Engineering Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and manage production-supporting engineering functions within a manufacturing facility
• Supervise, mentor, and develop engineers and engineering technicians
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, and Six Sigma methodologies
• Manage engineering project portfolios, ensuring effective prioritization, resource allocation, and execution
• Support manufacturing process development, optimization, and scale-up for new and existing products
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, R&D, and Facilities teams to improve production performance and support business objectives
• Oversee equipment management, including preventive maintenance recommendations, capital equipment planning, and process reliability improvements
• Lead troubleshooting, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and process validation activities
• Support development of manufacturing fixtures, tooling, work instructions, and process documentation
• Participate in production line redesign, capacity expansion, and cost reduction initiatives
• Develop and monitor KPIs to maintain process controls and operational effectiveness
• Support prototype builds, pilot production, and commercialization of new products
• Collaborate with vendors and suppliers regarding equipment, materials, and implementation timelines
• Contribute to staffing, training, performance management, and employee engagement initiatives within the engineering team

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline
• 10+ years of engineering experience within a manufacturing environment
• 5+ years of leadership or engineering management experience
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement principles, and operational excellence methodologies
• Proven experience managing engineering projects and cross-functional initiatives
• Strong communication, organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative manufacturing environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting new product development (NPD), product commercialization, or startup manufacturing environments
• Leverage Lean Six Sigma certification
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, or JD Edwards
• Experience with process validation, equipment qualification, and manufacturing process optimization

General Expectations

• Demonstrate effective communication (verbal, written) skills
• Proficient with MS Office Word and Excel
• Maintain discretion when working with confidential and proprietary information
• Strict adherence to Company safety policies and procedures
• Adhere to all aspects of Lightera “Standards of Conduct” document

Benefits

Employees are offered competitive salaries and generous benefits programs, including medical, dental, tuition reimbursement, and a matching 401(k) plan.

Company Information

Lightera is a Georgia-based global company that is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or status as an individual with a disability.

Application Instructions

To apply, please visit www.lightera.com/careers. Submissions must include salary information.