Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Itron, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k matching

Employee stock purchase program

Paid vacation

Job summary

Itron, Inc. in West Union, SC seeks a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to lead the design, deployment, and optimization of manufacturing equipment and automated systems for electricity and gas meters, network products, and battery devices.

You will own equipment lifecycle, drive OEE and FPY improvements, mentor engineers, and collaborate with R&D, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain. This on-site role offers hands-on leadership and opportunities to implement data-driven solutions using MS-SQL and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in high-volume manufacturing with equipment design and automation.
• Strong CAD skills (Creo/SolidWorks) and system integration experience.
• Experience with robots, PLCs, vision systems, and safety systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, install, qualify, and sustain manufacturing equipment and automated assembly systems.
• Lead mechanical design, DFMEA/PFMEA support, and tooling qualification.
• Develop automation with FANUC/Stäubli robots, PLCs, and vision systems.
• Own equipment lifecycle: specs, FAT/SAT, installation, validation, handoff.
• Improve OEE, FPY, and reduce Scrap and Rework to cut total manufacturing cost.
• Provide on-site and remote support; mentor junior engineers.
• Use data (MS-SQL, Power BI) to report and drive improvements.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain on NPI.

Skills

CAD design

Industrial automation

Root cause analysis

Leadership & mentorship

Data-driven improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

FANUC robotics

Stäubli robotics

Allen-Bradley PLCs

Cognex vision systems

Power BI

MS-SQL databases

Job description

Itron is innovating new ways for utilities and cities to manage energy and water. We create a more resourceful world to protect essential resources for today and tomorrow. Join us.

As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer working for the Manufacturing Engineering team at Itron in West Union, SC, you will lead the design, development, deployment, and optimization of manufacturing equipment and automated assembly systems to enable the profitable manufacturing of electricity meters, gas meters, network products, and battery-powered devices. You will apply mechanical engineering fundamentals and industrial automation expertise to design robust manufacturing solutions, improve equipment performance, and reduce total manufacturing cost (TMC). You will also provide technical leadership through hands‑on troubleshooting, cross‑functional collaboration, and mentorship of junior engineers and co‑ops, ensuring sustainable long‑term manufacturing capability.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Design, develop, install, qualify, and sustain manufacturing equipment and automated assembly systems to support the profitable manufacturing of electricity meters, gas meters, network products, and battery-powered devices (BPD).
• Lead mechanical design efforts including concept development, CAD modeling and analysis, DFMEA/PFMEA/MFMEA support, fabrication, assembly, installation, and qualification of manufacturing equipment and tooling.
• Develop, integrate, and support industrial automation solutions utilizing industrial robots (FANUC, Stäubli, etc.), PLCs (Allen Bradley, Beckhoff, etc.), vision systems (Cognex, FANUC iRVision), safety systems, and material handling equipment.
• Own the full equipment lifecycle including specifications, supplier engagement, FAT/SAT, installation, commissioning, validation, and handoff to Operations.
• Improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), improve First Pass Yield (FPY), and reduce Scrap and Rework to reduce Total Manufacturing Cost (TMC) through analysis of equipment performance, downtime, cycle time, and failure modes, implementing sustainable corrective actions.
• Provide onsite and remote technical support to troubleshoot equipment, automation systems, and mechanical issues, minimizing downtime and ensuring stable production.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing documentation including equipment specifications, drawings, schematics, risk assessments, work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), preventative maintenance schedules, and control plans.
• Mentor junior manufacturing engineers and technicians, providing guidance on mechanical design, automation best practices, troubleshooting, and structured problem‑solving.
• Utilize manufacturing data (including MS‑SQL databases, Power BI dashboards) to generate reports, identify issues, and drive data‑driven continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with R&D, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain to support New Product Introduction (NPI), representing Manufacturing Engineering throughout the Product Lifecycle (PLC).
• Deploy Lean manufacturing principles and tools to drive daily accountability on critical KPIs – Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, and Productivity (SQDIP).

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in high‑volume production environments, with hands‑on involvement in equipment design, industrial automation, and system integration.
• Strong mechanical engineering background, including CAD design (PTC Creo, SolidWorks), machine design principles, equipment build/debug, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Proven experience with industrial automation systems including robots (FANUC, Stäubli), PLCs (Allen‑Bradley), vision systems (Cognex), safety systems, and integration of sensors, actuators, and tooling.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex manufacturing problems, identify root causes, and implement solutions that improve OEE, reduce cycle time, and lower manufacturing costs.
• Strong communication, leadership, and mentorship skills, with experience coaching and developing less‑experienced engineers.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles, continuous improvement tools, and structured problem‑solving methodologies (e.g., A3, 8‑D).
• Project management experience.
• Experience working with external equipment suppliers, system integrators, and cross‑functional teams.
• Experience working with manufacturing data systems, performance dashboards, or analytical tools used to monitor equipment and operational KPIs.

Travel

1 - 10%

Benefits Info

This position also includes a competitive benefit package including; financial, social, health and wellbeing programs, paid vacation, 401k matching, employee stock purchase program, and more!

Itron is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce and providing an authentic workplace experience for all employees. If you are excited about this role but your past experiences don’t perfectly align with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. In the end, you may be just who we are looking for!

The successful candidate’s starting wage will be determined based on permissible, non‑discriminatory factors such as skills and experience.

Itron is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you require an accommodation to apply, please contact a recruiting representative at 1-800-635-5461 or email [e-mail].

Itron is transforming how the world manages energy, water and city services. Our trusted intelligent infrastructure solutions help utilities and cities improve efficiency, build resilience and deliver safe, reliable and affordable service. With edge intelligence, we connect people, data insights and devices so communities can better manage the essential resources they rely on to live. Join us as we create a more resourceful world: www.itron.com

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