Manufacturing Engineer, Staff - Dental Furniture Machining

About the role

At A-dec, we do more than create the highest quality products and services for the dental industry; we strive to deliver a superior employment experience for each of our team members. With an environment that encourages and assists each person in developing to their highest potential, a career at A-dec is incredibly rewarding.

Overview

The Manufacturing Engineer (ME), Staff leads advanced manufacturing initiatives and drives system and factory optimization across manufacturing and/or warehousing operations. They optimize quality, safety, delivery, and cost while introducing innovative process solutions. The ME, Staff ensures new production processes comply with safety and regulatory standards while also meeting capacity and capability requirements.

The ME Staff is typically aligned to the leadership of strategic and specialized initiatives and projects within manufacturing operations that span broad value streams and shape the future of A-dec manufacturing.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategically researches, plans, designs, and leads the implementation of new manufacturing processes after a structured evaluation of alternatives taking into consideration emerging industry trends and business objectives.
• Provides mentorship and technical leadership to lower level MEs individually and within a team to coordinate and resolve production issues (quality escalations, machine down, part shortage, etc.).
• Creates and/or reviews the controlled standards and governing procedures within the quality management system (QMS) document hierarchy.
• Provides design review, DFM, tool/fixture planning, work cell design and validation, part quoting, and inspection methodology as the core team member for new product development and introduction (NPD/NPI) programs.
• Collaborates with IS/IT team members to design systems and tools to monitor and improve balanced scorecards that include metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for quality, inventory, delivery, and safety.
• Collaborates cross-functionally in complex problem solving to understand part/product/process variability using structured problem-solving techniques and statistical methods. Utilizes advanced techniques (value stream mapping, kaizen, lean strategies, six sigma statistical methods, DOE, FMEA) to reduce waste and optimize systems.
• Represents the manufacturing engineering team as a subject matter expert (SME) for manufacturing processes or systems.
• Collaborates with production leadership on capital and expense budgets and roadmaps. Leads the deployment of new equipment and related processes ensuring safety, training, preventive maintenance, documentation, and process controls are validated.
• Takes end-to-end ownership of budgets, timelines, risk, and resources for complex cross-functional projects. Provides written and verbal updates with appropriate frequency and detail across a diverse set of stakeholders including executive leadership.
• Evaluates internal and external quality data to drive product/process improvements and executes assigned Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) initiatives. Determine and deploy appropriate quality control methods for inspection, testing, and process monitoring.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Effective cross-functional communication (oral, written, and illustrative) in both individual and team settings providing recommendations and justifications to drive change.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage time effectively while navigating changes in department and corporate project priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and provide technical leadership and mentorship across the ME team.
• Able to advance corporate QMS and process control methodologies into production.
• Proven problem-solving skills (Lean six sigma, root cause analysis (RCA)) with the ability to manage corrective and preventive actions.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree (Master's degree preferred) in manufacturing or industrial engineering or relevant engineering discipline and a minimum of 8 years of experience working as an engineer or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated advanced computer skills including 2D/3D CAD systems such as AutoCAD/Inventor, spreadsheets/databases, and project planning.
• Applied understanding and experience with ERP/MRP, MES, Industry 4.0 and similar manufacturing software and systems.
• Experienced in part fabrication and final assembly strategies and methods. Demonstrated understanding of a broad set of manufacturing processes (machining, assembly, and special processes) as well as the unique differences between high and low volume manufacturing.

Physical Requirements

Ability to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise maneuver up to 35 pounds with or without assistance on a routine basis. Must have manual hand dexterity to grasp, operate tools and equipment repetitively. Able to walk, stand, sit, bend, reach, and occasionally kneel, climb steps, and twist throughout an entire shift. Some areas may be exposed to chemicals, noise, vibration and /or dust, and require the use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); such as, but not limited to safety glasses, hearing protection, foot protection, etc.