Manufacturing associate Jobs in Knoxville, TN

Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Summary / Objective: The Manufacturing Engineering (ME) Manager is responsible for leading the manufacturing engineering department. This includes direct oversight of manufacturing engineers and technicians, as well as managing short- and long-term projects that enhance performance across the organization. The team may include both full-time and contract personnel, depending on project demands.

Projects will span Lean and Six Sigma initiatives, design for manufacturability, automation and robotics, advanced manufacturing methods, new equipment integration, and facility enhancements. The role will also have dotted-line oversight of production engineers supporting various manufacturing departments. This position reports to the Director of Operations and serves as a key member of the manufacturing leadership team.

Core Responsibilities

Safety: • Promote and reinforce a “Zero Injury” culture. • Drive safety improvements through engineered solutions that eliminate or reduce exposure to hazards.

Quality: • Ensure standardized work, CTQs, and process control plans are developed, implemented, and maintained. • Define and document standard ME processes to ensure engineering projects are completed safely, on time, within budget, and error-free. • Support the Director of Operations in developing and implementing training plans to strengthen team capabilities.

Delivery: • Serve as the liaison between Engineering and Manufacturing to ensure successful launches of new product development (NPD) and engineering change requests (ECR). • Develop and implement a robust ECR process within manufacturing, including routings, standard costs, drawings, programming, and related documentation.

Cost: • Lead full-time and/or contract engineers to deliver annual operating plan (AOP) projects that support EBITDA improvement and reduced net working capital. • Develop and implement standardized processes for quoting, capital planning, capital requests, and project tracking within the ME function. • Propose, justify, and lead capital projects focused on automation and technological improvements.

Continuous Improvement: • Monitor manufacturing engineering department performance to ensure ROI on projects and initiatives. • Lead Lean, Six Sigma, and Design for Manufacturing activities that drive continuous improvement. • Support KPI processes to accurately measure performance and drive daily improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost (SQDC). • Identify problems, conduct root-cause analysis, and implement effective corrective actions.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering (or equivalent). • 3–5 years of experience in a manufacturing support role. • Capital project management experience preferred. • Lean, TPS, or Six Sigma certification is a plus. • Experience in metal stamping, coatings, and/or welding is a plus. • High-volume, discrete manufacturing experience preferred.

Desired Skills & Qualifications

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build trust and foster collaboration across all levels of the organization. • Demonstrated change management experience, particularly in driving transformation toward a Lean manufacturing culture. • Proven ability to deliver measurable performance improvements with clear bottom-line impact. • Formal Lean training from a recognized “academy” organization (e.g., Shingijutsu, TBM, Toyota, Danaher, Daikin). • Proficiency with MS Project or similar project-management software.

Work Environment / Physical Demands

The work environment varies between quiet, controlled office areas and more active, higher-noise manufacturing floors. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical requirements include: • Frequent sitting, computer work, and use of hands and fingers. • Occasional reaching with hands and arms. • Occasional lifting or moving of up to 25 pounds.

Position Type / Expected Hours

Exempt; typically 40+ hours per week.

Travel

Limited travel required.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field. • 5+ years of manufacturing experience, preferably in metal fabrication. • 2+ years of leadership or supervisory experience. • Proven experience implementing Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations.

GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.