Process Design Engineer

About the role

Burkert USA's Systemhaus in Huntersville, NC is a precision manufacturing operation producing valves, sensors, and other fluid control systems and standard components for global markets spanning the industries of: Pharma/Biotech, Food and Beverage, Laboratory & Analytical, and Energy. This factory combines CNC machining of plastics and metals, with post processing, deburring, orbital welding, microfluidic manufacturing specifications, and systems integration under one roof, operating as one of six Burkert Systemhaus sites worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Own the efficiency of the manufacturing value stream processes for CNC machining of systems and standard components, from raw stock to finished part release: material staging, machine loading, first-article verification, in-process inspection, deburring, washing, final inspection, and handoff to inventory or the next operation.
• Drive spindle time optimization across turning, milling, and multi-axis machining cells.
• Conduct and lead time studies, cycle time analysis, and capacity modeling to identify constraints and quantify improvement opportunity.
• Own and continuously improve machine scheduling practices using SAP CM25 (now deployed in Fiori).
• Ensure accurate, realistic scheduling that supports delivery commitments without creating hidden capacity loss.
• Champion use of the Siemens TMGR Tool Manager for tool presetting, tool life management, and structured tool building.
• Define and enforce setup standards: part setup, work-holding, first-article verification, and handover documentation between shifts and operators.
• Analyze and reduce machine downtime; drive OEE improvement using SI04 and SI01 (SYNCHRO Simplifier modules) as primary visibility tools.
• Partner with CNC programmers on CAM strategy improvements: feeds, speeds, toolpath efficiency, and verified simulation via Vericut where applicable.
• Lead root cause analysis on scrap, rework, and non-conformances originating in machining; own corrective actions through to verified closure.
• Serve as the Huntersville site's SYNCHRO+ lead for the Manufacturing area (CNC, fabrication, welding), working as the peer to the Assembly SYNCHRO Lead.
• Own the site's annual performance against the global Burkert SYNCHRO audit in manufacturing areas.
• Develop and execute a structured improvement roadmap between audit cycles.
• Lead and facilitate improvement workshops (Kaizen, 5S, TPM, VSM) in the manufacturing environment.
• Ensure annual instruction plans, familiarization plans, and shopfloor management documentation are current and compliant. This includes SFM boards (SI06), team meeting cadence and agendas, ‘Go&See’ schedules for leadership floor walks, and the structured recurring communication rhythm that connects operators to supervisors to management.
• Author and maintain Factory Standards (FSTs), work instructions, BOPs, control plans, and process flow documentation for all manufacturing processes.
• Build and maintain digital machine handbooks in SI08 for production-critical CNC equipment. Ensure maintenance tasks, log entries, inspection records, and spare parts information are current and actively used.
• Establish structured filing practices on the production drive per SYNCHRO Office standard. Lead the cleanup and standardization of legacy documentation so that any team member can find what they need without searching.
• Drive poka-yoke implementation across machining setups and inspection processes.
• Support process development in welding operations, with a particular growth path toward ASME BPE orbital GTAW welding as that program scales.
• Contribute to process improvements in secondary operations (deburring, washing, inspection, surface treatment) as part of the full manufacturing value stream.
• Engage with intralogistics improvements (material flow, milk running, kitting, and staging) as they interface with machining cell efficiency.
• Collaborate with the Quality organization on inspection methodology, gage management, SPC implementation, and non-conformance investigation as they relate to machined components.

