Manufacturing Equipment Engineer (Paint Systems)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Equipment Engineer to support equipment planning and capital projects within a high-volume automotive paint manufacturing environment.

This position combines office-based engineering work with hands-on manufacturing support, requiring approximately 80% office work and 20% shop floor involvement. The engineer will support equipment planning, specification development, project management, equipment inspections, and implementation of new manufacturing technologies.

Candidates with strong manufacturing engineering backgrounds, equipment planning experience, and knowledge of automation systems are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate manufacturing equipment proposals and assess process capabilities.
• Develop equipment specifications for new and existing manufacturing systems.
• Support conveyor, paint line, and automation projects from concept through implementation.
• Plan equipment for new model launches, refurbishment projects, and equipment lifecycle management.
• Lead equipment standardization initiatives across multiple manufacturing facilities.
• Create technical documentation, engineering reports, project presentations, and KPI updates.
• Develop equipment standards while ensuring compliance with engineering and safety requirements.
• Review equipment designs and participate in factory acceptance testing (FAT), inspections, and commissioning activities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering, maintenance, production, and quality teams.
• Perform shop floor inspections and provide hands-on engineering support during equipment installation and startup.
• Identify project risks and develop effective countermeasures.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor''s degree in Engineering preferred (or equivalent engineering experience).
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience.
• Experience developing equipment specifications.
• Experience supporting manufacturing equipment projects.
• Project management experience.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and industrial equipment.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings.
• Experience working in a production/manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CAD or AutoCAD.
• Experience with robotics and automation systems.
• Equipment maintenance experience.
• Conveyor systems experience.
• Experience with paint shop equipment, including:
• Paint booths
• Ovens
• Air houses
• Abatement systems
• Enclosures
• PLC knowledge.
• Machine Risk Assessment (MSRC/MRA) experience.
• Vision system programming or evaluation experience.
• Experience supporting new model introduction (NMI) projects.
• Experience creating A3 or Ringi documentation.
• SEIBI experience.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish or English/Japanese).

Work Environment

• Approximately 80% office / 20% manufacturing floor
• Hands-on support within an automotive manufacturing facility
• PPE required while on the shop floor

Required PPE includes:

• Steel-toed shoes
• Hard hat
• Safety glasses
• Hearing protection
• Gloves

Travel

• Up to 30% domestic travel
• Travel may include:
• Equipment inspections
• Project meetings
• Manufacturing coordination
• Vendor visits
• Startup support

Travel is scheduled based on project needs.

Ideal Candidate

We''re looking for someone who has:

• Strong manufacturing engineering experience
• Equipment planning expertise
• Hands-on industrial equipment knowledge
• Experience with automation and robotics
• Strong project management skills
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across engineering and manufacturing teams
• Experience supporting capital equipment projects in an automotive or high-volume manufacturing environment