Team Lead, Manufacturing Operations Engineering

Watlow; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Incentive Program

401(k) with company match

Wellness incentives

Dental, medical, vision insurance

Paid holidays and vacation

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Watlow in St. Louis, MO is seeking a Team Lead, Manufacturing Operations Engineering to guide and improve complex manufacturing processes. You will lead a group of Manufacturing Process Technicians, drive continuous improvement, and partner with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and Product Engineering.

The role combines day-to-day production support with long-term automation, capacity expansion, and people leadership, ensuring safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets are met.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering with 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects.
• Previous supervisory or team-lead experience required.
• Lean/Six Sigma or project management certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Manufacturing Process Technicians on the production floor.
• Own assigned processes and act as technical contact for issues, non-conformances, and questions.
• Drive process performance improvements using Lean, 5S/6S, SMED and automation opportunities.
• Develop capital equipment projects and partner with Maintenance for reliability.
• Support New Product Introduction, PFMEA and Change Management activities.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering

Leadership

Prioritization

Communication

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Position Summary

The Team Lead, Manufacturing Operations Engineering is responsible for leading and improving complex manufacturing processes, equipment, and value streams to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives while providing direct leadership to a team of Manufacturing Process Technicians. This role combines day‑day production support with longer‑term continuous improvement, automation, capacity expansion projects, and people leadership. The Team Lead, Manufacturing Operations Engineering will lead their team while partnering closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and Product Engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Process & Daily Operations Support
  • Own assigned manufacturing processes/value streams, acting as the primary technical contact for production issues, non‑conformances, and process questions.
  • Monitor process performance (scrap, rework, OEE, throughput, changeover time, labor productivity) and drive corrective actions.
  • Lead structured problem solving (5‑Why, Fishbone, DMAIC, PDCA).
  • Support operators and Manufacturing Process Technicians through standard work, training, and technical coaching.
  • Establish daily priorities for Manufacturing Process Technicians and ensure timely completion of process support activities.
• Equipment & Tooling
  • Lead capital equipment and tooling projects from concept through production ramp.
  • Partner with Maintenance on preventive maintenance strategies and equipment reliability.
  • Develop and validate tooling, fixtures, and manufacturing equipment improvements.
• Continuous Improvement & Automation
  • Lead Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Champion 5S/6S, visual management, SMED, error‑proofing, and automation opportunities.
  • Develop business cases and track realized savings.
• New Products & Change Management
  • Support New Product Introduction (NPI), engineering changes, PFMEA, Control Plans, and process capability activities.
  • Ensure manufacturing changes are validated, documented, and communicated.
• Quality & Compliance
  • Partner with Quality on RCCA/CAPA activities and regulatory compliance.
  • Ensure equipment and processes meet safety and audit requirements.
• Leadership, Collaboration & Coaching
  • Directly supervise, coach, develop, and evaluate a team of Manufacturing Process Technicians.
  • Conduct development planning, hiring, onboarding, and performance management.
  • Assign work, balance priorities, and ensure appropriate technical support for production.
  • Provide technical leadership to cross‑functional teams and serve as the manufacturing engineering subject matter expert.
  • Model Watlow Values while fostering accountability, engagement, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Functional Contribution (Typical Scope & Impact)
  • Owns manufacturing processes and equipment that materially impact value stream performance.
  • Leads medium‑to‑large‑scale improvement and capital projects.
  • Provides formal people leadership for Manufacturing Process Technicians while maintaining technical ownership of manufacturing processes.
  • Balances strategic improvement initiatives with daily operational support.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong manufacturing engineering knowledge and troubleshooting capability.
• Demonstrated leadership, coaching, delegation, conflict resolution, and performance management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while developing team capability.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Maintenance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering with 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience or equivalent technical education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross‑functional projects.
• Previous supervisory, team lead, or formal people leadership experience required.
• Lean/Six Sigma or project management certification preferred.
• Experience developing technical employees preferred.

Working Conditions & Travel

• Primarily on‑site with regular presence on the production floor.
• Occasional off‑shift or weekend support for installations, trials, and troubleshooting.
• Limited travel to suppliers, vendors, or other Watlow facilities as required.

Benefits

The health, well‑being and financial stability of you and your family is a high priority to us. The Watlow Total Rewards Plan includes competitive compensation and a full range of life and career enhancing benefits:

• Annual Incentive Program
• 401(k) plan that includes a company match on your contribution and an annual company contribution that is tied to company performance
• Wellness incentives
• Employee Personal Assistance Program
• Dental, medical, vision and short‑term and long‑term disability insurance
• Paid holidays, personal time, and vacation
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement

We proactively embrace diversity in all its dimensions across our company and cultivate a culture of inclusion and forward thinking that respects and reflects each team member’s individual strengths, views, and experiences. Watlow takes pride in being an inclusive equal opportunity employer and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Please let us know confidentially if you need or require any special accommodations to participate in our recruiting process by emailing us at [e-mail].