Advanced Manufacturing Engineer

About Creative Foam:

Since 1969, Creative Foam has been a leading supplier of cellular and non-cellular foam and plastic products for customers in the automotive, medical and composite markets. We have manufacturing locations nation-wide and in Mexico. Our longevity and success are attributable to our innovative people, an abiding passion for quality and an unwavering commitment to our customers. Find your home at Creative Foam!

Competitive Benefits & Compensation Package

• Safe working environments

• World class benefits

• Medical, dental, vision plans and flexible spending accounts

• Company paid short term disability, long term disability, and AD&D insurance

• 401k with employer match

• Generous holiday and vacation allotments

• Dependent scholarship program

• Wellness program

• Referral program

Pay

Pay commensurate with education and experience.

Creative Foam wants to be a great service provider to our customers. We recognize we can only do that if we are a great employer. Our success is driven by the success of our employees.

Our culture focuses on these four core values:

• Be Inclusive-Make a difference as a TEAM, work collaboratively and support others in our effort to greatness. Constantly strive for perfection and quickly learn from our mistakes.

• Be Inventive-Never stop learning and push the TEAM to strive towards sustained excellence. Aim to provide our customers with the most creative solutions in the market.

• Be Responsible-Maintain an equitable relationship with our customers, employees, stakeholders and communities as we develop as a TEAM.

• Be Relentless-Demand more from yourself and the TEAM than you think is imaginable, this will drive change and only then will we achieve our goals.

#WelcomeHomeToCreativeFoam

Role Overview: The Advanced Manufacturing Engineer leads the development and implementation of manufacturing processes, capital equipment, automation, tooling interfaces, and production systems for thermoformed, polyurethane (PUR), foam-molded, and assembled products. Working across operations, quality, product development, tooling, maintenance, and external suppliers, this role industrializes new products and improves safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

Position Scope: This position translates product and business requirements into production-ready manufacturing solutions. Responsibilities span process concept development, equipment specification and sourcing, line layout, supplier management, installation, commissioning, validation, launch, and continuous improvement.

Reasonable accommodationsmay be providedto enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

New Product and Process Industrialization

• Develop manufacturing concepts, process flows, equipment requirements, labor plans, capacity models, material-flow strategies, and line layouts for new products and programs.

• Support tooling Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews as the secondary manufacturing and industrialization representative, providing input on process requirements, equipment integration, production readiness, quality, capacity, and operational risk.

• Support the plant in planning and executing process trials, pilot builds, capability studies, run-at-rate activities, equipment validation, production-readiness reviews, and production launches.

Capital Equipment and Automation

• Specify, source, justify, and implement capital equipment, automation systems, tooling-related equipment, and supporting utilities.

• Develop equipment Requests for Quotation (RFQs) and Statements of Work (SOWs) defining technical requirements, scope, deliverables, responsibilities, timing, acceptance criteria, and change-control requirements.

• Evaluate supplier proposals, prepare capital justifications and return-on-investment analyses, and manage machine builders, automation integrators, contractors, and equipment suppliers to approved scope, budget, and timing.

• Lead design reviews, factory and site acceptance testing (FAT/SAT), installation, commissioning, operator and maintenance training, run-off, and final equipment acceptance.

Manufacturing Technology and Process Ownership

• Provide technical leadership for thermoforming and vacuum forming, PUR metering and dispensing, flexible and rigid foam molding, trimming, routing, bonding, robotic handling, vision inspection, and material handling systems.

• Define controls and automation requirements for PLCs, HMIs, robotics, servo systems, machine vision, sensors, safety systems, industrial networks, and equipment interfaces.

• Partner with maintenance, operations, and suppliers to resolve equipment, tooling, controls, utility, material, and process-performance issues.

• Establish and verify process windows, cycle times, capacity, quality controls, equipment performance targets, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) requirements.

Production Support and Continuous Improvement

• Provide hands-on engineering support during equipment launch, production ramp-up, process changes, and resolution of complex manufacturing issues.

• Monitor process capability and equipment performance; lead structured root-cause analysis and corrective actions for safety, quality, scrap, downtime, and throughput concerns.

• Improve OEE, throughput, labor efficiency, process capability, material utilization, ergonomics, and total manufacturing cost.

Documentation, Quality Systems and Compliance

• Develop and maintain PFMEAs, control plans, process specifications, standard work, equipment documentation, spare-parts requirements, and preventive-maintenance inputs.

• Support APQP, PPAP, VDA, ISO, IATF, customer, and internal audit requirements applicable to assigned processes and launches.

• Complete or coordinate machine safety risk assessments and ensure equipment and processes comply with company safety requirements, applicable standards, and operational procedures.

Required Education and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering is required.

• A minimum of three years of experience in manufacturing engineering, advanced manufacturing, process engineering, automation engineering, equipment engineering, or new product launch is required. Candidates must have independently led capital-equipment or production-line projects from concept and specification through installation, validation, and production launch.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position has no direct reports but provides technical leadership to cross-functional teams and directs the work of equipment suppliers, automation integrators, contractors, and other project resources.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated ability to develop manufacturing processes and production systems from concept through validated launch and stable production.

• Experience specifying, sourcing, installing, commissioning, validating, and improving capital equipment and automated manufacturing systems.

• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical information to plant teams, leadership, customers, machine builders, integrators, and suppliers.

• Ability to work independently, manage concurrent priorities, and lead cross-functional teams. Regular travel of approximately 40–60% is expected to support company plants, equipment suppliers, integrators, and customer locations.

• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, DOE, root-cause analysis, process capability, capacity analysis, and OEE.

• Ability to interpret product drawings, tooling designs, machine layouts, mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, fluid-power diagrams, technical specifications, and supplier proposals.

• Ability to develop capacity models, cycle-time analyses, equipment acceptance criteria, capital justifications, budgets, schedules, and technical reports.

• Strong project management, supplier management, organizational, and technical leadership skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, and working knowledge of AutoCAD, SolidWorks, NX, or comparable CAD/layout tools.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with thermoforming or vacuum forming equipment, trim systems, tool qualification, and thick-gauge thermoplastic processing.

• Experience with polyurethane (PUR), flexible or rigid foam molding, metering and dispensing systems, mold temperature control, and related process equipment.

• Experience with robotics, machine vision, PLC-controlled automation, safety systems, material handling, and equipment integration.

• Experience in automotive interiors, headliners, trim systems, NVH foam products, composites, plastics, or other high-volume manufacturing operations.