What are the responsibilities and job description for the Manufacturing Engineer position at Duravex?
Manufacturing Engineer – Sheet Metal Process & Optimization Plant Routings
Duravex – Who We Are:
Duravex is a high-growth manufacturer based in Louisa, Virginia, specializing in sheet metal fabrication, welding, machining, coatings, and the design and build of turnkey mechanical systems. In addition to full system integration and production, we also design custom equipment and collaborate with customers to refine and optimize their product designs. Our capabilities include UL 508A industrial control panels and electrical assemblies as part of broader engineered solutions.
Our capabilities are organized into five strategic verticals: Engineered Plant Equipment, OEM Equipment, Data Infrastructure, Defense & Secure Facility Components, Exhaust Systems, and Contract Manufacturing.
What You’ll Do:
Duravex is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to serve as the sheet metal process domain expert, with a primary focus on optimizing cutting, forming, rolling, and bending operations. This role is also responsible for developing and maintaining plant-wide routings across Duravex manufacturing processes to support repeatable, scalable, and cost-effective production.
This is a hands-on, floor-connected role that improves throughput, repeatability, quality, and cost performance across key sheet metal assets including (but not limited to) fiber lasers, rollers, CNC press brakes, and CNC panel benders—while also driving routing accuracy and consistency across the plant.
This position reports to the Senior Manufacturing Engineer and partners closely with Operations, Quality, and Safety.
Daily Tasks:
Sheet Metal Process Optimization:
- Own process optimization for sheet metal operations: cutting, forming, rolling, and bending across lasers, CNC press brakes, and CNC panel benders.
- Develop and improve standard work, setups, and operating methods to increase throughput, reduce cycle time, and improve first-pass yield.
- Analyze performance drivers (OEE, downtime, setup time, scrap/rework, labor efficiency) and execute targeted improvements.
- Design and implement tooling, gauges, and fixtures that improve accuracy, consistency, ergonomics, and operator safety.
- Lead and expand offline programming for laser, turret, brake presses and panel bender operations to improve throughput, quality, and cost.
- Partner with operators and supervisors to troubleshoot process issues, validate improvements, and sustain gains on the floor.
Plant-Wide Routings:
- Develop and maintain plant-wide routings and process flows across manufacturing operations, ensuring routings reflect actual methods, constraints, and best-known practices.
- Partner with Operations to define standard routing structures for recurring work (templates), including setup/run assumptions, move/queue time expectations, and inspection steps where applicable.
- Coordinate with estimating/quoting to ensure routings support accurate labor standards, scheduling, and costing.
- Drive routing discipline through audits and feedback loops—identify gaps, correct inaccuracies, and improve data integrity over time.
Quality, Safety, and Continuous Improvement:
- Create visual work instructions and training materials; support implementation and skills development within Operations.
- Promote a culture of quality and safety by embedding risk-reducing methods (error-proofing, safe setup practices, ergonomics) and partnering with QHSE to uphold operational excellence.
- Support CapEx planning and integration: process qualification, acceptance criteria, training, and safe startup of new equipment or automation.
What You Bring:• 3 years of manufacturing engineering or process engineering experience in a fabrication environment (sheet metal strongly preferred).
- Strong working knowledge of sheet metal cutting and forming processes and the practical realities of floor execution (setup, tooling, sequencing, work holding, changeovers).
- Experience improving performance on assets such as lasers, press brakes, panel benders, or rolling equipment.
- Proven ability to use data and observation to identify root causes and implement sustainable improvements.
- Floor-driven mindset: self-directed, collaborative, and effective working directly with operators and supervisors.
- Familiarity with lean tools and continuous improvement (standard work, waste elimination, 5S/6S, setup reduction, mistake-proofing).
- CAD/CAM capability (Autodesk Inventor/AutoCAD) is a plus; clear reasoning and hands-on problem solving are essential.
- Degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, or related engineering is appreciated but not required if experience is strong.
Why Duravex:
Duravex is building a culture rooted in safety, precision, and continuous improvement—where smart, hands-on leaders thrive.
Lead practical change – no red tape, just results.
Join a company scaling fast and building smart systems from the ground up.
Competitive pay, benefits, and long-term growth opportunity.
Work Location: In person