Product Engineer – CNC, Manufacturing Engineering & Automation

About Our Organization:

SOLLiD Cabinetry was founded in 2008 with a specific goal in mind: to provide cabinet dealers and their customers with high quality, low cost, durable, custom and semi-custom cabinets in a timely manner. We use glue and staples to assemble our cabinets. This Build to Order approach allows us to assemble the products onsite, ensure proper assembly and produce a quality finished product. Our products are manufactured and warehoused in our Chandler, Arizona facility. We offer quality constructed cabinetry that does not break the budget. Our all wood products are of the highest quality and we offer an array of beautiful styles and finishes.

Website: http://www.sollidcabinetry.com

Job Location: Chandler, AZ

Job Type: Full-time

Job Summary:

We are seeking a detail-oriented and technically minded Product Engineer to support our cabinet manufacturing operations through CNC programming, product engineering, process improvement, and manufacturing automation.

The Product Engineer will be responsible for developing and maintaining programs for mill CNC machines, beam saws, upcut saws, and other production equipment. The position will also design and engineer new products and manufacturing solutions as part of R&D initiatives, develop and maintain parametric CNC catalogs, improve machining processes and efficiency, and assist with the development of manufacturing automation.

The Product Engineer will work closely with the Engineering, Software Development, and IT teams on automation and process improvement initiatives. The individual in this role is not expected to be a software developer, but should have enough technical understanding to communicate manufacturing requirements, explain existing processes, work through problems with technical team members, and test and validate solutions.

The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, analytical, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-changing manufacturing environment. They should enjoy solving problems, learning new technology, and finding ways to make manufacturing and engineering processes more efficient, reliable, and repeatable.

Key Responsibilities

CNC & Manufacturing Engineering

• Develop, maintain, and optimize programs for mill CNC machines, nesting CNCs, beam saws, upcut saws, and other production equipment.
• Develop and maintain machining strategies, toolpaths, drilling operations, cutting patterns, and other machine processes.
• Troubleshoot CNC programming and machining issues.
• Work with production personnel to identify the root cause of manufacturing problems and develop practical solutions.
• Improve machining processes to increase efficiency, throughput, quality, repeatability, and material utilization.
• Identify opportunities to reduce cycle times, material waste, manual operations, and machine downtime.
• Support the implementation of new machinery, tooling, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Ensure CNC programs and manufacturing outputs meet engineering specifications and production requirements.

Product Engineering & R&D

• Design and engineer new cabinet products, components, and manufacturing solutions as part of R&D initiatives.
• Develop and evaluate new product concepts with consideration for manufacturability, efficiency, quality, and production requirements.
• Support new products from initial concept through prototype, testing, and production implementation.
• Create and modify 2D and 3D models, drawings, and manufacturing documentation.
• Determine appropriate machining and manufacturing processes for new and existing products.
• Develop prototypes and assist with testing and refinement of new products and processes.
• Work with manufacturing personnel to validate new designs and ensure they can be produced efficiently and consistently.

Parametric CNC Catalog Development

• Build, maintain, and improve parametric product catalogs used to generate manufacturing and CNC data.
• Develop product rules, parameters, machining operations, and manufacturing logic for configurable cabinet products.
• Translate engineering and manufacturing requirements into reliable parametric designs and CNC outputs.
• Maintain and update catalogs as products, materials, hardware, and manufacturing requirements change.
• Identify opportunities to automate repetitive engineering and programming tasks.
• Test and validate generated CNC programs and manufacturing data for accuracy and consistency.
• Troubleshoot issues with parametric catalogs and CNC output.

Manufacturing Automation & Systems Integration

• Assist with the development of automation workflows connecting the company's ERP, engineering platform, CNC systems, and MES.
• Work closely with the Software Development team to communicate manufacturing requirements and provide product and manufacturing engineering expertise.
• Explain existing engineering and manufacturing processes to software developers and help identify the information, rules, and logic required for automation.
• Assist in defining requirements and expected results for automation projects.
• Test and validate software and automation solutions to ensure they accurately support manufacturing processes.
• Help troubleshoot issues involving engineering software, manufacturing systems, databases, CNC output, and production processes.
• Identify repetitive, manual, or error-prone processes that may be candidates for automation.
• Assist with implementing and testing completed automation solutions.
• Work with IT when projects involve system access, connectivity, databases, infrastructure, or other IT-related requirements.
• Provide feedback and recommendations for improving automated workflows based on real-world manufacturing requirements.

