Associate Director, Manufacturing Engineering (Onsite)

RTX • Columbus, GA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Pratt & Whitney is working to once again transform the future of flight—designing, building and servicing engines unlike any the world has ever seen. And because transformation begins from within, we’re seeking the people to drive it. So, calling all curious. Come ready to explore and you’ll find a place where your talent takes flight—beyond the borders of title, a country or your comfort zone. Bring your passion and commitment and we’ll welcome you into a tight knit team that takes our mission personally. Channel your drive to make a difference into shaping an organization and an industry that’s evolving fast to the future. Are you ready to go beyond? The Associate Director, Manufacturing Engineering serves as the strategic and technical leader responsible for the full manufacturing engineering value stream, including product engineering, process engineering, programming engineering, and new product introduction (NPI). This leader will architect and execute the long‑term manufacturing technology roadmap, ensure flawless product industrialization, and deliver high‑quality hardware with minimal defects. The role is accountable for driving engineering excellence, advancing manufacturing capability, and enabling predictable, competitive, and scalable production performance across the factory.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field and 12 or more years of experience in manufacturing engineering, product engineering or technical operations within a complex, high‑precision production environment OR a Master's degree and 10 or more years of experience in manufacturing engineering, product engineering, or technical operations within a complex, high‑precision production environment
• Demonstrated success leading multi‑disciplinary engineering teams and delivering high‑quality products with minimal defects.
• Proven leadership of NPI programs, manufacturing readiness, and process validation.
• Expertise in PFMEA, process capability, DFM, and advanced problem‑solving methodologies.
• Experience with machining, assembly, special processes, or complex aerospace hardware manufacturing.
• Proficiency with manufacturing systems (MES, ERP, PLM) and data‑driven engineering tools.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated, high‑precision manufacturing environments.
• Background in automation, digital manufacturing, advanced machining, or next-generation manufacturing technologies.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or CORE certification (Black Belt or equivalent).
• Experience leading capital strategy, technology roadmaps, and large‑scale transformation

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Technical Governance Set the long‑term vision and strategy for Manufacturing Engineering, ensuring alignment with business objectives, customer requirements, and enterprise standards.
• Lead and integrate Product Engineering, Process Engineering, and Programming Engineering into a cohesive, high‑performing organization that delivers robust, defect‑free products.
• Own the technical governance framework, including design‑for‑manufacture (DFM), process capability, tooling strategy, and manufacturing readiness.
• Drive standardization of manufacturing methods, equipment, and technologies across product families to improve quality, cost, and delivery performance.
• New Product Introduction (NPI) Excellence Lead end‑to-end NPI execution, ensuring new products are industrialized with world‑class quality, stable processes, and predictable ramp-up performance.
• Oversee manufacturing readiness reviews, process validation, and capability qualification to ensure flawless launch and minimal early‑life defects.
• Partner with Design Engineering to influence product architecture, manufacturability, and cost from concept through production release.
• Process Capability, Quality, and Performance Ensure manufacturing processes consistently deliver high‑quality hardware with extremely low defect rates, leveraging advanced problem‑solving and statistical methods.
• Oversee PFMEA, control plans, and process capability (Cp/Cpk) development to proactively mitigate risk and ensure robust process performance.
• Drive continuous improvement in cycle time, yield, labor standards, and cost performance across all product families.
• Govern MRB strategy and systemic corrective actions to eliminate recurring defects and strengthen process discipline.
• Technology Advancement & Automation Develop and execute the manufacturing technology roadmap, including automation, digital manufacturing, advanced inspection, and next-generation machining strategies.
• Lead capital planning and deployment to ensure investments align with long‑term capability needs and factory competitiveness.
• Champion technology insertion initiatives that improve quality, reduce variation, and enhance operational efficiency.
• Organizational Leadership Lead, mentor, and develop a multi‑disciplinary engineering organization, building deep technical capability and strong leadership bench strength.
• Create a culture of accountability, innovation, and engineering rigor, ensuring teams are empowered to solve complex problems and deliver exceptional results.
• Set clear priorities, allocate resources effectively, and ensure alignment across engineering, operations, quality, supply chain, and program teams.
• Serve as a key member of the site leadership team, influencing strategy, driving transformation, and shaping the future of the factory.

Benefits

• Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays.
• Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees