Manufacturing Engineer - Rochester, NY

Shape your future at IEWC! As an employee-owner, you will be a valued team member, contributing to something bigger and gaining skills that will set your career up for hypergrowth!

Do you enjoy owning the transformation of customer requirements and product designs into robust, scalable, and cost-effective manufacturing systems?  IEWC is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to lead manufacturing readiness for new and existing products, drive continuous improvement across the shop floor, and serve as the technical bridge between design engineering, operations, and customers.

This role goes beyond support - you will own manufacturing processes, influence design for manufacturability, and be accountable for cost, quality, and delivery performance in an electrical control panel manufacturing environment.

POSITION RELATIONSHIPS

The Manufacturing Engineer will serve as the technical bridge between design engineering, operations, and customers.  The Manufacturing Engineer will collaborate directly with customers to clarify requirements, resolve documentation issues, and support change implementation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manufacturing Engineering Ownership

• Own the translation of customer drawings, specifications, and requirements into standardized, build-ready manufacturing processes.
• Identify critical-to-quality (CTQ) features and ensure they are properly controlled through process design, tooling, and documentation.
• Lead design-for-manufacturability (DFM) reviews and proactively drive improvements to reduce risk, labor, and rework.
• Develop and validate labor estimates, routings, and manufacturing assumptions for quoting and capacity planning.

New Product Introduction (NPI) Leadership

• Lead manufacturing activities for NPI programs, ensuring BOM accuracy, routing integrity, and production readiness.
• Define pilot build strategy, lead pilot builds, and transition products smoothly into full production.
• Partner with Design Engineering to resolve gaps, ambiguities, and manufacturability concerns early.
• Establish process controls and acceptance criteria before release to production.

Process Development & Continuous Improvement

• Design, document, and optimize assembly processes for electrical control panels and related systems.
• Develop and maintain detailed work instructions, standard work, and visual aids to support safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing principles (waste reduction, flow, standardization).
• Analyze production data to identify bottlenecks, quality trends, and opportunities for cost and cycle-time reduction.

Project & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Plan and manage manufacturing engineering deliverables across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Coordinate tooling, fixtures, equipment, materials, and labor requirements to support production schedules.
• Identify risks early, escalate appropriately, and implement corrective actions.
• Serve as a manufacturing engineering point of contact for Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Customers.

Shop Floor & Customer Interface

• Provide hands-on engineering support during pilot builds, early production, and complex builds.
• Troubleshoot production issues related to process, tooling, documentation, or equipment.
• Collaborate directly with customers to clarify requirements, resolve documentation issues, and support change implementation.
• Support production equipment and machinery from a process and reliability standpoint.

VALUES AND COMPETENCIES

Working Style & Leadership

• Comfortable operating independently with clear accountability for results.
• Strong problem-solving mindset with a bias toward root cause and prevention.
• Able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, custom manufacturing environment.
• Clear communicator who can influence across engineering, operations, and customers.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Experience in electrical control panel manufacturing, machine building, or custom industrial equipment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience owning manufacturing processes from design handoff through production.

Technical Skills

• Strong ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, mechanical drawings, and customer specifications.
• Experience developing routings, labor standards, and work instructions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and project management tools.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing standards, quality systems, and documentation control.

WHY JOIN?

• Own manufacturing outcomes - not just tasks.
• Play a central role in launching customer programs and scaling production.
• Work in a collaborative environment where manufacturing engineering has real influence.
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) - As an employee-owner, you directly share in the success and long-term growth of the company.
• Competitive compensation, strong benefits, and room to grow into senior or leadership roles.

If you're ready to help create efficient, high-quality manufacturing processes in a collaborative and fast-growing environment, we'd love to hear from you!

*The above represents the essential job functions that you are assigned to perform in your job.  If you are unable to perform these essential duties, please see Human Resources as IEWC may be able to provide reasonable accommodations against the ADA requirements.