Manufacturing Engineer

Manufacturing Engineer

Location: Sarasota, Florida

Employment Type: Full-Time

Department: Engineering

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to support and enhance our manufacturing operations in Sarasota, Florida. This position plays a critical role in developing, optimizing, and implementing efficient manufacturing processes while contributing to the design and development of precision ceramic products and components.

The ideal candidate brings a strong foundation in manufacturing engineering, proficiency in SolidWorks, and experience applying continuous improvement methodologies to improve productivity, quality, and cost efficiency. This position combines traditional manufacturing engineering responsibilities with product and component design, requiring close collaboration with Production, Quality, Research & Development, and other cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Process Engineering & Optimization

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve manufacturing processes to enhance operational efficiency, product quality, and production consistency.
• Analyze existing manufacturing operations to identify opportunities for process optimization, waste reduction, and cost savings.
• Conduct time studies, capacity assessments, and workflow analyses to improve manufacturing performance.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, process flow documentation, process failure mode and effects analyses (PFMEAs), and control plans.
• Support new product introductions (NPI), ensuring effective transitions from product development into manufacturing.

Product Design & Engineering

• Utilize SolidWorks to develop and modify 3D models, assemblies, detailed engineering drawings, and manufacturing documentation.
• Design and improve precision ceramic components, incorporating manufacturability, performance, quality, and cost considerations.
• Develop prototypes and support product validation through testing, analysis, and design refinement.
• Apply geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up analysis to ensure dimensional accuracy.
• Design and develop manufacturing tooling, jigs, and fixtures to improve production efficiency and product consistency.
• Collaborate with product development teams to incorporate Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles.

Ceramic Manufacturing & Materials Engineering

• Provide engineering support for ceramic manufacturing processes, including slip casting, pressing, extrusion, injection molding, glazing, and kiln firing.
• Evaluate and recommend ceramic materials based on application requirements, mechanical properties, thermal performance, and manufacturability.
• Identify and implement improvements that reduce manufacturing defects, enhance product strength, and improve process consistency.
• Optimize product designs and manufacturing methods to minimize tooling complexity, production time, and overall manufacturing costs.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Lead and support Lean Manufacturing initiatives, including 5S, Kaizen, value stream mapping, and waste reduction.
• Apply structured root-cause analysis methodologies, including 8D, Fishbone diagrams, and 5 Whys, to resolve manufacturing challenges.
• Identify opportunities for process automation, equipment improvements, and productivity enhancements.
• Develop and implement cost-reduction initiatives through improved product designs, manufacturing processes, and operational practices.

Production Support & Technical Problem-Solving

• Provide hands-on engineering support to manufacturing operations, troubleshooting technical issues and minimizing production downtime.
• Partner with production personnel to improve manufacturing methods, equipment utilization, and workflow efficiency.
• Support equipment validation, manufacturing layout improvements, and maintenance planning activities.
• Train production operators and technicians on manufacturing processes, equipment, tooling, and technical procedures.
• Translate engineering designs into practical, repeatable, and cost-effective manufacturing processes.

Quality, Documentation & Compliance

• Collaborate with Quality Engineering to investigate product nonconformances, identify root causes, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Ensure manufacturing processes and product designs comply with applicable safety, quality, and industry standards.
• Prepare and maintain engineering documentation, including bills of materials (BOMs), technical drawings, work instructions, and process specifications.
• Support compliance with applicable ISO and other industry-specific quality management requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Research & Development on new product development, prototype evaluation, and manufacturing feasibility.
• Collaborate with Quality, Production, and Engineering teams to resolve design and manufacturing challenges.
• Provide technical assistance to suppliers and customers as needed.
• Communicate engineering recommendations, project progress, and process improvement initiatives to internal stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, production engineering, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated proficiency in SolidWorks, including 3D part modeling, assemblies, engineering drawings, and GD&T.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing process development, optimization, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience with process validation, statistical analysis, and structured root-cause problem-solving.
• Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings, technical specifications, and quality standards.
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and manufacturing cost-reduction techniques.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and technical problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, production, and quality functions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ceramic materials, ceramic component design, or ceramic manufacturing processes.
• Familiarity with manufacturing technologies such as CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, plastics processing, or related production methods.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems such as SAP, Epicor, Oracle, or comparable platforms.
• Knowledge of manufacturing automation, robotics, or programmable production equipment.
• Familiarity with Six Sigma methodologies; Green Belt certification is a plus.
• Experience supporting new product introductions and transitioning engineering designs into production.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a technically strong, solutions-oriented engineer who enjoys working directly with manufacturing teams to solve complex production challenges. This individual will combine practical manufacturing knowledge with strong mechanical design capabilities and a continuous improvement mindset. Success in this role requires the ability to balance product performance, manufacturability, quality, and cost while contributing to a collaborative, results-driven engineering environment.