Senior Equipment Engineer
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced Senior Equipment Engineer to lead the development, launch, and continuous improvement of manufacturing equipment and tooling within a high-volume automotive production environment. This individual will play a key role in designing, integrating, validating, and optimizing production systems that support safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.
The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in automotive manufacturing, specifically within General Assembly operations, along with a strong background in equipment engineering, fixture design, process development, and equipment commissioning. Beyond technical expertise, this role requires strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills to help build best practices and mentor others in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
This is an exciting opportunity to help establish and enhance world-class manufacturing processes while driving operational excellence across the organization.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design, specification, procurement, installation, and validation of production equipment, tooling, and assembly fixtures.
- Develop equipment requirements, functional specifications, and acceptance criteria for new and existing manufacturing processes.
- Support new product launches through workstation design, tooling strategies, process development, PFMEAs, control plans, and launch readiness activities.
- Conduct supplier reviews, equipment runoffs, factory acceptance testing (FAT), site acceptance testing (SAT), and commissioning activities.
- Analyze equipment performance to identify bottlenecks and implement improvements that increase throughput, reliability, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
- Lead structured root cause analysis and corrective actions for equipment-related issues impacting production, quality, or safety.
- Support manufacturing layout development, ergonomic improvements, and material flow optimization.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, uptime, efficiency, and cost reduction.
- Create and maintain engineering documentation including equipment specifications, maintenance plans, troubleshooting guides, and technical drawings.
- Monitor and improve key manufacturing metrics including uptime, cycle time, MTTR, MTBF, and OEE.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Manufacturing, Maintenance, Quality, Product Engineering, Controls Engineering, and Supply Base Management.
- Mentor and train technicians, operators, and engineers on equipment operation, tooling best practices, troubleshooting, and safety standards.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Master's degree is preferred but not required.
Experience
- Minimum of 8 years of equipment, manufacturing, process, or industrial engineering experience within automotive or high-volume manufacturing environments.
- Proven experience supporting General Assembly manufacturing operations.
- Demonstrated success leading equipment launches, commissioning activities, and production ramp-up efforts.
- Experience with startup, greenfield, or rapidly scaling manufacturing operations is highly preferred.
- Experience managing suppliers, integrators, and equipment vendors throughout the design and implementation process.
Required Skills
- Strong knowledge of assembly tooling, fixture design, manufacturing equipment, and equipment integration.
- Proficiency with CAD and layout software such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, CATIA, or equivalent platforms.
- Understanding of GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and mechanical design principles.
- Experience with equipment validation, capability studies, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
- Knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and production optimization techniques.
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Proven ability to influence and collaborate effectively across multiple functional teams.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and engineering documentation systems.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with automated assembly systems, robotics, vision systems, or advanced manufacturing technologies.
- Background in greenfield manufacturing facility launches.
- Familiarity with APQP, PFMEA, Control Plans, and automotive quality systems.
- Experience implementing error-proofing and standardized manufacturing processes.
What Success Looks Like
In this role, you will successfully deliver reliable, safe, and efficient manufacturing equipment that supports production goals while continuously improving quality, throughput, and operational performance. You will be a key contributor to manufacturing excellence, helping develop both the systems and people that drive long-term success.
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