Plastic Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Plastic Manufacturing Engineering Manager - PSC27726

Location: Wisconsin

Schedule: Full-Time / Monday - Friday/ First shift

Position Summary

We are partnering with a growing precision plastics manufacturer to identify an experienced Manufacturing Engineering Manager. This leadership position is responsible for driving operational excellence across Manufacturing Engineering, Maintenance, and Tooling while supporting new product introductions, continuous improvement initiatives, and long-term manufacturing growth.

The successful candidate will lead cross-functional technical teams, improve manufacturing performance, strengthen equipment reliability, and develop scalable processes that support both current production and future expansion. This role offers significant visibility and the opportunity to influence engineering strategy, operational performance, and team development.

Responsibilities

• Lead Manufacturing Engineering, Maintenance, and Tooling teams.
• Drive successful New Product Introductions (NPI) from launch through production.
• Develop and improve manufacturing processes for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing initiatives including Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Kaizen, Kanban, SMED, and Standard Work.
• Lead equipment selection, process development, automation, and capital improvement projects.
• Improve equipment reliability through preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Oversee tooling readiness, maintenance, troubleshooting, and lifecycle management.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and Engineering to improve manufacturing performance.
• Lead structured root cause analysis and corrective action initiatives.
• Establish engineering standards, process controls, and visual management systems.
• Mentor, coach, and develop engineering, maintenance, and tooling personnel.
• Build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of engineering leadership experience within manufacturing.
• Experience leading Manufacturing Engineering teams.
• Experience with New Product Introduction (NPI).
• Strong background in Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement.
• Experience managing equipment, tooling, automation, and manufacturing processes.
• Knowledge of preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and project management skills.
• Experience within plastics, injection molding, silicone molding, rubber molding, medical devices, or other regulated manufacturing environments is highly preferred.
• Experience with ERP systems, CAD software, and Microsoft Office.

Preferred Background

• Medical Device Manufacturing
• Plastics Manufacturing
• Silicone Molding
• Rubber Molding
• FDA or ISO-regulated manufacturing
• Lean Manufacturing Certification
• Automation and Capital Equipment
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline