Director, Manufacturing Engineering, Body

Blue Bird Corporation•Fort Valley, GA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Blue Bird Corporation is seeking a Director of Manufacturing Engineering to champion the technical vision of the production floor. Reporting to the Plant Manager, this senior leader directs a team of manufacturing engineers and technicians, resolves manufacturing bottlenecks, manages capital expenditures, and enforces safety standards. The role partners with cross-functional stakeholders to drive continuous improvement, optimize processes, and implement scalable manufacturing solutions that support on-time delivery and customer satisfaction. The director leads team performance and engineering resource allocation; oversees capital spending and equipment procurement; develops manufacturing strategies for new product launches; and leads lean manufacturing and error-proofing initiatives. The role also works with Design Engineering on design-for-manufacturing issues, evaluates projects for performance, safety, and reliability, reviews engineering analyses, and maintains compliance with ISO 9000 standards. The position involves working in office and production environments, including exposure to heat, cold, noise, moving objects, and sheet metal. Appropriate PPE is required where applicable. The role entails frequent communication and frequent weeks exceeding 40 hours. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering.
At least 10 years of manufacturing engineering experience.
At least 5 years of relevant professional leadership experience.
Experience in Production Supervision.
U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, authorization to work in the United States, and ability to provide proof of employment eligibility at hire.
Expertise in line balancing, process development, and bottleneck elimination.
Proficiency in capital expenditure oversight, financial planning, and construction management.
Skill in transitioning, calibrating, and maintaining error-proofing torque tooling.
Ability to develop project budgets and cost analyses and estimate production labor and equipment costs.
Advanced use of MS Office Suite and experience with MS Project.
Strong project management, communication, organization, cross-functional collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
People-management and conflict-resolution skills, including the ability to motivate teams and maintain morale.
Commitment to professional conduct, a strong work ethic, and integrity.
Ability to work in office and production environments, wear required PPE, and communicate frequently throughout the day.

Nice To Haves

At least 7 years of relevant professional leadership experience.
Knowledge of World Class Manufacturing (WCM) principles.
PMP certification.
Recognized process improvement training, such as Lean or Six Sigma.

Responsibilities

Direct and develop Manufacturing Engineers and Technicians, establish performance expectations and individual goals, and conduct annual appraisals.
Allocate engineering resources to deliver tooling, labor standards, routers, and process instructions for engineering changes on time.
Oversee the capital spending plan, participate in budgeting, recommend improvements, and prepare justification data for capital equipment procurement.
Develop manufacturing strategies for new product launches and guide transitions from prototype through pilot to full-scale production.
Analyze line complexity and eliminate operator decision points through effective poka-yoke and other error-proofing solutions.
Lead lean manufacturing initiatives, production support, and line material presentation to reduce costs and improve processes.
Partner with Design Engineering to resolve chronic Design for Manufacturing issues and implement corrective actions.
Evaluate projects for performance, safety, and reliability.
Review PFMEA, DVP&R, and 8D root cause analyses to support continuous product design improvement.
Maintain compliance with ISO 9000 standards and produce comprehensive, customer-ready documentation.
Manage multiple complex projects from inception to completion and collaborate across departments and organizational levels.