Senior Staff Manufacturing Systems Engineer
About the role
The Senior Staff Manufacturing Systems Engineer leads the design and implementation of manufacturing system architecture, ensuring that production, test, and automation systems are built to requirements and designed for scalability, quality, and operational efficiency. This role provides cross-functional technical leadership across Manufacturing Engineering, Test Engineering, NPI, Automation, and IT/Software teams, while staying hands-on with the floor issues that block production.
Responsibilities
Define and maintain the end-to-end Manufacturing Systems Architecture, spanning factory automation, data flow, MES systems, ERP integration, test infrastructure, and traceability frameworks.
Partner with the Director of Operations Engineering to establish long-term strategies for smart factory enablement, digital manufacturing, and system interoperability.
Translate business and operational goals into scalable manufacturing system requirements and roadmaps.
Lead cross-functional integration of mechanical, electrical, software, and automation subsystems into cohesive manufacturing solutions.
Architect interfaces between production equipment, test systems, MES, PLM, and ERP platforms - including active support of the current ERP migration (Micus to NetSuite), ensuring quality, non-conformance, and traceability data flow correctly into the new system.
Oversee technical reviews, design validation, and readiness assessments for new manufacturing system deployments.
Drive system-level readiness for new product introductions (NPI), ensuring manufacturing systems support ramp readiness and high first-pass yield.
Work directly with the NPI Manufacturing Engineering team on active build issues - e.g., subsystem (actuator, torso, leg) build bottlenecks, work-instruction and redline backlogs, and DFMEA/traceability gaps - providing systems-level solutions, not just architectural guidance.
Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, and Test Engineering to optimize workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and standardize processes.
Champion manufacturability and maintainability through design-to-build principles and lifecycle systems thinking.
Serve as a senior technical resource and advisor for manufacturing system design and integration decisions.
Mentor engineers across multiple disciplines, raising the overall technical capability of the organization.
Influence cross-departmental standards, documentation practices, and system-level verification strategies.
Drive implementation of digital manufacturing tools (e.g., MBSE, digital twins, automated data analytics, and predictive maintenance).
Evaluate and deploy new technologies to improve throughput, reliability, and data-driven decision-making.
Establish system health metrics and continuous improvement frameworks for factory performance monitoring.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree with 12+ years, Master's degree with 10+ years, or PhD with 8+ years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline, with a focus on manufacturing systems design, integration, and deployment for complex electromechanical or robotic products.
Proven record of leading cross-functional initiatives across hardware, software, and operations teams.
Expert-level understanding of manufacturing system architectures (MES, PLM, ERP, SCADA, automation controls, test systems).
Hands-on experience with ERP/MES platforms in a production environment (NetSuite experience strongly preferred given active migration).
Strong communication and leadership skills; able to influence technical direction across teams and executive stakeholders.
Willingness and ability to be on-site regularly to support builds, reviews, and floor issues in real time.
Qualifications
Experience with robotics, advanced automation, or complex mechatronic assembly lines.
Familiarity with data systems (SQL, APIs, data lakes) and software integration for manufacturing intelligence.
Experience in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments.
Experience with DFMEA/PFMEA processes and quality traceability systems.
Skills
Model-based systems engineering (MBSE)
Digital twin implementation
Smart factory systems
Data systems (SQL, APIs, data lakes)
Software integration for manufacturing intelligence
DFMEA/PFMEA processes and quality traceability systems
Benefits
401(k) Plan: Includes a 6% company match.
Equity: Company stock options.
Insurance Coverage: 100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, and short/long-term disability insurance for employees.
Benefit Start Date: Eligible for benefits on your first day of employment.
Well-Being Support: Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Time Off: Exempt Employees: Flexible, unlimited PTO and 12 company holidays, including a winter shutdown. Non-Exempt Employees: 10 vacation days, paid sick leave, and 12 company holidays, including a winter shutdown, annually.
On-Site Perks: Catered lunches four times a week and a variety of healthy snacks and refreshments at our Salem and Pittsburgh locations.
Paid parental leave programs.
Relocation Assistance: Provided for eligible roles.
Annual Discretionary Bonus: Provided for eligible roles.