Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Top Prospect Group; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 116,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Benefits Package

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k)

Paid time off and paid holidays

Job summary

Top Prospect Group is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer in Wallingford, CT to optimize manufacturing across filling, kitting, packaging and shipping. This role requires hands-on shop-floor presence and leadership in automation, Lean Six Sigma, and digital manufacturing initiatives.

You will drive capital projects, develop automation roadmaps with robotics, COBOTs and vision systems, and partner across Quality, Operations, Supply Chain and R&D to scale processes and improve throughput.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering and/or automation engineering experience.
• Strong background in manufacturing process improvement.
• Experience implementing automation within a manufacturing environment.
• Mechanical and electrical aptitude.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement.
• Experience with time studies, line balancing, capacity analysis and workflow optimization.
• Experience managing manufacturing or automation projects from concept to implementation.
• Ability to troubleshoot manufacturing equipment and automated systems.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain and other departments.
• Hands-on approach; spend significant time in manufacturing operations.
• Preferred: robotics, PLCs, vision systems, COBOTs; capital equipment project mgmt; FAT/SAT/IQ/OQ/PQ; MES/digital manufacturing; Industry 4.0; Minitab/JMP/Smartsheet/Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor and partner with teams to identify improvements.
• Identify waste, bottlenecks, imbalances, and inefficient handoffs; implement countermeasures.
• Conduct time studies, labor analysis and line balancing to improve throughput.
• Develop and execute automation strategies; lead automation projects from planning to deployment.
• Lead process optimization using Lean Six Sigma and digital manufacturing tools.
• Own capital automation projects from concept through commissioning; build business cases.
• Coordinate vendor selection and equipment FAT/SAT; support IQ/OQ/PQ validations.
• Collaborate with Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and R&D to industrialize new products.
• Standardize engineering practices, automation standards and documentation.
• Support MES and smart-factory initiatives; troubleshoot equipment and systems as needed.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering

Automation

Lean Six Sigma

Problem solving

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Time studies

Line balancing

Capacity analysis

Workflow optimization

Troubleshooting

Manufacturing process analysis

Education

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

Tools

PLCs

Vision systems

COBOTs

Minitab

JMP

Smartsheet

Job description

Senior Manufacturing EngineerLocation: Wallingford, CTType: Direct HireSalary: $115,800–$135K based on experienceSchedule: Full-Time, OnsiteBenefits: Comprehensive Benefits PackagePosition OverviewWe 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.ResponsibilitiesMaintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor, working directly with production employees and leadership to identify process challenges and improvement opportunitiesIdentify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, workload imbalances, unnecessary movement, rework, waiting, and inefficient handoffsInvestigate manufacturing inefficiencies and develop solutions to improve productivity, quality, throughput, and labor efficiencyConduct time studies, standard labor analysis, line balancing, workload analysis, capacity analysis, process mapping, and material-flow assessmentsDevelop and execute manufacturing automation strategies aligned with business objectivesLead automation projects through planning, design, equipment selection, build, implementation, and deploymentImplement 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 toolsDrive measurable improvements in on-time delivery, cycle time, yield, throughput, and labor efficiencyOwn capital automation projects from concept through commissioningDevelop business cases and equipment specifications for capital projectsManage vendor selection and coordinate equipment FAT/SATSupport and lead equipment validation activities including IQ/OQ/PQPartner with Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and R&D teams to industrialize new products and scale manufacturing processesEstablish and standardize engineering best practices, automation standards, validation protocols, and documentationSupport digital transformation initiatives involving MES, manufacturing data systems, and smart-factory technologiesTroubleshoot manufacturing equipment, automation systems, and processes as neededRequired Qualifications5+ years of manufacturing engineering and/or automation engineering experienceStrong manufacturing process-improvement backgroundExperience implementing automation within a manufacturing environmentStrong mechanical and electrical aptitudeExperience with Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologiesExperience with manufacturing process analysis, time studies, line balancing, capacity analysis, and workflow optimizationExperience managing manufacturing or automation projects from concept through implementationAbility to troubleshoot manufacturing equipment and automated systemsStrong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and organizational skillsAbility to work effectively across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and other departmentsStrong hands-on approach with the ability to spend significant time directly within manufacturing operationsPreferred QualificationsExperience with robotics, PLCs, vision systems, and COBOTsCapital equipment project management experienceExperience with FAT, SAT, IQ, OQ, and PQExperience with manufacturing automation architecture and equipment integrationKnowledge of MES and digital manufacturing systemsExperience with smart-factory or Industry 4.0 initiativesExperience with Minitab, JMP, Smartsheet, and Microsoft OfficeExperience working within a medical device, life sciences, pharmaceutical, laboratory, or regulated manufacturing environmentEducation & ExperienceCandidates should meet one of the following combinations of education and relevant experience:Master's degree with 2–5 years of relevant experienceBachelor's degree with 5–8 years of relevant experienceAssociate degree with 10+ years of relevant experienceEngineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Automation, or a related technical discipline is preferred.Working ConditionsFull-time, onsite position during standard business hoursWork performed within manufacturing, production, and laboratory environmentsPotential exposure to chemicals, reagents, and standard laboratory equipmentOccasional schedule flexibility may be required based on production or project needsCompensation & BenefitsSalary Range: $115K-$135K, based on experienceThis direct-hire opportunity offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:Medical, dental, and vision insurance401(k)Paid time off and paid holidaysLife and disability insuranceEmployee development and training opportunitiesTuition assistance and additional employee benefitsAbout UsFounded in 2010, Top Prospect Group specializes in connecting high-quality candidates with top-tier clients. In 2023, we joined HW Staffing Solutions, expanding our national footprint across manufacturing, engineering, logistics, and technology.Interested Candidates – Apply Today#INDTPGSHELTON