Requirements

• Educational requirements: Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline is required. Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification is preferred. Green Belt certification with demonstrated Black Belt-level project experience and results will be considered.
• Experience: Ideally 3 to 8 years of progressively responsible experience in a precision CNC machining environment, including hands-on work with turning, milling, and multi-axis machining of close-tolerance components in metals (stainless steel, brass, aluminum) and/or engineered plastics. Demonstrated ownership of machining process improvement initiatives with quantifiable results: spindle utilization gains, setup time reductions, tooling program improvements, scrap reduction, and scheduling discipline improvements. Direct experience with SAP production modules, specifically CM25 / Fiori scheduling, routing management, and capacity planning. Experience maintaining routing master data and translating process changes into SAP updates is expected, not optional. Hands-on experience with tool management systems. Siemens TMGR experience is a strong differentiator. Experience with comparable systems (Zoller, TDM, Kennametal NOVO) will be considered if the candidate can demonstrate the same underlying discipline: presetting, tool life tracking, structured tool building, and proactive tool change management. Experience leading Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping sessions, and 5S programs in a machining or fabrication environment. CAD/CAM proficiency with Siemens NX, Mastercam, or equivalent software. Vericut simulation experience is preferred. Familiarity with GD&T (ASME Y14.5), precision measurement techniques, and CMM-based inspection processes as they apply to machined components. CNC machining: turning and milling technologies, multi-axis setups, fixturing design and selection, tooling strategy, and cutting parameter optimization. SAP (CM25 / Fiori): production scheduling, routing creation and maintenance, capacity management, and production order processing. Siemens TMGR or equivalent tool management system: tool presetting, tool life management, tool assembly documentation, and integration with CNC controls. OEE measurement and analysis (SI04 or equivalent): availability, performance, and quality loss categorization; Pareto analysis of downtime causes; improvement targeting based on OEE data. Lean tools: Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Kaizen event facilitation, 5S/6S workplace organization, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Single-Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) for setup reduction, and standard work development. Six Sigma tools: DMAIC methodology, statistical process control (SPC) and control charts, Design of Experiments (DOE), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and structured root cause analysis methods including Ishikawa (fishbone), 5-Why analysis, and A3 problem-solving reports. Process documentation: Factory Standards (FSTs), Bills of Process (BOPs), control plans, process flow diagrams, and routing sheets.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline is required. Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification is preferred. Green Belt certification with demonstrated Black Belt-level project experience and results will be considered.
• Experience: Ideally 3 to 8 years of progressively responsible experience in a precision CNC machining environment, including hands-on work with turning, milling, and multi-axis machining of close-tolerance components in metals (stainless steel, brass, aluminum) and/or engineered plastics. Demonstrated ownership of machining process improvement initiatives with quantifiable results: spindle utilization gains, setup time reductions, tooling program improvements, scrap reduction, and scheduling discipline improvements. Direct experience with SAP production modules, specifically CM25 / Fiori scheduling, routing management, and capacity planning. Experience maintaining routing master data and translating process changes into SAP updates is expected, not optional. Hands-on experience with tool management systems. Siemens TMGR experience is a strong differentiator. Experience with comparable systems (Zoller, TDM, Kennametal NOVO) will be considered if the candidate can demonstrate the same underlying discipline: presetting, tool life tracking, structured tool building, and proactive tool change management. Experience leading Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping sessions, and 5S programs in a machining or fabrication environment. CAD/CAM proficiency with Siemens NX, Mastercam, or equivalent software. Vericut simulation experience is preferred. Familiarity with GD&T (ASME Y14.5), precision measurement techniques, and CMM-based inspection processes as they apply to machined components. CNC machining: turning and milling technologies, multi-axis setups, fixturing design and selection, tooling strategy, and cutting parameter optimization. SAP (CM25 / Fiori): production scheduling, routing creation and maintenance, capacity management, and production order processing. Siemens TMGR or equivalent tool management system: tool presetting, tool life management, tool assembly documentation, and integration with CNC controls. OEE measurement and analysis (SI04 or equivalent): availability, performance, and quality loss categorization; Pareto analysis of downtime causes; improvement targeting based on OEE data. Lean tools: Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Kaizen event facilitation, 5S/6S workplace organization, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Single-Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) for setup reduction, and standard work development. Six Sigma tools: DMAIC methodology, statistical process control (SPC) and control charts, Design of Experiments (DOE), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and structured root cause analysis methods including Ishikawa (fishbone), 5-Why analysis, and A3 problem-solving reports. Process documentation: Factory Standards (FSTs), Bills of Process (BOPs), control plans, process flow diagrams, and routing sheets.