Senior Manufacturing Engineer - San Luis Obispo - Trust Automation, Inc.

Description

Trust Automation has over 30 years of experience in custom motors, linear drives, digital drives, and systems which meet the unique needs of its customers. Its product line includes motors, linear drives, digital drives, custom assemblies, and products to fit unique applications and ground‑up system design and manufacturing solutions. We design, build and support control and power management systems for the most demanding defense, semiconductor, industrial automation, and medical applications.

Trust Automation is an equal opportunity employer and committed to attracting, hiring, developing, and retaining a skilled, productive, and diverse workforce, personnel with competencies and experience related to the regional and State population. Every employee has an "at‑will" relationship with Trust Automation. This means that employment with Trust Automation is at the mutual consent of the employer and the employee and is subject to termination by either party at will, with or without cause or advance notice.

Job Summary

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer designs and implements product realization processes from prototype through volume‑manufacturing lifecycle phases, then continuously analyzes those processes, to improve safety, quality, delivery and cost. This is a senior‑level role in a small company, in which you will wear many different hats. Some duties will include the same as junior Manufacturing Engineers, such as management of BOMs and work instructions. The role also includes more senior‑level goals, which help raise the overall knowledge and process discipline of the team, enabling real impact to revenues and the P&L. Examples include mentoring & training, manufacturing technology development, improvements to business and change‑management processes, and strategic planning.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support tactical efforts on specific programs, products, processes, and schedule directives
• Support strategic operational initiatives
• Mentor and train junior manufacturing engineers, to up‑skill and support professional development.
• Design, fabricate, and/or facilitate the development of product‑specific assembly and test tooling and equipment with ENG and MFGE Technicians.
• Develop workcell layout and tooling/equipment requirements, using Lean principles.
• Establish manufacturing processes and Value Stream Maps during early product phases, then iterate those maps during changes in volume and product configurations.
• Work directly with Engineering teams to provide DFM/DFX input during product development.
• Serve as or support Trust's primary contacts for suppliers on manufacturing/quality inquiries and issues.
• Assist the MPM in developing production plans to allow handoff to Manufacturing with outputs that include Production Lists/BOMs, Work Instructions, assembly and test fixturing.
• Hands‑on assembly and/or testing during Prototype and Development phases. Perform duties of the MFGE Technician when needed.
• Once product lines are transitioned to Released Manufacturing phase, focus on continuous improvements and develop proposals using lean optimization tools and principles.
• Team with Configuration Management as technical reference for change proposals through the ISS/DCO/ECO process.
• Identify and chase opportunities to transfer in‑house labor to lower‑cost contract manufacturers "CMs". Facilitate to completion the data and documentation to propose labor transfer, work with MPM on schedule cut‑ins based on cost and lead time impacts and involve configuration management specialists to drive the cut‑in through ERP.
• Work alongside Quality personnel to identify and mitigate trending impediments to our OTD objectives through quantitative analysis of failure data, then propose robust solutions.
• With Materials and Quality teams, engage current and potential suppliers (metal fabrication, special processing, PCB assembly/test, cable fabrication, etc.) to identify opportunities in cost and lead time savings while ensuring or improving design intent and part reliability.
• Collaborate with design and test engineering personnel to feedback manufacturing challenges and create cost‑saving opportunities through design improvements and assembly/test automation.
• Recommend disposition for failed components/assemblies via NCR and MRB processes while assessing costs, lead time, and inventory impacts.
• Lead inter‑ and intra‑departmental teams for focused and actionable solutions during line‑down events ("rapid response", "tiger" teams).
• Leverage and improve standard‑work to uphold process standards and best industry practices.
• Apply Manufacturing Engineering best practices, such as:
  • Manufacturing processes: assembly, test, material‑removal, joining, additive, electronics, treatments & coatings, finishing, marking.
  • Materials: Metals, plastics, adhesives.
  • Design & Development: CAD, Drawings, Print Reading, GD&T, BOM, 3D modeling, DFM, DFmA, DfX, tool design, sealing methods, cost analysis & estimating, PFMEA.
  • Manufacturing Technology: IIoT / Industry 4.0, MES, SCADA.
  • Supply Chain Management: make/buy analysis, capacity planning, sourcing, order qtys, replenishment methods, inventory turns.
  • Lean and Industrial Engineering: wastes, one‑piece flow, kanban, pull systems, jidoka, takt, queue time, benchmarking, 5S, VSM, PDCA, SMED, standard work, theory of constraints, PDCA, systems analysis, VoC, OEE, TPM, time studies.
  • Quality: AS9100, cause & corrective action, problem analysis tools, factor analysis, inspection methods, data analysis, control plans.

Physical Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree and 8+ years' experience, or no Bachelor's degree and 15+ years' experience
• Certified Manufacturing Engineer (CMfgE) preferred
• Strong practical application of Manufacturing Engineering best practices as listed in the duties section above.
• Comprehension and authoring of mechanical and electrical drawings/schematics
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Visio and Project
• Proficiency with Solidworks and PDM Vault file management
• Proficiency using MRP/ERP as an advanced user
• Professional written and verbal interpersonal communication skills
• Experience in applying Lean Manufacturing principles and leading improvement projects
• High attention to detail
• Ability to perform the above duties with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated experience in high‑paced, multi‑faced working environments with frequent changes in priority and responsibility.
• Ability to maintain the day‑to‑day information required to develop or manufacture products and keep the satisfaction of our customers at its highest level.
• This position may be asked to drive for company purposes during the course of employment. If asked and agreed upon, employees must possess a valid California Driver's License and clean driving record.
• May participate in the identity verification process to access secure client or government portals by authorizing certified supplier or customer management platforms to obtain information from your personal credit profile or other information, solely to verify your identity.

Pay/Salary Information

Pay scale for this position - $110,000 - $140,000 annually

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the information provided within. You certify that the information contained in this application is correct to the best of your knowledge. You understand that to falsify information is grounds for refusing to hire, or for discharge should you be hired.