Manufacturing Engineering Manager (51574)

Gradian is an engineering-led, full-line thermal solutions partner serving data center and other mission-critical, commercial, and industrial markets. Headquartered in Maple Grove, MN, with additional facilities across North America, we design and manufacture liquid cooling systems, air handling equipment, heat rejection units, and modular, factory-assembled thermal management solutions.

Gradian was founded through the unification of four complementary, established brands: MAS HVAC, Daedex, DeepCoolAI, and EcoChillers. Together, we act as a single-source provider, deploying cooling technologies as scalable systems optimized for efficiency, spatial constraints, and overall performance. With a vertically integrated engineering and manufacturing model, we pair rapid design turnaround with precision fabrication, so customers can move faster on complex projects where reliability, timeline, and quality all matter.

Why work here

At Gradian, you'll work alongside others who get genuinely fired up by complex problems, see your work go from first sketch to job site in weeks, not years, and know that while we're developing the technologies critical for AI infrastructure to scale, our culture remains people-first by design.

It is core to our identity that we operate as one team — driving to win together, energizing others, and building lasting relationships that make the work fun and rewarding.

Position Summary:

The Manufacturing Engineering Manager leads the manufacturing engineering function at Maple grove/Dayton, MN — a team of manufacturing engineers, maintenance  — and is personally accountable for process design, tooling, layout, quality system support, and continuous improvement across our Air Handling Unit, DX, Chiller, and CDU product lines. This is a player-coach role: you will lead the team while staying technically hands-on with the plant's toughest process problems. You will serve as the manufacturing engineering owner within new product introduction programs, ensuring process readiness and manufacturability at each program gate, and you will be the plant's primary driver of automation, digital tooling, and Industry 4.0 adoption — turning standards set at the network level into working reality on your floor.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a team of manufacturing engineers, maintenance — setting goals, prioritizing projects, and building technical capability
• Serve as the manufacturing engineering owner within NPI programs, accountable for process readiness, tooling, and manufacturability at each program gate, partnering with Design Engineering and Program Management for on time launch
• Implement Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFM/DFA) practices early in the design cycle
• Design, build, and continuously improve manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, and plant layout to maximize safety, quality, throughput, and cost efficiency
• Develop and justify capital equipment requests; approve capital expenditures
• Eliminate production bottlenecks through line balancing, time studies, and capacity planning
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and 80/20 methodologies, driving measurable gains in yield, cycle time, first-pass quality, and OEE
• Ensure manufacturing processes are qualified and controlled via PFMEA and control plans, partnering with Quality on critical characteristic identification
• Maintain accurate, compliant manufacturing documentation — routings, BOMs, work instructions, and process plans
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action for manufacturing and hardware nonconformances
• Own safety risk assessment and sign-off for new or changed manufacturing processes, ensuring compliance with OSHA and applicable pressure-vessel/refrigerant-handling codes
• Drive automation, digital tooling, and Industry 4.0 adoption at the plant level — connected equipment, dashboards, and visual management
• Partner with Supply Chain on component manufacturability and tooling/vendor qualification
• Adopt and contribute to manufacturing engineering best practices shared across Gradian's plant network
• Report manufacturing engineering performance metrics to plant leadership, using data to guide decisions

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical field
• 7–10 years of manufacturing engineering experience, including 3+ years in a leadership role
• Demonstrated experience leading NPI from design release through production ramp
• Strong working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and 80/20 methodologies
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing documentation (BOMs, routings, work instructions)
• Proficiency with CAD/CAM software and manufacturing simulation tools
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and manage a technical team

Preferred:

• Experience manufacturing HVAC, thermal management, or data center cooling equipment (air handling units, chillers, CDUs, or similar)
• Experience with pressure vessel and/or refrigerant-circuit manufacturing compliance (UL, ASME, AHRI)
• Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or equivalent certification
• Experience with MES, automation, robotics, or Industry 4.0 / smart factory deployment
• Multi-site or plant start-up / site-readiness experience
• Experience in a high-growth or scaling manufacturing environment

Key Competencies:

• Leadership and team development (player-coach credibility)
• Technical depth in process design, tooling, and root cause problem-solving
• Project and program management
• Data-driven decision making
• Cross-functional collaboration (Design, Quality, Supply Chain, Operations)
• Communication and influence across all levels
• Safety-first mindset, especially in pressure-vessel and refrigerant-handling contexts
• Adaptability in a fast-paced, high-growth environment

Benefits:

• Medical, vision, and dental plans
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Group term life insurance coverage
• HSA, FSA, and Dependent Care plans available
• 8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and generous PTO policy
• 401k matching
• Company paid events
• Annual safety shoe allowance
• Education assistance program

EEO Statement:

Gradian Thermal Solutions is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other legally protected status.

Employment decisions at Gradian are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and actively promote a culture of fairness, equity, and opportunity.

We also provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances, in accordance with applicable laws.