Manufacturing Engineer

Title: Manufacturing Engineer (VAVE)

Location: Chattanooga, TN

Job Type: Fulltime

About the Role:

Client is seeking an experienced NPD/VAVE Engineer to join our corporate engineering team. This role plays a key part in driving manufacturability, cost optimization, and standardization across all divisions. The NPD/VAVE Engineer will support New Product Development (NPD) and Value Analysis/Value Engineering (VAVE) initiatives in alignment with our Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Strategic Business Plan (AME SBP) — focusing on Innovation Enablement, Process Optimization, and Operational Excellence .

You will work cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, and Site Manufacturing Engineering teams to ensure that new products are efficiently, safely, and profitably designed and industrialized.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive manufacturability and cost reduction initiatives across product lines.
• Support NPD and VAVE projects from concept through production implementation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize design, materials, and processes.
• Lead process standardization and continuous improvement initiatives aligned with Lean principles.
• Conduct PFMEA, process flow analysis, and cost analysis to identify optimization opportunities.
• Ensure alignment between design intent, manufacturing capabilities, and operational goals.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering (Required)
• Master’s degree in a related discipline (Preferred)
• 5–10 years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Product Development, or VAVE roles (Required)
• Strong understanding of fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, and paint processes (Required)
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and SolidWorks (Required)
• Experience with Oracle ERP systems (Preferred)
• Solid foundation in Lean Manufacturing, PFMEA, Process Flow, and Cost Analysis (Required)
• Excellent communication and project management skills with proven cross-functional collaboration ability (Required)