What are the responsibilities and job description for the Manufacturing Engineer position at Alpha Dog Nutrition?
About Us
Zero Tolerance Labs is the manufacturing arm of Alpha Dog Nutrition, producing high-quality nutraceutical products for pets. We're a growing company that values innovation, quality, and continuous improvement. As we scale, we're looking for driven individuals who want to roll up their sleeves and make a real impact.
We're proud to be recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the USA on Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 list, having doubled our revenue every year for the past four years. That growth is accelerating: we're actively scaling our manufacturing capacity, adding new production lines, optimizing existing operations, and building a brand-new facility in Darboy, WI. Our vision is to become one of the premier pet product manufacturers in the country—and we're looking for talented people to help us get there.
The Opportunity
We're seeking an experienced Senior Manufacturing Engineer to join our team and take ownership of optimizing our production operations. This is a hands-on role where you'll split your time between strategic planning at your desk and getting things done on the shop floor. You'll work directly with ownership, giving you visibility into company direction and the autonomy to drive meaningful change.
If you're someone who sees a bottleneck restricting capacity and immediately starts thinking about how to break through it—while also improving ergonomics and safety for the workforce—we want to talk to you.
What You'll Do
Automation & Process Improvement
- Identify repetitive, manual tasks and develop automation solutions to improve efficiency, reduce labor costs, and minimize errors
- Evaluate, specify, and implement new equipment and technology
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives across production operations
Facility & Workflow Optimization
- Design and optimize shop floor layouts to maximize production efficiency and throughput
- Develop future-state shop floor layouts and coordinate with construction contractors to ensure appropriate infrastructure is in place for implementation
- Improve warehouse organization and material flow to reduce waste and handling time
- Plan for future growth while maintaining efficient current operations
Inventory & Lean Manufacturing
- Develop and maintain appropriate inventory levels using lean manufacturing principles
- Implement systems to reduce waste, minimize carrying costs, and prevent stockouts
- Establish and monitor key metrics to track inventory performance
Quality Collaboration
- Partner with the quality team to enhance procedures, processes, and documentation
- Support compliance with nutraceutical industry standards and regulations
- Troubleshoot production issues and implement corrective actions to ensure consistent product quality
Hands-On Execution
- Spend time on the shop floor installing, maintaining, and optimizing equipment and processes
- Train production staff on new equipment, processes, and best practices
- Be willing to physically assist with projects—this isn't a desk-only job
What You Bring
Required:
- 7 years of manufacturing engineering experience
- Demonstrated experience implementing automation solutions in a production environment
- Background in facility layout, material flow optimization, and warehouse organization
- Working knowledge of lean manufacturing concepts and inventory management
- History of collaborating with quality teams on process improvements
- Self-starter mentality—you take initiative without waiting to be told what to do
- Comfortable splitting time between computer-based work and physical, hands-on tasks on the shop floor
Preferred:
- Experience in nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, or food/beverage manufacturing
- Familiarity with FDA regulations, cGMP, or similar quality standards
- Six Sigma, Lean, or similar certifications
- Experience with ERP/MRP systems
- Project management experience
What We Offer
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- Direct access to ownership and influence over company direction
- Opportunity to build and shape operations at a rapidly growing company
- A role where you can see the tangible results of your work
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $95, $115,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
Salary : $115,000