Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer

Springs Window Fashions is a leader in the custom window treatment industry since 1939. Headquartered in Middleton, WI, we have 7,000 associates with locations in North America, Europe, and Asia. Our custom window treatments are available under the Bali, Graber, SunSetter, and Mecho brands in nearly every major retailer, in thousands of designer showrooms, and showcased in large commercial buildings. We are committed to creating a “Best Experience” for our consumers, channel partners, and associates through product innovation and operational excellence.

About the role

The Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer leads the design, development, optimization, validation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing and fabrication processes across the organization. This role serves as a key technical leader supporting operational excellence initiatives, new product introductions, process standardization, cost reduction strategies, and manufacturing performance improvements. The position collaborates closely with operations leadership, product development, quality, supply chain, maintenance, and global manufacturing teams to ensure processes meet customer, regulatory, safety, quality, and productivity requirements.

This is a first shift, full-time exempt position reporting directly to the Director of US Operations and Continuous Improvement. The role works closely with plant leadership, operations management, engineering teams, and cross-functional stakeholders across multiple manufacturing facilities.

Responsibilities

• Advanced Manufacturing Methods & Process Engineering – 35%
  • Lead the development, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing and fabrication processes for new and existing products.
  • Utilize advanced Industrial Engineering and Lean Manufacturing methodologies to improve operational performance, reduce waste, and increase efficiency.
  • Conduct detailed work measurement and labor utilization studies using time studies, work sampling, predetermined motion time systems, ratio-delay studies, video analysis, and OEE evaluations.
  • Analyze manufacturing workflows to improve safety, quality, throughput, ergonomics, and cost performance.
  • Design, develop, validate, and implement manufacturing fixtures, tooling, equipment modifications, and process controls.
  • Lead cross-functional manufacturing improvement initiatives involving engineering, operations, quality, maintenance, and supply chain teams.
  • Support automation initiatives and integration of advanced manufacturing technologies.
  • Manage capital equipment and process improvement projects from concept through implementation and validation.
  • Support global manufacturing standardization and replication of best practices across facilities.
• Technical Problem Solving & Quality Improvement – 25%
  • Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for manufacturing, process, and quality issues.
  • Utilize quality and process improvement methodologies including PFMEA, Control Plans, SPC, DOE, 8D, Six Sigma, and Fishbone Analysis.
  • Monitor process capability, variation, and performance metrics to ensure stability and compliance.
  • Develop and implement process controls and quality assurance systems to minimize defects, scrap, and rework.
  • Provide advanced technical support to resolve complex operational challenges.
  • Train and mentor personnel on manufacturing processes, quality systems, lean principles, and process improvement methodologies.
• Product & Process Specifications / Manufacturing Standards – 10%
  • Develop and maintain manufacturing process specifications, process routings, engineering standards, and technical documentation.
  • Establish standardized manufacturing practices for product consistency, repeatability, quality, and compliance.
  • Determine optimal process flow and routing to maximize efficiency while minimizing cost and waste.
  • Create and maintain Standard Practice Instructions (SPIs), work instructions, process validation documents, and operational standards.
• New Product Introduction (NPI) & Process Validation – 10%
  • Lead manufacturing readiness activities for new product launches and engineering changes.
  • Collaborate with product development teams to determine optimal manufacturing processes, tooling requirements, and validation strategies.
  • Support process validation, pilot builds, trial runs, and launch activities to ensure manufacturability and operational readiness.
  • Coordinate equipment evaluations, production trials, and capability studies for new technologies and processes.
• Manufacturing Layout & Lean Operations – 10%
  • Develop and optimize manufacturing layouts using Lean principles including one-piece flow, cellular manufacturing, value stream mapping, Kanban systems, and setup reduction.
  • Lead layout improvement projects to enhance productivity, material flow, safety, and space utilization.
  • Support plant operational excellence and Factory of the Future initiatives through process innovation.
• Leadership, Administration & Technical Development – 10%
  • Lead strategic continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity, quality, labor efficiency, and operational performance.
  • Support operational alignment and standardization across multiple U.S. manufacturing facilities.
  • Serve as a key technical resource for manufacturing strategy, process optimization, and operational excellence.
  • Collaborate with senior leadership on performance reviews, capacity planning, cost reduction strategies, and continuous improvement roadmaps.
  • Drive implementation of lean manufacturing and operational excellence initiatives aligned with corporate objectives.
  • Mentor junior engineers, technicians, and production personnel in manufacturing engineering principles and best practices.
  • Analyze production, labor, efficiency, and quality data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Quality & Continuous Improvement Responsibilities – 100%
  • Integrate quality-at-the-source principles into all manufacturing and engineering activities.
  • Apply structured problem-solving and continuous improvement tools in daily operations.
  • Develop, document, standardize, and improve manufacturing processes.
  • Identify operational waste, inefficiencies, and process variation and implement sustainable corrective actions.
  • Support a culture of operational excellence, accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering with strong industrial experience as a Process Engineer.
• 5+ years of practical manufacturing and engineering experience in designing and improving manufacturing processes.
• Capital project management experience required.
• Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma certifications are a plus.
• Bilingual English-Spanish preferred.

Pay

The annual base wage for this position is reasonably expected to be $90,000–$135,000 plus bonus. Factors affecting starting pay may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with up to 5% company match of eligible contributions.
• Life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and short-term disability insurance.
• Paid sick time meeting or exceeding local requirements.
• Paid vacation time (pro-rated for current year based on start date).
• Paid holidays per year.
• One paid volunteer day off per year.

Culture

Our core value: We do the right thing, always.

• Empowerment: We trust our people.
• Ownership: We take 100% responsibility for our roles, actions, and results.
• Leadership: We all lead by example and talk direct with respect (DWR).
• One Team: We are One Springs Team.
• Customer First: We consider our customers' needs before every decision.
• Continuous Innovation: We are constantly learning, innovating, and improving.
• Speed: We define priorities and operate with a sense of urgency and agility.