tooling, and production process issues.
• Develop and maintain standard work instructions, process documentation, and operating procedures.
• Evaluate production processes and recommend improvements to equipment performance and manufacturing efficiency.
• Provide hands-on engineering support to resolve daily production challenges.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance activities to support equipment reliability.
• Assist with troubleshooting equipment breakdowns and minimizing downtime.
• Collaborate with Maintenance to resolve mechanical, hydraulic, and lubrication issues.
• Support installation, setup, testing, and qualification of new or modified equipment.

Skills

Analytical skills

Troubleshooting

Problem solving

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD software

CNC equipment

Job description

Production Engineer Setting/Hours: 100% In-Office | First Shift

Join trak group in partnering with a growing client in Erlanger, Kentucky that’s expanding its Manufacturing team.

Website Summary

Trak group is partnering with a growing manufacturing client seeking a hands‑on Production Engineer to support daily manufacturing operations, improve production processes, and optimize equipment and tooling performance. This position combines manufacturing engineering, equipment troubleshooting, process improvement, and shop floor leadership to drive safety, quality, productivity, and operational efficiency. The ideal candidate has a strong mechanical or manufacturing engineering background, experience working with industrial machinery, and a passion for solving technical challenges. This opportunity offers the ability to take ownership of production improvements, work closely with Maintenance and Operations, and eventually lead a team of approximately 7 production employees.

Responsibilities

Production & Process Engineering

• Support daily manufacturing operations to achieve safety, quality, and production efficiency goals.


• Identify and implement process improvements to increase throughput, reduce scrap, and improve productivity.


• Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment, tooling, and production process issues.


• Develop and maintain standard work instructions, process documentation, and operating procedures.


• Evaluate production processes and recommend improvements to equipment performance and manufacturing efficiency.


• Provide hands‑on engineering support to resolve daily production challenges.

Equipment & Maintenance Support

• Coordinate preventive maintenance activities to support equipment reliability.


• Assist with troubleshooting equipment breakdowns and minimizing production downtime.


• Collaborate with Maintenance teams to resolve mechanical, hydraulic, and lubrication system issues.


• Support installation, setup, testing, and qualification of new or modified production equipment.


• Identify opportunities to improve equipment performance and reduce recurring maintenance issues.


• Work cross‑functionally to ensure equipment readiness and production continuity.

Tooling & Engineering Support

• Manage production tooling, fixtures, and spare components.


• Coordinate the design, modification, and maintenance of cold header die sets.


• Partner with vendors and internal departments to maintain tooling quality and performance.


• Support tooling improvements to increase production efficiency and reduce defects.


• Utilize CAD software to develop tooling concepts, layouts, and engineering modifications.


• Assist with evaluating tooling performance and implementing corrective actions.

Leadership & Team Development

• Provide technical guidance and hands‑on support to production employees.


• Assume leadership responsibilities for approximately 7 production employees following training.


• Promote workplace safety, quality standards, and production best practices.


• Support employee training and development on equipment, processes, and procedures.


• Collaborate with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and Engineering teams to achieve operational goals.


• Encourage accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement throughout the production environment.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor production metrics, equipment performance, and operational efficiency.


• Analyze production data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.


• Participate root‑cause analysis and corrective action initiatives.


• Support Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement projects.


• Identify opportunities to reduce scrap, improve cycle times, and increase throughput.


• Prepare technical reports and documentation to support engineering and operational decisions.

Must‑Haves

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Engineering Technology.


• 2+ years of production engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.


• Hands‑on experience working with industrial machinery and manufacturing equipment.


• Strong mechanical aptitude and technical troubleshooting abilities.


• Experience identifying and resolving production process and equipment issues.


• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem‑solving skills.


• Ability to work collaboratively with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and Engineering teams.


• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.


• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.


• Willingness to provide hands‑on technical support on the production floor.


• Ability to support production employees and take on leadership responsibilities following training.


• Strong commitment to workplace safety, quality, and operational efficiency.

Preferred

• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.


• Exposure to CNC equipment and/or CNC programming.


• Previous experience leading, training, or providing technical guidance to production employees.


• Proficiency with CAD software.


• Experience with cold heading equipment, die sets, or production tooling.


• Familiarity with mechanical, hydraulic, and lubrication systems.


• Experience coordinating preventive maintenance and equipment improvement projects.


• Background developing standard work instructions and manufacturing process documentation.


• Experience supporting root‑cause analysis, scrap reduction, and production efficiency improvements.

If you're ready to take the next step in your career and want to make an impact, partner with trak group to explore this opportunity.