Industrial Material Engineer

About the role

The Industrial Material Engineer plays a key role in shaping the future of material flow within high-volume assembly plants. This position focuses on implementing material strategies and automation in assembly centers, optimizing material flow to support efficient, lean manufacturing operations. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams as one cohesive unit to execute new material automation projects, build robust business cases for material strategies and automation initiatives, and develop a long-term vision for material flow, including Automation and LMS implementation. In this role, you also develop, recommend, and implement changes that improve manufacturing processes and product quality, enhance part delivery accuracy, and reduce the overall cost of material handling in a dynamic, fast-paced manufacturing environment.

This role is based in a plant floor environment on a daily basis, working directly within high-volume assembly operations. You will regularly interact with manufacturing equipment, material handling systems, and automation technologies, including AGVs and AMRs, while collaborating with production, engineering, and supply chain teams. The environment is dynamic and fast-paced, requiring a hands-on approach to observing processes, validating material flow solutions, and supporting implementation activities on the shop floor.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Lansing, MI. This is a fully onsite position in Lansing, MI.

Responsibilities

• Implement material strategies and automation solutions in assembly centers to optimize material flow and support lean manufacturing practices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams as one integrated team to plan, coordinate, and execute new material automation projects.
• Develop comprehensive business cases for material strategies and automation initiatives, including cost, benefits, and long-term impact on material flow.
• Create and refine a long-term material flow vision that supports Automation and LMS implementation in assembly centers.
• Develop, recommend, and implement process changes that improve manufacturing efficiency and product quality.
• Improve part delivery accuracy through enhanced material handling methods and optimized flow paths.
• Reduce overall material handling costs by identifying inefficiencies and implementing data-driven improvements.
• Apply industrial engineering skills and techniques to analyze current material and manufacturing processes and propose optimization solutions.
• Use tools such as AutoCAD, FactoryCAD or equivalent, and MS Office (Excel, Access, Project, Word, PowerPoint) to design, document, and communicate material flow solutions.
• Lead projects related to material flow and automation, coordinating resources, providing leadership updates, reporting status, and tracking timelines.
• Support the implementation and continuous improvement of principles in program/platform manufacturing and plant operations.
• Work daily in a plant floor environment to observe operations, validate solutions, and ensure successful implementation of material strategies.
• Contribute to transforming material flow strategy by working with AGVs and AMRs and integrating them effectively into assembly plant operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (Mechanical, Supply Chain, Industrial) or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of equivalent experience in