Sr. Production Engineer

Actalent; Maple Grove (MN); On-site; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental plans

Short-term and long-term disability

Group term life insurance

HSA, FSA, Dependent Care

Paid holidays and generous PTO

401k matching

Annual safety shoe allowance

Education assistance program

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Senior Production Engineer in Maple Grove, MN to lead large design- to-manufacturing projects. You will mentor junior engineers, champion DFM, and drive cross-functional improvements across production and engineering.

The role emphasizes lean practices, root-cause analyses, and data-driven decisions to optimize cost and quality. You will coordinate with design, production, and cross-functional teams to ensure manufacturability and successful product transfers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of engineering experience in production/manufacturing.
• Strong background in production processes, lean, and DFM.

Responsibilities

• Lead large, complex engineering and production projects with cross-functional teams.
• Own projects from sale through transition to manufacturing.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote best practices.
• Incorporate DFM from concept to production launch.
• Develop and maintain DFM guidelines and metrics.
• Collaborate with production to troubleshoot issues and drive improvements.
• Monitor performance and implement design/process changes for quality and cost.
• Lead meetings, drive decisions, and manage action items.

Skills

Project leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Root cause analysis

Data-driven decision-making

Strong communication

Continuous improvement

Lean manufacturing

DFM principles

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Microsoft Office / Google Workspace

Job description

Job Title: Senior Production Engineer

Job Description

The Senior Production Engineer serves as a key leader within the design and production engineering team, providing technical direction, mentoring junior engineers, and ensuring that product designs translate seamlessly into efficient, high-quality manufacturing processes. This role drives continuous improvement, leads complex cross-functional projects, and champions Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles from concept through production launch.

Responsibilities

• Lead large, complex engineering and production projects that may require coordination of additional engineers, cross-functional resources, and subprojects.
• Own projects from the time they are sold through successful transition into manufacturing, ensuring engineering intent aligns with production capabilities and timelines.
• Provide leadership, training, and technical support to the design team, acting as a mentor to junior engineers and promoting best practices.
• Lead the design team in incorporating DFM principles into product designs starting at the concept stage to ensure manufacturability and cost-effective production.
• Develop, document, and maintain DFM guidelines and best practices within the engineering department and ensure consistent adoption across projects.
• Analyze product designs for manufacturability, identify potential production issues, and propose design improvements that optimize production flow and quality.
• Collaborate closely with the production team to troubleshoot manufacturing issues, conduct root cause analyses, and implement effective corrective actions.
• Monitor production performance related to engineering outputs and identify areas where design or process changes can improve efficiency, quality, or cost.
• Develop and track metrics that measure the success of engineering-to-manufacturing handoffs, such as sheet metal design remakes, bill of materials (BoM) completeness, and rework rates.
• Research and evaluate improved technologies and methods for existing products, and prepare proposals for design or process changes for approval.
• Create and manage project budgets, regularly report on progress, and ensure projects remain on schedule and within scope.
• Propose and drive cost-saving initiatives and process optimization changes that increase the productivity and effectiveness of both engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Lead production engineering meetings by facilitating focused discussions, driving timely decision-making, fostering collaboration across teams, and ensuring follow-through on action items.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in Engineering.
• At least 5 years of engineering experience, preferably in production or manufacturing environments.
• Strong background in engineering and manufacturing engineering, with a clear understanding of production processes and constraints.
• Proficiency in process improvement and process engineering methodologies.
• Experience with continuous improvement practices and lean manufacturing principles.
• 3D CAD proficiency with SolidWorks, including modeling and design for manufacturability.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools and equivalent Google productivity applications.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and coordinate cross-functional work, with some project management experience strongly preferred.
• Ability to analyze complex technical problems, perform root cause analysis, and implement effective corrective actions.
• Strong communication and leadership skills to guide design teams and collaborate with production teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience developing and implementing DFM guidelines and best practices within an engineering organization.
• background in mechanical engineering or related engineering disciplines.
• Experience establishing and tracking metrics related to engineering-to-manufacturing handoffs and production performance.
• Proven ability to research and recommend new technologies or methods to improve existing products and processes.
• Experience leading technical meetings and facilitating cross-functional decision-making.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.

Work Environment

The Senior Production Engineer works in a collaborative engineering and manufacturing environment, partnering closely with design, production, and cross-functional teams to bring products from concept into efficient, repeatable production. The role involves frequent interaction with both office-based engineering tools and production floor activities, including the use of 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks and productivity suites like Microsoft Office and Google tools. Work typically follows standard business hours, with flexibility as needed to support project deadlines, production launches, and critical troubleshooting efforts. The environment emphasizes continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and data-driven decision-making, with a strong focus on teamwork, open communication, and shared ownership of project success.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Maple Grove, MN.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Maple Grove, MN.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $125000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• Medical, vision, and dental plans
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Group term life insurance coverage
• HSA, FSA, and Dependent Care plans available
• 8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and generous PTO policy
• 401k matching
• Annual safety shoe allowance
• Education assistance program

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Maple Grove, MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 2, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Maple Grove,MN.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.