Lead Manufacturing Engineer

At Jabil (NYSE: JBL), we are proud to be a trusted partner for the world's top brands, offering comprehensive engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions. With 60 years of experience across industries and a vast network of over 100 sites worldwide, Jabil combines global reach with local expertise to deliver both scalable and customized solutions. Our commitment extends beyond business success as we strive to build sustainable processes that minimize environmental impact and foster vibrant and diverse communities around the globe.

 

JOB SUMMARY

The Lead Manufacturing Engineer provides senior technical leadership for the design, development, industrialization, and continuous improvement of large-form mechanical manufacturing processes. This role is the manufacturing engineering lead and Subject Matter Expert (SME) for fastening systems, assembly fixtures, production tooling, and mechanical automation. The engineer translates complex product requirements into safe, repeatable, production-ready solutions by leading Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), PFMEA, tolerance analysis, process validation, and production-readiness activities across NPI, ramp, and sustaining operations. The position combines hands-on mechanical engineering expertise with cross-functional leadership to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, ergonomics, and overall equipment and labor effectiveness.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the development, review, and control of mechanical manufacturing documentation including work instructions, assembly drawings, exploded views, torque specifications, SOPs, bill of materials, and process flow documentation.
• Conduct DFM and DFA reviews during NPI to ensure mechanical designs are optimized for manufacturability, serviceability, ergonomics, and defect prevention.
• Develop, maintain, and update PFMEA documentation and structured risk assessments for mechanical assembly processes including structural, piping, and pressure-related systems.

• Own and standardize fastening strategies, including fastener selection, joint design, clamp-load requirements, torque-angle methods, torque sequencing, tool selection, validation, error proofing, traceability, and failure prevention.

• Analyze and manage tolerance stack-ups to prevent fit-up issues, interference conditions, leakage paths, and structural misalignment.

• Lead the design, specification, review, commissioning, and lifecycle management of assembly fixtures, jigs, lifting devices, poka-yoke solutions, ergonomic aids, and special production tooling for mechanical subassemblies and final assembly.

• Break down complex mechanical drawings into simplified, trainable, production-ready work instructions to support multi-level operator capability.
• Develop and optimize mechanical build sequences to improve safety, ergonomics, takt time alignment, and overall labor efficiency (OLE).

• Partner with cross functional teams to define and implement mechanical automation solutions, improve assembly flow and station balance, and reduce cross-functional defects.

• Provide advanced hands-on troubleshooting support for mechanical build issues including fit-up challenges, tolerance stack-ups, structural stress points, leak sources, vibration concerns, and rework drivers.

• Develop equipment and tooling requirements, technical specifications, acceptance criteria, and validation plans; lead supplier technical reviews, design reviews, FAT/SAT, installation, commissioning, and production handoff.

• Ensure controlled documentation and ECN discipline throughout NPI, ramp, and sustaining production phases.

• Lead continuous improvement and capital improvement initiatives involving fastening controls, fixture and tooling upgrades, semi-automated and automated assembly, structural reliability, quality, safety, labor efficiency, and mechanical process standardization.

