Engineering Manager, Barberton Campus

Howmet Aerospace is searching for an Engineering Manager, Barberton Campus to join our Howmet Wheel Systems (HWS) business unit in Barberton, OH.

Howmet Aerospace (NYSE: HWM) creates breakthrough products that shape industries. Working in close partnership with our customers, we solve complex engineering challenges to transform the way we fly, drive, and power. Through the ingenuity of our people and cutting-edge advanced manufacturing techniques, we deliver these products at a quality and efficiency that ensure customer success and shareholder value.

Howmet Wheel Systems (HWS) is a business unit with a rich tradition and a bright future. We invented the forged wheel in 1948 and have remained the global leader in providing safe, strong, lightweight, and innovative aluminum transportation products ever since. ALCOA® Wheels are highly engineered products operating in challenging environments with significant product liability risk and wide diversity of end use applications ranging from passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks to commercial and military vehicles. HWS employs 1,900 people at 13 locations worldwide and produces over 4 million aluminum wheels globally with annual sales more than $1 billion.

Our customers trust us to deliver a wide range of great looking and dependable products that improve fuel economy and increase payload to address their customers’ business needs. Our Commercial Vehicle Wheel products lead the world in market innovation and truck, trailer, and bus customers recognize our LvL ONE®, Dura-Bright® and Ultra ONE® wheels as the current innovative products in this market.

Major Activities & Key Challenges

• Engineering & Manufacturing Leadership

  • Lead Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, and Research & Development activities to support operational excellence, product innovation, and strategic business objectives.
  • Provide leadership, coaching, performance management, and professional development for engineering staff, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
  • Drive continuous improvement of engineering capabilities, manufacturing performance, and operational efficiency.

• Process Engineering & Continuous Improvement

  • Direct the development, optimization, and standardization of manufacturing processes, tooling, and machining operations to improve productivity, quality, and cost performance.

  • Lead Lean Manufacturing and Howmet Business System (HBS) initiatives, implementing continuous improvement strategies that enhance safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

  • Analyze current manufacturing processes, identify improvement opportunities, conduct root cause analysis, and implement sustainable corrective actions to improve reliability and profitability.

  • Ensure engineering solutions result in robust product and process designs that maximize manufacturability, dependability, functionality, and operational efficiency.

• Capital Projects & Automation

  • Plan, evaluate, and lead capital investment and automation projects from concept through implementation, ensuring technical feasibility, financial justification, and successful execution.

  • Develop innovative manufacturing equipment, tooling, and automation solutions utilizing emerging technologies to improve throughput, reduce cycle times, and increase operational efficiency.

  • Participate in the development and execution of the annual capital plan while supporting long-term strategic manufacturing initiatives.

• Technical Leadership

  • Provide technical expertise and troubleshooting support to resolve complex manufacturing and process issues through structured root cause analysis and corrective actions.

  • Prepare and deliver technical presentations, project updates, and business cases to senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

  • Support cross-functional initiatives to institutionalize best practices, standardize engineering processes, and drive operational excellence across the organization.

• Safety, Quality & Compliance

  • Ensure all engineering and manufacturing activities comply with established safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.

  • Maintain compliance with company policies, procedures, and the Howmet Aerospace Code of Conduct

• Champion adherence to Howmet Business System (HBS) principles and manufacturing best practices throughout the engineering organization.

• Manage and report on fixed asset inventory, which includes maintaining the master asset register, conducting physical counts, and reconciling the data into actionable reports.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (from an accredited university)
• Minimum of 5 years in a manufacturing-based engineering role
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or electrical engineering from an accredited institution
• Innovation and engineering experience in a CNC machining environment
• Experience with capital projects in a manufacturing environment
• Master’s degree in a technical field
• PE Certified
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong presentation skills to present new product concepts to groups and individuals.
• Ability to interact effectively with, and to gain cooperation from, individuals at all levels of the organization.