Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Top Prospect Group; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k)

Paid time off and paid holidays

Life and disability insurance

Employee development and training

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Top Prospect Group seeks a Senior Manufacturing Engineer for an on-site role in Minneapolis, MN. The position focuses on improving manufacturing operations across filling, kitting, packaging, and shipping, with Lean Six Sigma, process optimization, and automation strategy as core components.

You will lead automation initiatives, coordinate capital projects, and partner with Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and R&D to scale manufacturing and implement MES and digital manufacturing solutions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering and/or automation engineering experience.
• Experience implementing automation within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong mechanical and electrical aptitude.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience with time studies, line balancing, capacity analysis, and workflow optimization.

Responsibilities

• Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, workload imbalances, and inefficient handoffs on the floor.
• Lead automation projects from planning to deployment including equipment selection.
• Develop and execute manufacturing automation strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Support and lead equipment validation activities including IQ/OQ/PQ.
• Drive improvements in on-time delivery, throughput, and labor efficiency.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Lean Six Sigma

Automation

Process Improvement

Project Management

Robotics

COBOTs

Data Analytics

Cross-functional Collaboration

Troubleshooting

Education

Master's + 2-5 years

Bachelor's + 5-8 years

Associate + 10+ years

Engineering discipline preferred

Tools

Robotics

PLCs

Vision Systems

Minitab

MES & Digital Manufacturing

Job description

Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Type: Direct Hire

Salary: $ based on experience

Schedule: Full-Time, Onsite

Benefits: Comprehensive Benefits Package

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Manufacturing Engineer to support and improve manufacturing operations across filling, kitting, packaging, and shipping. This is a highly visible, hands‑on engineering position focused on manufacturing optimization, automation, Lean Six Sigma, process improvement, and capital equipment projects. The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will work directly with production teams and cross‑functional leadership to identify inefficiencies, eliminate waste, increase throughput, and improve overall manufacturing performance. This position will also play a key role in developing and implementing an automation strategy, including robotics, vision systems, PLCs, collaborative robots (COBOTs), and digital manufacturing technologies.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor, working directly with production employees and leadership to identify process challenges and improvement opportunities
• Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, workload imbalances, unnecessary movement, rework, waiting, and inefficient handoffs
• Investigate manufacturing inefficiencies and develop solutions to improve productivity, quality, throughput, and labor efficiency
• Conduct time studies, standard labor analysis, line balancing, workload analysis, capacity analysis, process mapping, and material‑flow assessments
• Develop and execute manufacturing automation strategies aligned with business objectives
• Lead automation projects through planning, design, equipment selection, build, implementation, and deployment
• Implement advanced automation technologies including robotics, vision systems, PLCs, and collaborative robots (COBOTs)
• Lead manufacturing process optimization utilizing Lean Six Sigma, continuous improvement, data analytics, and digital manufacturing tools
• Drive measurable improvements in on‑time delivery, cycle time, yield, throughput, and labor efficiency
• Own capital automation projects from concept through commissioning
• Develop business cases and equipment specifications for capital projects
• Manage vendor selection and coordinate equipment FAT/SAT
• Support and lead equipment validation activities including IQ/OQ/PQ
• Partner with Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and R&D teams to industrialize new products and scale manufacturing processes
• Establish and standardize engineering best practices, automation standards, validation protocols, and documentation
• Support digital transformation initiatives involving MES, manufacturing data systems, and smart‑factory technologies
• Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment, automation systems, and processes as needed

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering and/or automation engineering experience
• Strong manufacturing process‑improvement background
• Experience implementing automation within a manufacturing environment
• Strong mechanical and electrical aptitude
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies
• Experience with manufacturing process analysis, time studies, line balancing, capacity analysis, and workflow optimization
• Experience managing manufacturing or automation projects from concept through implementation
• Ability to troubleshoot manufacturing equipment and automated systems
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, communication, and organizational skills
• Ability to work effectively across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and other departments
• Strong hands‑on approach with the ability to spend significant time directly within manufacturing operations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with robotics, PLCs, vision systems, and COBOTs
• Capital equipment project management experience
• Experience with FAT, SAT, IQ, OQ, and PQ
• Experience with manufacturing automation architecture and equipment integration
• Knowledge of MES and digital manufacturing systems
• Experience with smart‑factory or Industry 4.0 initiatives
• Experience with Minitab, JMP, Smartsheet, and Microsoft Office
• Experience working within a medical device, life sciences, pharmaceutical, laboratory, or regulated manufacturing environment

Education & Experience

Candidates should meet one of the following combinations of education and relevant experience:

• Master's degree with 2–5 years of relevant experience
• Bachelor's degree with 5–8 years of relevant experience
• Associate degree with 10+ years of relevant experience
• Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Automation, or a related technical discipline is preferred.

Working Conditions

• Full‑time, onsite position during standard business hours
• Work performed within manufacturing, production, and laboratory environments
• Potential exposure to chemicals, reagents, and standard laboratory equipment
• Occasional schedule flexibility may be required based on production or project needs

Compensation & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Life and disability insurance
• Employee development and training opportunities
• Tuition assistance and additional employee benefits