Coding experience is not required. Familiarity with Python, MySQL/SQL, APIs, databases, or software development concepts is a plus.

Process Improvement

• Analyze existing engineering and manufacturing processes to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
• Investigate problems and determine root causes rather than simply addressing symptoms.
• Develop and implement practical solutions that improve efficiency, quality, consistency, and manufacturability.
• Evaluate process changes and verify that improvements produce the intended results.
• Identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary manual steps and improve process repeatability.
• Research and evaluate new technologies, equipment, tooling, software, and manufacturing methods that could improve operations.

Special Projects

• Participate in engineering, manufacturing, automation, R&D, and other special projects as assigned.
• Work on projects involving new products, equipment, processes, software, and manufacturing technology.
• Research potential solutions and make recommendations based on technical and manufacturing requirements.
• Complete assigned engineering work and contribute technical expertise to cross-functional projects.
• Support other engineering and manufacturing initiatives as needed.

Software & Technical Skills

Preferred Experience

Experience with the following is preferred:

• Cobus NCAD – cabinet engineering and CNC programming
• Eurosoft BlueCell – nesting and CNC optimization
• AutoCAD – 2D drafting and technical drawings
• Fusion 360 or comparable 3D CAD/modeling software
• CNC programming and machining
• Parametric design and configurable product catalogs
• Manufacturing engineering and process improvement
• ERP and/or MES systems

Additional Technical Skills

The following are helpful but not required:

• Python
• MySQL / SQL
• APIs and system integrations
• Database concepts
• Data analysis
• Software development concepts
• Manufacturing automation
• CNC controllers and machine interfaces

Qualifications

• Experience in cabinet manufacturing, woodworking, CNC manufacturing, manufacturing engineering, product engineering, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of CNC machining and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and manufacturing specifications.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to understand complex manufacturing processes and translate them into logical, repeatable workflows.
• Ability to communicate effectively with manufacturing, engineering, software development, and IT personnel.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of assigned work.
• Ability to work effectively as part of an office and engineering team.
• Comfortable working in a fast-changing environment with changing priorities.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Willingness and ability to learn new software, technologies, equipment, and manufacturing processes.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a manufacturing-minded problem solver who is comfortable with technology.

This person should understand how cabinet manufacturing works and be able to translate real-world manufacturing requirements into CNC programs, engineering solutions, and improved processes.

They do not need to be a programmer or software developer. However, they should be technically curious and comfortable working with software developers and IT professionals. They should be able to explain how a manufacturing process works, identify what could be improved, understand technical discussions, and help determine whether a proposed solution will work in the real manufacturing environment.

The ideal candidate:

• Pays close attention to detail and understands that small errors can have significant manufacturing consequences.
• Thinks critically and looks for the root cause of problems.
• Can adapt quickly when products, processes, equipment, or priorities change.
• Enjoys solving problems and finding better ways to accomplish a task.
• Is comfortable learning new software and technology.
• Can work independently without requiring constant direction.
• Communicates clearly with both technical and non-technical coworkers.
• Works well in an office team environment while maintaining strong connections with the manufacturing floor.
• Takes ownership of assigned projects and follows them through to completion.
• Is willing to investigate unfamiliar problems rather than immediately assuming there is no solution.

Collaboration

This position is an individual contributor role that works closely with multiple departments.

The Product Engineer will provide the product, manufacturing, and engineering expertise required for projects involving Engineering, Software Development, IT, and Production. Management will establish and coordinate cross-functional objectives and priorities, while the Product Engineer will contribute technical expertise, complete assigned engineering work, communicate requirements, and assist with testing and implementation.

Success in this role requires the ability to work effectively with people who have different areas of expertise and to communicate manufacturing requirements clearly to technical team members.

Work Environment

• Primarily an engineering and office environment with regular interaction with the manufacturing floor.
• Works closely with Engineering, Software Development, IT, Production, and Operations.
• Fast-paced manufacturing environment with multiple ongoing projects and changing priorities.
• Requires the ability to manage multiple assigned priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
• Regular interaction with both technical and non-technical personnel.

Position Type

Full-Time

Department: Engineering

Reports To: Manager of software development, engineering, and IT

Position Type: Individual Contributor

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• How many years of CAD programing experience?
• How many years of CNC programing experience?

Ability to Commute:

• Chandler, AZ 85286 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $25 - $30