Staff Manufacturing Engineer

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards.

We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities, creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future.

Woodward supports our members' wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Staff-Manufacturing Engineer

Supporting Woodward's Industrial division in Fort Collins, Colorado, the Staff Manufacturing Engineer will play a key leadership role in driving efficiency, scalability, and quality across multiple production lines. This position is responsible for overseeing production support, managing manufacturing processes, and leading cross-functional initiatives to ensure operational excellence. The ideal candidate will possess expertise in Lean manufacturing, process optimization, and advanced analytics, with a focus on improving productivity and reducing waste.

Estimated annual base pay: $113,000 (minimum) - $147,000 (midpoint) - 181 ,000(maximum)

• All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity.
  • 401(k) match (4.5%)
  • Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%)
  • Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members
• 12 paid holidays, including floating holidays.
• Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire
• Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave.
• Paid parental leave.
• Adoption Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits.
• Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life
• Member referral bonus
• Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending
• Voluntary benefits, including:
• Home / Auto Insurance discounts
• Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave

Key Responsibilities:

• Production Support: Oversee production support across multiple lines, standardizing troubleshooting procedures and implementing system-level improvements. Manage hardware disposition processes to minimize waste and ensure adherence to quality standards.
• Manufacturing Process Ownership: Manage multiple manufacturing processes, focusing on creating and maintaining scalable workflows that optimize efficiency across a value stream. Ensure processes remain adaptable to production changes and customer demands.
• Process Capability and Improvement: Oversee process capability programs across multiple lines, using advanced analytics and simulation tools to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Production Documentation Management: Manage production documentation for multiple lines, ensuring consistency, compliance, and accessibility. Fully integrate digital documentation systems to support collaboration across teams and improve efficiency.
• Project Support and Leadership: Oversee cross-functional manufacturing projects within a value stream, oversee complex timelines, budgets, and deliverables
• Design and implement workflows, fixtures, and setups to improve grinding precision and throughput.
• Lead initiatives to reduce cycle times, improve surface finishes, and achieve tight tolerances.
• Collaborate with machinists, operators, and quality teams to troubleshoot grinding-related issues and implement corrective actions.
• Work closely with product design engineers to ensure manufacturability and improve designs for grinding-specific requirements.
• Stay updated on advancements in grinding technologies, materials, and industry trends to recommend new solutions.

Key Skills:

• Productivity Improvements: Oversees process improvement initiatives across multiple production areas, ensuring consistency and optimizing operations. Utilizes advanced methodologies like statistical process control (SPC) and data analysis to drive sustainable efficiency gains.
• Data Analysis: Develop data-driven models to optimize manufacturing processes, improve resource allocation, and reduce variability within a value stream.
• Conducting Cost Analysis and Optimization: Optimize manufacturing processes by balancing labor, material, and overhead costs within value streams. Use cost analysis tools to maximize machine uptime, reduce scrap rates, inventory analysis, and improve operational efficiency.
• Lean Manufacturing: Drive Lean transformations within a value stream, integrating tools such as Kanban and JIT to optimize production.
• Design for Manufacturability & Assembly: Manage DFMA reviews across multiple projects or product lines, ensuring alignment between design, manufacturing, and assembly processes. Develop standards and guidelines for DFMA implementation and drive process improvements to reduce production complexity.
• Equipment: Oversees equipment selection and troubleshooting strategies for multiple production lines, ensuring alignment with project timelines and operational goals. Advocates for new equipment at a site level. Develops plant-wide standards for optimizing equipment performance and maintenance practices.
• Mentorship: Serve as a mentor to junior engineers, focusing on technical development and career growth. Lead by example through accountability and leadership.
• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking : Lead cross-functional teams to resolve systemic issues within a value stream and implement sustainable solutions.
• Knowledge of APQP Tools and Systems: Oversees APQP-driven process control initiatives, ensuring tooling/fixturing designs and process capability improvements are standardized across production lines. Develops systems to monitor critical process parameters.
• Communication and Collaboration Skills: Lead communication efforts within a value stream, ensuring alignment and transparency in decision-making processes.

Other Qualifications:

• 4 Year Bachelors BS OR 10+ years equivalent experience

Application window is anticipated to close 7 days from original posting date.

This information is provided in compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and is the company's good faith and reasonable estimate of the compensation range and benefits offered for this position. The compensation offered to the successful applicant may vary based on factors including experience, skills, education, location, and other job-related reasons.

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee).

Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws.