Staff Manufacturing Special Process Engineer

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards.  

We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future.  

Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.  

Estimated annual base pay: $113,000 (Minimum) - $147,000 (Midpoint) - $181,000 (Maximum)

• All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity.  

• 401(k) match (4.5%) 

• Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%) 

• Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members   

• 12 paid holidays, including floating holidays.  

• Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire 

• Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave.  

• Paid parental leave.  

• Adoption Assistance   

• Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits.  

• Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life  

• Member referral bonus  

• Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending  

• Voluntary benefits, including:   

  • Home / Auto Insurance discounts  

  • Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave  

Summary:
The Special Process Engineer at Woodward is responsible for designing, implementing, optimizing, and supporting manufacturing processes that involve the chemical or physical transformation of materials. This role focuses on improving efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality production while bridging the gap between R&D, product design, and manufacturing. The engineer works closely with cross-functional teams to mature Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRL), prepare for New Product Introduction (NPI), and support existing production processes. Additionally, they oversee specialized equipment such as chemical processing systems, heat treatment units, coatings (CVD/PVD), EDM, and surface treatments like anodizing and case hardening. They also provide technical support to the global supply chain for supplier selection and development of special processes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Production Support: Standardize troubleshooting procedures, minimize waste through hardware disposition processes, and ensure adherence to quality standards across multiple production lines.

• Manufacturing Process Ownership: Develop and maintain scalable workflows that optimize efficiency, adaptability, and flexibility to meet production demands.

• Process Capability and Improvement: Use advanced analytics and simulation tools to drive process improvement and scalability across multiple lines.

• Project Leadership: Lead cross-functional manufacturing projects, managing complex timelines, budgets, and deliverables within a value stream.

• Equipment Management: Oversee installation, maintenance, and optimization of specialized process equipment, advocating for new technology and developing plant-wide standards.

• Supplier Support: Provide technical guidance to the global supply chain for supplier selection and development involving special processes.

Key Skills:

• Productivity Improvement: Drive sustainable process improvement initiatives using methodologies like statistical process control (SPC) and data analysis.

• Data Analysis: Develop models to optimize manufacturing processes, reduce variability, and improve resource allocation.

• Cost Analysis and Optimization: Balance labor, material, and overhead costs while maximizing machine uptime and reducing scrap rates.

• Lean Manufacturing: Lead Lean transformations with tools like Kanban and JIT to enhance production efficiency.

• Design for Manufacturability & Assembly (DFMA): Ensure alignment between design, manufacturing, and assembly processes to reduce production complexity.

• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Resolve systemic issues and implement sustainable solutions within production workflows.

• Knowledge of APQP Tools: Standardize process control, tooling, and fixturing designs across production lines using APQP principles.

• Communication and Collaboration: Foster alignment and transparency across teams, ensuring effective decision-making and collaboration.

Other Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree (BS) and 8+ years of equivalent experience.

• Experience with NADCAP Accreditation is preferred.

• Six Sigma Blackbelt is a plus

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).   All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee).

Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws. 

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