Engineering Department Manager

Working at Watlow

Watlow is a global technology and manufacturing leader who provides world class engineering expertise through innovative thermal products and systems, enabling our customers to thrive. We are making a positive impact every day as our solutions enrich the lives of people everywhere. We have been providing breakthrough thermal solutions for nearly a century. Our corporate values guide us uncompromisingly to always do the right thing, continually learn and improve, respect everyone, and lead with service and humility.

About the Role

As the Engineering Department Manager for Watlow's New Product Introduction (NPI), you will have Global responsibility for the processes, the tools, and the technologies that we use to design and develop the world-class manufacturing systems that produce and deliver our new products. You will be a critical member of our Global Operations Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Director of Engineering, Global Industrialization to deliver an unparalleled customer experience based on superior manufacturing system solutions, product quality, flexibility, and responsiveness. At the same time, you will help develop, lead, and serve on regional and enterprise-wide initiatives to create greater manufacturing capability and cost performance.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Functional Leadership. Lead and develop New Product Introduction (NPI) processes, tools, and methods across Watlow; collaborate with Product Engineering and Global Operations leadership to develop manufacturing system solutions that provide competitive cost, quality, and delivery advantages; provide guidance, coaching, and mentoring to our first-line technical and operations leaders to build their manufacturing engineering mastery and professional development. Implement and coach a disciplined culture of accountability to commitments.
• Continuous Improvement. Build a culture of continuous daily improvement in the teams that are developing and deploying our new manufacturing systems; NPI "core" team members are learning aggressively and are developing process and equipment standards, eliminating waste, and improving manufacturing processes as part of every project. NPI teams apply lean manufacturing principles to establish and sustain flow through our manufacturing systems and drive operational efficiency.
• Factory Automation. Work closely with Manufacturing Centers of Excellence (MCoEs) and Global Operations leaders to develop scalable automation solutions to transform our factories from labor-dependent, "craft" operations to scalable, automated production systems that effectively handle our high mix-low volume product variety. Use service-supplier partnerships to uncouple over-dependence on internal teams to develop and deploy automation solutions. Go faster!
• Quality Performance. Collaborate with regional and enterprise quality teams to embed and deploy effective strategies, manufacturing methods, and standards that ensure that each new product introduction delivers quality performance at or above industry standards and customer expectations.
• New Product Introduction. Lead collaboration with New Product Development teams to ensure that the right product features, the right manufacturing methods, and the right digital and automation technologies are deployed for "high volume" manufacturing of all new products introduced in our Global Operations. Leverage Business and Function support teams to ensure that no product is launched until all the requirements needed to support a profitable Delivery Value Stream are in place and are demonstrated to be capable.
• Supplier Development. Collaborate closely with the sourcing and supply chain organizations to develop and implement strategies to dramatically improve the quality, cost, reliability, and delivery of incoming materials and components. Lean supply chain: key suppliers should be delivering at takt.
• Health and Safety. Aggressively promote and champion a culture of safety in the manufacturing environment; ensure that all new manufacturing systems and manufacturing system components comply with all relevant governmental and Watlow safety policies, regulations and standards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or industrial engineering) with 10-15 years of experience working in a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 5 years of experience building and leading high-performance manufacturing engineering teams.
• Skilled at setting challenging objectives and working through teams to achieve those objectives; knows how to constructively hold teams and individuals accountable.
• Proven experience in developing, deploying, and improving effective manufacturing solutions that enhance factory flow and throughput.
• Excellent communication skills; fluent English speaking and writing skills; able to work globally with international teams and leaders.
• Ability to travel as needed to support NPI activities across Watlow. (May be up to 75%)

Desired Qualifications and Attributes

• Master's degree in engineering (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or industrial engineering) is a plus.
• Strong bias for action. If it's not right, fix it!
• Minimum of 10 years developing and deploying new products, or directly supporting the introduction of new products into manufacturing.
• Demonstrated skill at building relationships and mutual understanding with operations teams.
• Biased to be in the factory; understands that "gemba" is where the value is created.
• Ability to coach and teach manufacturing system fundamentals, standards, and techniques including basic manufacturing system sizing, manufacturing process planning, manufacturing process development, and machine capacity evaluation based on takt and flow.
• Experienced in applying effective poke yoke across a range of machines and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to apply and coach the effective use of quality tools and statistical techniques (i.e. FMEA's, DRBFM's, process flow maps, SPC, control charts, process capability, MSA, Gauge R&R) to dramatically improve manufacturing system performance and robustness.
• Deep familiarity with the Toyota Production System (TPS) concepts and fundamentals; experienced in the use of lean manufacturing tools and principles in a fast-paced, high mix manufacturing environment.
• Experience applying Allen Ward's "Lean Product and Process Development" methodology is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to work on multiple initiatives of varying size, scope and complexity to meet organizational objectives.
• Experience in deploying manufacturing process automation and/or digitalization is a plus.

Benefits: The Watlow Total Compensation Plan

The health, well-being and financial stability of you and your family is a high priority to us. The Watlow Total Rewards Plan includes competitive compensation and a full range of life and career enhancing benefits:

• Annual Achievement Award
• 401(k) plan that includes a company match on your contribution and an annual company contribution that is tied to company performance
• Wellness incentives
• Employee Personal Assistance Program
• Dental, medical, vision and short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Paid holidays, personal time, and vacation
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement

Diversity & Inclusion

We proactively embrace diversity in all its dimensions across our company and cultivate a culture of inclusion and forward thinking that respects and reflects each team member's individual strengths, views, and experiences. Watlow takes pride in being an inclusive equal opportunity employer and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Please let us know confidentially if you need or require any special accommodations to participate in our recruiting process by emailing us at accommodations@Watlow.com.