• Identify and implement opportunities to improve mechanical robustness, reduce warranty risk, and lower total cost of ownership.
• Serve as escalation point and technical mentor for junior engineers and technicians within mechanical manufacturing operations.
• Maintain accurate and controlled mechanical documentation throughout NPI, production ramps, and sustaining phases.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide day-to-day technical leadership, direction, and prioritization for manufacturing engineers, technicians, and cross-functional resources supporting assigned programs and production areas.
• Establish clear engineering objectives, deliverables, ownership, and timelines; monitor execution and escalate risks that may affect safety, quality, delivery, cost, or launch readiness.
• Coach and mentor engineers and technicians through structured problem solving, design reviews, process validation, and disciplined manufacturing engineering practices.
• Coordinate engineering workload and resource needs across NPI, production ramp, sustaining operations, capital projects, and urgent production support.
• Lead regular reviews of key manufacturing performance indicators, including safety, quality, OLE, OEE, productivity, downtime, scrap, process capability, and corrective-action effectiveness.
• Drive accountability for timely completion of PFMEA actions, process qualifications, ECNs, work instructions, corrective actions, and production-readiness deliverables.
• Build alignment among Operations, Quality, Design Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Maintenance, EHS, suppliers, and customers on technical priorities and execution plans.
• Support talent development by identifying skill gaps, recommending training, sharing technical standards, and creating opportunities for increased ownership and capability growth.
• Promote a culture of safety, compliance, respect, continuous improvement, data-based decision-making, and proactive risk management.
• Represent manufacturing engineering in leadership reviews, customer and supplier discussions, audits, and escalation meetings; communicate status, risks, decisions, and recovery plans clearly.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in manufacturing mechanical engineering, industrial equipment assembly, automation, tooling, or related engineering roles, including technical leadership of complex manufacturing projects.

• Demonstrated experience leading DFM/DFA initiatives and mechanical process optimization projects.
• Experience developing and maintaining PFMEA and mechanical risk mitigation documentation.
• Strong experience reading, reviewing, and interpreting mechanical drawings, GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and complex assembly prints.

• Demonstrated hands-on expertise in fastening systems and torque-controlled assembly, including joint design, fastener selection, smart tool programming, validation, data traceability, and troubleshooting of fastening failures.
• Experience developing, procuring, commissioning, and sustaining manufacturing fixtures, jigs, special tools, ergonomic aids, and automated or semi-automated mechanical assembly equipment.

• Working knowledge of applicable mechanical and safety standards (e.g., OSHA, ISO, ASME, torque and pressure safety practices).
• Experience supporting NPI launches, production ramps, and sustaining operations.

SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS

• Advanced understanding of large-form mechanical assembly methodologies and structural integration practices.
• Strong knowledge of GD&T application, tolerance analysis, and stack-up risk prevention in high-mix assemblies.

• Expertise in fastener selection, torque strategies, torque validation practices, gasket and sealing systems, hose and piping routing best practices, and structural alignment techniques.
• Strong knowledge of torque and fastener fundamentals, including clamp load, thread engagement, torque sequencing, joint integrity, and failure prevention.
• Hands-on knowledge of smart torque tools, including setup, programming, validation, data capture, traceability, and integration into standardized manufacturing processes.

• Experience creating and maintaining mechanical documentation using tools such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Creo, or equivalent CAD platforms.

• Advanced capability in fixture and tooling design, including locating and clamping principles, datum strategies, tolerance allocation, repeatability, accessibility, maintainability, operator ergonomics, guarding, and safe lifting interfaces.
• Strong working knowledge of mechanical automation, including actuator and end-effector selection, sensors, error proofing, machine guarding, cycle-time analysis, equipment integration, process capability, validation, and production support.

• Strong understanding of mechanical failure modes including vibration, fatigue, stress concentration, leak paths, and pressure containment risks.
• Ability to identify and eliminate non-value-added steps in mechanical assembly processes using lean methodologies.
• Strong root cause analysis and structured problem-solving skills (8D, DMAIC, A3).
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Ability to lead multiple priorities, capital projects, suppliers, design reviews, and technical workstreams while mentoring engineers and technicians across programs and workcells.

WHY JABIL

At Jabil, we believe in continuous innovation and operational excellence. The Lead Manufacturing Mechanical Engineer will have the opportunity to shape advanced mechanical manufacturing solutions, from fastening strategies and production tooling to purpose-built fixtures and automation. This role provides visible technical leadership on large-scale manufacturing initiatives that improve reliability, safety, quality, and efficiency. We foster a collaborative environment where diverse ideas are valued, technical expertise is developed, and career growth is supported through mentorship and hands-on project ownership.

 

 

 

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Jabil, including its subsidiaries, is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

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