NPD Manufacturing Engineer

Position Summary

The NPD Manufacturing Engineer supports the New Product Development (NPD) organization by establishing robust, production-ready manufacturing processes for new products and supporting a smooth transition into sustaining production. This role combines hands-on manufacturing engineering, manufacturing planning and documentation, production readiness, process improvement, and cross-functional coordination.

The successful candidate will work closely with Design Engineering, Program Management, planning, production technicians, Document Control, Technical Writers, suppliers, and sustaining Manufacturing Engineering. The role is primarily focused on NPD, with sustaining support provided as needed after product handoff.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain manufacturing methods, operation sequences, specifications, process routings, labor standards, and equipment requirements for new and existing products.
• Create and maintain manufacturing work orders, Manufacturing Procedures (MPs), Special Work Instructions (SWIs), Document Change Notices (DCNs), and other production documentation required to support NPD builds and production readiness.
• Develop clear, practical work instructions using concise language, visual aids, and appropriate detail so operators can safely and consistently execute manufacturing processes.
• Support applicable phases and toll gates of the Advanced Product Development Process (APDP), including CET, DVT, qualification, and transition activities.
• Partner with NPD Design Engineers to review product designs, provide manufacturing input, support applicable SWO/XWO documentation, and identify manufacturability risks while respecting design ownership and approval responsibilities.
• Own production readiness planning for assigned programs and facilitate Production Readiness Reviews as products transition from NPD into sustaining production.
• Apply PFMEA, process capability analysis, and other structured manufacturing-engineering methods to identify failure modes, reduce risk, and improve process robustness.
• Identify manufacturing issues and improvement opportunities early in development, including inspection requirements, operator needs, process controls, tooling, fixtures, and downstream production risks.
• Coordinate with suppliers and internal partners on tooling, fixtures, equipment, schedules, requisitions, and delivery status as required.
• Support capital equipment definition, selection, installation, validation, and start-up based on project needs and experience level.
• Support tooling and fixture development in collaboration with other engineering resources; advanced tooling design is not the primary focus of this role.
• Develop Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs) when required and partner with appropriate subject-matter experts to ensure safe manufacturing processes.
• Identify opportunities for automation, vision/inspection systems, and other manufacturing technology improvements; partner with automation resources on implementation when appropriate.
• Use Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, and practical continuous-improvement methods to improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and waste reduction.
• Provide responsive, hands-on support to technicians and production teams and help resolve manufacturing issues that could affect on-time execution.
• Manage multiple programs and priorities simultaneously in a fluid NPD environment, adapting plans as technical and program requirements evolve.
• Contribute as an informal technical leader through collaboration, sound engineering judgment, ownership, and influence across cross-functional teams.

Minimum Qualifications

• Five (5) or more years of relevant manufacturing engineering or closely related manufacturing experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline preferred; equivalent technical education and/or relevant experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Demonstrated experience working in a hands-on manufacturing environment and supporting operators, technicians, or production teams.
• Demonstrated ability to develop clear manufacturing procedures, work instructions, process documentation, and/or production work orders.
• Strong cross-functional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with engineering, operations, program teams, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Strong organization and prioritization skills, including the ability to manage multiple programs or projects at different stages of development.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in an iterative environment where processes and requirements may evolve.
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Seven (7) to ten (10) years of relevant manufacturing engineering experience.
• Experience supporting New Product Development, product industrialization, production readiness, or transfer of new products into sustaining production.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, medical-device, automotive, or another technically demanding manufacturing environment.
• Experience with PFMEA, process capability studies, manufacturing risk reduction, and structured process-improvement methods.
• Experience with SolidWorks or similar 3D CAD tools; advanced tooling design expertise is not required.
• Experience coordinating tooling, fixtures, suppliers, and/or capital equipment projects.
• Experience identifying opportunities for manufacturing automation, machine vision, inspection systems, or other process technologies; hands-on automation programming is not required.
• Practical experience with Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, or comparable continuous-improvement methods.

Work Environment & Role Expectations

• This position is 100% on-site in Chandler, Arizona.
• The hiring manager expects early-day coverage, with an approximately 6:00 a.m. start time.
• Travel is expected to be rare.
• The role is highly autonomous after onboarding and requires regular engagement with technicians and manufacturing activity on the production floor.
• Approximately 80% of the role is expected to support NPD, with approximately 20% supporting sustaining production as business needs require.

Export Control Requirement

Due to U.S. Government contract requirements applicable to this position, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment in this role.