Manufacturing Engineer

Role Mission & Overview

Utility Solutions Group is a manufacturer of natural gas pressure regulators for utility systems. The company currently produces two models of mechanical natural gas pressure regulators in a 25K sq ft facility. USG recently acquired several additional regulator lines during Q3-Q4 2023 and are ramping up production over Q1-Q2 2024. Moving from two product lines to nearly ten comes with a higher volume of engineering requirements across quality control, production processes, and material compliance, therefore the company is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer to work across these areas in support of their respective managers.

As Manufacturing Engineer, you will support efforts to maximize throughput, maintain quality compliance with external and internal product standards, and qualify products we rely on vendors to supply us. It will be a diverse engineering experience with a variety of projects. You may work on maximizing efficiency through re-configuring processes or introducing new technologies. Another project may require you to read engineered drawings, provide specifications to vendors, and administer testing of materials they supply to qualify them as satisfactory. Regarding quality control, you will conduct statistical analysis to define sample testing thresholds and determine the root causes of product test failures by significance. You will also define and implement procedures for inspection, from incoming material to EOL final product. A successful Manufacturing Engineer will accomplish this while exercising strong interpersonal skills to build relationships and collaborate with Sales, Purchasing, and Production teammates. In your role, you will report to the Engineering Manager.

Projected Outcomes in First 3 Months:

· Work with Purchasing to complete current efforts to qualify potential suppliers with parts meeting engineering specifications.

· Specify the equipment or systems needed to execute continuous improvement plans.

· Evaluate operations, maintenance, and selection of manufacturing equipment.

· Work in Quality to achieve improved quality a minimum 90% confidence interval with a 6% margin of error.

· Work in Quality to set the current baseline first pass yield on all product lines.

· Maintain file structure for drawings, certifications, and other engineering documents.

· Assist with failure analysis and resolution of any product failures.

· Assist with any engineering associated with refining product Bills of Materials.

· As needed, assist with creating work instructions for production line processes.

· Assist with Safety, Environmental, and Quality audits.

Projected Outcomes in 12 Months:

· Work with Production personnel to identify opportunities that could lead to improved first pass yield on 143 and 496 product line by 25% or more.

· Develop a procedure with Purchasing to determine specifications defining non-conforming parts from suppliers.

· Work with Production to engineer equipment and processes to support KPI’s associated with First Pass Yield, Daily Throughput, and On-Time Delivery.

· Collaborate in Quality to reduce customer returns and implement changes designed to achieve a 2% or lower return rate, measured as quantity of products returned divided by total products shipped within the quarter.

· Maintain engineering drawings as required; work through Purchasing Department to ensure material changes are provided to suppliers.

· Support Quality during approval process for certifications/approvals for new and existing products, including applications, material testing, performance testing, and all documentation.

· Support safety program improvements where engineering input may be required.

· Contribute to process improvement and waste elimination efforts by applying lean principles and actively participating in continuous improvement events.

· Assist Purchasing with supplier visits, sample testing, material analysis, and the QA/QC program.

Key Competencies, Personal Characteristics, and Qualifications:

· Dependable, accountable, responsible, ethical, and highly organized.

· B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or similar and 3-5 years of experience.

· 3-5 years of experience in a manufacturing environment is preferred.

· Understanding of the fundamentals of lean and Six Sigma.

· Experience with continuous improvement methodologies and the direct correlation from process/procedure improvement to EOL product improvement.

· Able to take charge of supplier quality management including inspection data, audits, and necessary drawings changes for quality requirements.

· 2D/3D CAD experience (preferably SolidWorks) is necessary to create/update necessary engineering drawings.

· Passionate about details and facts-based evidence.

· Experience with start-up production operations and/or new product manufacturing is preferred.

· Driven with a true “can do” attitude and genuine intellectual passion for innovation and positive change, knowing that the status quo is not acceptable.

· Able to demonstrate remarkable persistence in the pursuit of progress, and not overly risk averse.

· Able to inspire and influence team in embracing a culture of continuous improvement and safety.

· Collaborative in team problem solving but with confidence to execute a course of action.

· Equipped with strong quantitative skills that enable granular understanding of product quality, component quality, and process deficiencies.

· Able to communicate an engineering analysis in layman’s terms.

· Able to find and employ problem-solving resources beyond the organization when needed, including additional staff, consultants, and support from vendors.

· Resolved that decisions should be based on observation, experimentation, and reason, and not because of common practice.

· Does not suffer from “not invented here” or “not invented by me” narrowmindedness.

What We Believe In

Our team feels it’s incredibly important that we can rely on one another. For that reason, as a baseline requirement people only work here if they D.A.R.E. to be great. And by D.A.R.E. we mean each team member must be Dependable, Accountable, Responsible, and Ethical. Anything short of this isn’t acceptable, and people who can’t live this way won’t last on our team. On the other hand, people who do live this way will love working with us since they’ll be surrounded by folks they can rely on day-in and day-out.

We also believe in being gritty, or GRIT-D. Coupled with passion and talent, grittiness is a powerful force that can push the most average organizations to achieve extraordinary things. For that reason, we’ve crafted our company values around it. The GRIT-D acronym is used as a framework to guide our operations, and we believe it’s what will ensure USG is able to continue creating solutions that improve the safety and reliability of utility infrastructure through the next century.

• Gather and accept objective evidence. Gut instincts are important, but making decisions based on data rather than emotions is even more important. It forces us to understand and grapple with the real forces of our business environment rather than making decisions based on assumptions.

• Reduce waste and inefficiencies. Da Vinci said simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Taking his lead, we strive to make our business practices as simple and straightforward as possible. It reduces economic waste and helps people work together more seamlessly.

• Invest in resources that make the company resilient. We want to be a partner for our customers through the foreseeable future. This requires us to invest in people and resources that allow us to weather changes in the industry.

• Tailor solutions to fix utility problems. USG doesn’t want to be just another vendor our customers have to manage. We want to be a partner in their success. By focusing on the problems that cause the most pain, we can ensure we provide practical solutions to meet our customers’ needs.

• Dedicate yourself to your craft. This is the core of being gritty. Set high expectations for yourself and exceed them as often as you’re able. Being an expert at your craft means you take pride in your work and go out of your way to constantly improve yourself and your situation.

Compensation & Benefits

• $70K-$90K salary - an offer in this range will be made based on candidate experience and skill

• 10% of salary performance-based bonus opportunity

• Company contributes 75% of employee medical, dental, and vision; life insurance

• 4% 401K match

Interested candidates should contact the Engineering Manager at ksteinhauser@my-usg.com.