Manufacturing Engineer I

About the Role

Join Protolabs as a Manufacturing Engineer I and play a key role in optimizing manufacturing processes, improving product quality, and driving operational efficiency. In this role, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement cost-effective manufacturing solutions, troubleshoot production challenges, analyze data, and support continuous improvement initiatives. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to process development, lean manufacturing activities, quality enhancements, and innovative tooling and production strategies while building a strong foundation in manufacturing engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams in developing and improving manufacturing processes.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings or expanded capabilities using data analysis, brainstorming, and other techniques.
• Help develop competing concepts and apply analytical techniques to support decision processes.
• Design and develop tooling strategies for new processes.
• Assist in research, design, and development of manufacturing processes including production flow, assembly methods, and production equipment.
• Troubleshoot production problems as needed.
• Identify manufacturing bottlenecks and quality issues.
• Identify potential design improvements and alternatives.
• Assist management in improving systems of production control, standard operating procedures, safety, quality control, and training.
• Participate in and promote lean manufacturing initiatives.
• Work closely with quality engineering to facilitate process and quality improvements.
• Perform root cause analysis of situations and implement corrective actions.
• Comprehend and leverage statistical data with assistance.
• Conduct lean activities with guidance (e.g., kaizen events, 5S events).
• Design and conduct experiments, analyze and interpret data.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related technical field
• 0-1 year of relevant professional engineering experience
• Strong written and oral communication skills: able to communicate complex technical information to all levels of the organization, able to clearly present data in written and verbal form.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills; familiarity with problem-solving tools and resources (FMEA, Pareto, Cause & Effect diagrams).
• Strong attention to detail and experience with managing project documents and producing quality content.
• Must be able to take initiative and work independently.
• Self-motivated and self-directed with a high sense of urgency.
• Able to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to successfully perform within a project framework, including defined deliverables and time frames.

Qualifications

• Kaizen and Lean Manufacturing techniques
• Knowledge of CAD software, machining and molding technology
• A background or working knowledge of machining and/or injection molding preferred.
• Experience working within a Continuous Improvement environment.

Other Details

• Salary Range: $69,500 - $86,900 a year
• ITAR-compliant operations: This role is only open to U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), or foreign nationals granted refugee or asylee status. Individuals with temporary visas are not eligible for hire.
• Physical Demands: Employee is regularly required to sit; use a computer keyboard, monitor and mouse, telephone and printer; reach with hands and arms, talk, see and hear. Occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop or kneel and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Work Environment: Indoors (A/C); nonsmoking office setting requiring normal safety precautions. May involve time in manufacturing areas exposed to machinery and noise. Eye protection occasionally required. Occasionally works in outside weather conditions. May encounter moving mechanical parts, high/precarious places, wet/humid conditions, fumes/airborne particles, toxic/caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock, and vibration. Noise level is usually quiet to moderate.