Director, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering

AriensCo•Brillion, WI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At AriensCo, we build more than exceptional products – we create opportunities that impact careers. Our culture values innovative thinking, hard work and determination. We interact in teams, collaborate together and make decisions quickly. We see growth potential in every team member, and are committed to supporting our employees with continuous training and advancement opportunities. Our environment? We’re corporate, without being “corporate.” Whether you work at our headquarters, manufacturing facilities, or one of our global distribution businesses, you’ll always have the freedom to create and contribute. Our company vision is “Passionate People, Astounded Customers.” Quite simply: it revolves around people Speaking of people, you’re not just employee #1,762 to us. You’re family and your role is invaluable. Without exceptional people, we can’t continue to produce the amazing products we're known for around the world. Ready for the ride of your career? Then come join us. By joining our team, you'll have the opportunity to work in a rewarding workplace with a strong sense of community. Job Description: AriensCo is excited to be seeking a Director to lead and grow a high-performing Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering organization in Brillion, WI! This is a high-impact leadership role focused on designing, industrializing, and continuously improving high-volume, automotive-grade production processes. THE DAY TO DAY... Strategy & Leadership Build the vision, roadmap, and operating mechanisms for the Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering (IME) function; set clear standards for process design, documentation, validation, change control, and lessons learned Develop team capability (coaching, skills matrices, succession plans) and foster a culture of data-driven problem solving, standard work, and continuous improvement New Product & Process Development (NPD/IPD) Own manufacturing readiness for new programs: process concepting, flow, line design, line balancing, ergonomics, tooling specification, and capital justification Lead application of APQP and PPAP (DFMEA/PFMEA, Control Plans, SPC) for launch readiness; partner with Quality, Supplier Quality, Product Engineering, and Supply Chain Plan and run DOE, capability studies, and production trials in order to achieve targeted Cpk/Ppk, FPY, and ramp-to-rate milestones Partner with Operations Leadership to ensure new products and processes are ready and capable of meeting or exceeding all production and quality goals and targets Operational Excellence Drive systemic waste removal using Lean (VSM, 5S/6S, Kaizen, Kanban, visual management) and Six Sigma (DMAIC, statistical methods) to improve OEE, throughput, changeover, and labor productivity Implement robust standard work, work instructions, and error-proofing (Poka-Yoke); lock in improvements through layered audits and QOS routines Establish and maintain performance boards and tiered accountability (daily/weekly) with production leadership Advanced Manufacturing & Automation Guide deployment of robotics, automated inspection, MES/traceability, and in-process testing to stabilize and scale high-volume operations (welding, forming, machining, assembly, paint) Partner with Controls/IT to ensure process data integrity and real-time analytics for decision support Quality & Compliance Ensure adherence to relevant standards (e.g., , customer-specific requirements); champion preventive quality and robust process controls from Day 1 Collaborate with Supplier Quality on incoming material/process capability and with Product Engineering on DFM/DFA tradeoffs Cost & Capital Stewardship Deliver annual productivity (e.g., labor, material, scrap) and CI savings targets; build ROI-backed capital business cases and manage execution against scope, schedule, and budget People Leadership Recruit top talent; set goals, conduct performance reviews, and recognize high performance Create an inclusive, safe environment; enforce EHS/ergonomics in process design and daily operations

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering or Mechanical Engineering
Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in high-volume automotive or automotive-grade manufacturing environments, leading end-to-end process development and production scaling
Demonstrated leadership of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering teams (multi-process lines preferred: forming, welding, machining, paint, assembly)
Proven mastery of Lean Six Sigma; capable of coaching teams through DMAIC with measurable results
Hands-on expertise with APQP/PPAP, PFMEA/Control Plan, MSA/SPC, capability indices (Cpk/Ppk), and DOE
Strong analytical skills; fluency in SQL/Excel or analytics tools to mine production data and drive decisions
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (or Master Black Belt) certification

Responsibilities

Build the vision, roadmap, and operating mechanisms for the Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering (IME) function; set clear standards for process design, documentation, validation, change control, and lessons learned
Develop team capability (coaching, skills matrices, succession plans) and foster a culture of data-driven problem solving, standard work, and continuous improvement
Own manufacturing readiness for new programs: process concepting, flow, line design, line balancing, ergonomics, tooling specification, and capital justification
Lead application of APQP and PPAP (DFMEA/PFMEA, Control Plans, SPC) for launch readiness; partner with Quality, Supplier Quality, Product Engineering, and Supply Chain
Plan and run DOE, capability studies, and production trials in order to achieve targeted Cpk/Ppk, FPY, and ramp-to-rate milestones
Partner with Operations Leadership to ensure new products and processes are ready and capable of meeting or exceeding all production and quality goals and targets
Drive systemic waste removal using Lean (VSM, 5S/6S, Kaizen, Kanban, visual management) and Six Sigma (DMAIC, statistical methods) to improve OEE, throughput, changeover, and labor productivity
Implement robust standard work, work instructions, and error-proofing (Poka-Yoke); lock in improvements through layered audits and QOS routines
Establish and maintain performance boards and tiered accountability (daily/weekly) with production leadership
Guide deployment of robotics, automated inspection, MES/traceability, and in-process testing to stabilize and scale high-volume operations (welding, forming, machining, assembly, paint)
Partner with Controls/IT to ensure process data integrity and real-time analytics for decision support
Ensure adherence to relevant standards (e.g., , customer-specific requirements); champion preventive quality and robust process controls from Day 1
Collaborate with Supplier Quality on incoming material/process capability and with Product Engineering on DFM/DFA tradeoffs
Deliver annual productivity (e.g., labor, material, scrap) and CI savings targets; build ROI-backed capital business cases and manage execution against scope, schedule, and budget
Recruit top talent; set goals, conduct performance reviews, and recognize high performance
Create an inclusive, safe environment; enforce EHS/ergonomics in process design and daily operations