Team Lead, Manufacturing Operations Engineering

Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company is seeking a Team Lead, Manufacturing Operations Engineering to drive improvement of complex processes and value streams on the production floor. You will lead a team of Manufacturing Process Technicians, partner with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Product Engineering, and own daily supports plus longer-term automation and capacity projects.

The role emphasizes safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives, with hands-on leadership, coaching, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering plus 5+ years in manufacturing engineering.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and teams.
• Lean/Six Sigma or project management certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own assigned manufacturing processes/value streams and serve as primary technical contact for production issues.
• Monitor process performance and drive corrective actions (scrap, OEE, throughput, changeover).
• Lead problem solving (5-Why, Fishbone, DMAIC, PDCA) and coach operators.
• Lead capital equipment and tooling projects from concept through ramp; partner with maintenance on reliability.
• Support NPI, engineering changes, PFMEA, etc.; ensure changes are validated and communicated.
• Partner with Quality on RCCA/CAPA and regulatory compliance.
• Directly supervise and develop a team of Manufacturing Process Technicians, including hiring and performance management.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering

Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Lean Six Sigma

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

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-to-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.