Mechanical Engineering Manager

The Mechanical Engineering Manager will be based out of Whitehall, Michigan and will be located within the Howmet Research Center (HRC) and is responsible for managing and providing technical leadership of the Manufacturing Technology Group' (MTech), Mechanical Engineering team. MTech builds Howmet Corporation's manufacturing equipment ranging from large vacuum casting furnaces, robotic assembly cells to new advanced manufacturing equipment and automation as well as providing corporate engineering services including process research and development and cost/scrap reductions.
Responsibilities involve supervising salaried employees, managing all engineering design services, providing technical assistance to project designs to ensure operational excellence and adherence to customer requirements, incorporation of innovation and new technologies into manufactured equipment, driving continuous improvement of equipment designs and manufacturing processes, while establishing and maintaining excellent customer-focused relationships.

Core Role
* Manages, directs and participates with the mechanical design team ensuring project design and development in accordance with overall project timelines, budgets, and quoted specifications.
* Directs and participates in the conception, evaluation and implementation of project designs, including cost savings, project/process improvements and production problem solving activities
* Provides direction, encouragement, and recognition of individual achievement, promoting growth and development in associates, inspiring risk, while continually assessing talents and fit to job roles, based on individual and collective performance and changing design requirements.
* Drives a customer-focused engineering culture that aligns design, manufacturing, R&D, and prototyping capabilities with internal customer needs.
* Leads engineering problem-solving efforts using structured methodologies such as root cause analysis, Lean manufacturing tools, and Design of Experiments (DOE)
* Mentors to develop engineers to strengthen their leadership capability, technical expertise, and problem-solving mindset.
* Solves problems creatively and encourages a low-risk environment for exercising creative solutions and pushing the limits of existing technology, processes and techniques.
* Purposes to connect individually and with teams to build rapport and commonality, creating a "win together" team ethos and to help team members to feel heard and appreciated.
* Actively challenges the status quo and seeks to solve problems differently than the past, exploring the limits of technology and existing practices, embracing and promoting change including automation, smart manufacturing and improvement in data gathering/interpretation while employing prototype design and manufacture for proof of concept.

Additional Roles
* Functions as a liaison between tooling suppliers, machining vendors, component suppliers and project engineers on team projects
* Manages the training and development strategies for the engineering staff, including performance evaluations, coaching, and development planning.
* Exhibits strong project management capability with experience managing capital projects and engineering initiatives in a manufacturing environment
* Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes such as casting, coatings, machining, grinding, heat treatment, wax injection, and secondary operations.
* Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, CAD models, GD&T, and aerospace manufacturing specifications. Good familiarity with SolidWorks/AutoCAD software
* Performs FEA analysis of forces, stresses, dynamics, fluid dynamics to ensure critical safe performance parameters.
* Ensures that all designs and work activities are performed in accordance with established safety, environmental and corporate standards.
* Occasionally travels to provide field engineering and troubleshooting assistance to support equipment installation, maintenance, and repairs.

Basic Qualifications
* Minimum of 8-10 years of engineering experience, including progressive leadership responsibility in manufacturing environments, and 3 or more years of supervisory or management experience.
* BS in Engineering from an accredited institution is required
* Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
* This position entails access to export-controlled items and employment offers are conditioned upon an applicant's ability to lawfully obtain access to such items.

Preferred Qualifications
* BS in Material Science, Mechanical, Metallurgy, or Manufacturing Engineering from an accredited institution highly desired
* Experience and proficiency with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint).
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Strong analytical skills; able to effectively problem solve and deliver on objectives.
* Display innovative thinking and creativity.
* Flexible and able to work with all levels of the organization.
* Demonstrated dependability and ability to work independently and with large teams.
* Ability to multi-task.