Manufacturing Engineering Manager

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Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Engineering Full Time Hutto, TX, US

Position Summary

Compal USA Technology is seeking an experienced, results-driven Engineering Manager to lead Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, and Automation Engineering teams supporting AI server assembly (L10) and rack integration (L11) operations.

The position is accountable for engineering team development, manufacturing process readiness, engineering project delivery, automation implementation, NPI and production ramp-up, technical issue resolution, and continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will bring practical knowledge of server hardware architecture, mechanical and electromechanical systems, rack-level integration, and manufacturing operations. This manager will partner closely with operational function team to translate capacity and productivity analysis into executable engineering improvements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Engineering Department Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop Manufacturing Engineers, Process Engineers, Automation Engineers, and Engineering Technicians; establish accountability and build technical capabilities.
• Set departmental objectives, engineering priorities, performance expectations, resource plans, and individual development goals.
• Allocate engineering resources across production support, NPI, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring timely delivery of commitments.
• Build an execution-focused team with strong ownership, structured problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration.

2. Manufacturing & Process Engineering Management

• Lead manufacturing process development, validation, standardization, and optimization for L10 server assembly and L11 rack integration.
• Oversee production line readiness, process flow, assembly methods, fixtures, tooling, equipment qualification, and engineering documentation.
• Drive cycle-time reduction, defect prevention, process capability, and manufacturing efficiency improvement.
• Ensure manufacturing processes satisfy product quality, safety, productivity, and cost requirements.

3. Automation Engineering & Advanced Solution Development

• Lead automation engineering initiatives and develop advanced manufacturing solutions, including automated equipment, intelligent tooling, robotic applications, and innovative assembly processes.
• Identify and develop advanced engineering solutions to address manufacturing challenges, improve process capability, and enhance production efficiency, quality, and scalability.
• Drive technology innovation and process optimization to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness, reduce labor dependency, and achieve sustainable operational improvements.
• Evaluate technical feasibility, equipment specifications, supplier collaboration, FAT/SAT, CAPEX requirements, return on investment (ROI), and operational benefits of automation and advanced manufacturing solutions.

4. New Product Introduction & Production Ramp

• Lead engineering readiness from NPI/pilot builds through ramp-up and mass production, including cross-functional manufacturing readiness reviews.
• Coordinate DFMA reviews, hardware and mechanical integration investigations, process validation, equipment qualification, and manufacturing risk assessments.
• Confirm readiness of the bill of materials (BOM), work instructions, tooling, fixtures, equipment, and engineering change implementation (ECO/PCN), as applicable.
• Partner with Product Development, Manufacturing, Quality, and Test Engineering to close technical gaps and achieve a controlled transition to mass production.
• Own engineering projects from planning to operational handover, with defined scope, technical requirements, deliverables, milestones, budget, resources, and acceptance criteria.
• Manage cross-functional dependencies, engineering capacity, supplier performance, project risks, and competing priorities to meet commitments.
• Conduct structured project reviews, track issues and mitigation actions, escalated critical deviations, and communicate status and decisions to management.
• Ensure commissioning, qualification, acceptance, and manufacturing handover meet schedule, cost, quality, safety, and performance targets.

Production Engineering Support & Technical Problem Resolution

• Lead investigations of critical production issues involving hardware integration, mechanical assembly, process defects, and manufacturing interruptions.
• Drive root cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions using structured methods such as 8D and 5 Whys; apply PFMEA to identify and mitigate process risks.
• Deploy engineering resources to address yield, throughput, product quality, and process reliability concerns.
• Establish clear escalation, issue tracking, action ownership, and corrective-action effectiveness verification.

7. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Test Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, and Program Management to align technical execution with factory goals.
• Collaborate with Hardware and Mechanical Design Engineering to review engineering drawings, address fit/tolerance and assembly concerns, and resolve design-for-manufacturing issues.
• Coordinate technology transfer, engineering changes, standards, and technical escalation with Taiwan headquarters and global engineering organizations; support customer technical reviews as required.
• Establish and monitor engineering KPIs and lead improvements in yield, throughput, cycle time, equipment utilization, process stability, and manufacturing cost.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Automation Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Minimum 10 years of engineering experience in electronics manufacturing, preferably server EMS/ODM, including 3-5 years of engineering management or team leadership experience.
• Experience in AI/GPU servers, HPC systems, high-density rack integration, power distribution, cable management, and direct liquid cooling (DLC)process.
• Practical knowledge of server hardware architecture, mechanical assembly, electromechanical integration, engineering drawing interpretation, rack integration, and manufacturing troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated experience with L10/L11 or comparable complex server/system assembly, NPI, manufacturing process engineering, and automation implementation; working knowledge of liquid cooling integration and leak testing.
• Proven engineering project ownership, including schedules, budgets, technical resources, supplier coordination, risk management, and operational handover.
• Solid understanding of Industrial Engineering methods, production KPIs, structured problem-solving, and continuous improvement, with effective leadership and cross-functional communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing line launches, greenfield operations, major capacity expansion, or supplier-led automation implementation.
• Familiarity with GD&T, mechanical tolerance analysis, MES/ERP, engineering data management, and engineering change control.
• Experience working with multinational EMS/ODM organizations, especially Taiwan- or Asia-based headquarters and engineering teams.
• PMP or Lean Six Sigma certification, or demonstrated success leading substantial engineering improvement projects.
• Lead People: Build a capable, accountable engineering team and develop future technical leaders.
• Own Results: Take responsibility for engineering deliverables, manufacturing support, and project outcomes.
• Solve Problems: Identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions to technical and operational issues.
• Execute and Anticipate: Convert plans into measurable improvements while proactively managing production and resource risks.
• Support Decisions: Present actionable, data-driven recommendations with clearly explained options, trade-offs, and business impacts.