Finishing Manufacturing Engineer

PCC Talent Acquisition Portal•San Leandro, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Back-End Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for optimizing all finishing operations within the investment casting value stream, including cut-off, grind, blend, heat treat, NDT, weld repair, machining, and final inspection. This role provides technical leadership to improve process capability, reduce cost, and enhance throughput. A core responsibility is the complete overhaul and modernization of the Material Review (MRO) department, ensuring rapid defect disposition, accurate classification, and closed-loop corrective action. The engineer will also develop and execute a cost-out pipeline delivering annualized savings ≥3× the salary of the position, driven by scrap reduction, yield improvement, labor efficiency, and process redesign.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
Strong technical aptitude and passion for manufacturing processes and continuous improvement.
Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks) and familiarity with engineering drawings.
Experience with manufacturing processes, materials, machining principles, and finishing operations.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, PFMEA, SPC.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in investment casting, aerospace, or industrial gas turbine manufacturing.
Experience supporting or managing MRO/MRB processes.
CAM proficiency and basic CNC programming experience.
Experience with ERP/MES systems and digital defect tracking tools.

Responsibilities

Provide daily technical support to finishing operations, troubleshooting production issues and implementing corrective actions to minimize downtime and rework.
Lead optimization of cut-off, grind, blend, heat treat, NDT, weld repair, machining, and final inspection processes.
Develop and maintain SOPs, work instructions, routings, and process control plans for all finishing operations.
Identify bottlenecks and implement cycle-time reduction initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and statistical analysis.
Improve process capability (Cp/Cpk) through data-driven methods and structured experimentation (DOE).
Transform MRO into a high-functioning, data-driven defect management system.
Redesign MRO workflows to ensure rapid disposition, accurate defect classification, and robust traceability.
Implement standardized defect taxonomies, digital tracking tools, and automated dashboards for real-time visibility.
Lead structured root-cause investigations (5-Why, fishbone, 8D) for recurring defects and high-cost scrap drivers.
Establish closed-loop corrective action processes linking MRO findings to upstream wax, shell, melt, and finishing operations.
Train MRO personnel on defect recognition, disposition criteria, and escalation protocols.
Reduce MRO backlog, improve first-pass disposition accuracy, and shorten cycle time for defect review.
Build and execute a validated cost-out pipeline delivering ≥3× salary in annualized savings.
Identify and quantify cost-out opportunities across scrap reduction, yield improvement, labor efficiency, tooling optimization, and process redesign.
Conduct detailed cost analyses including direct variable cost (DVC), yield performance, and rework labor burden.
Lead projects targeting: Scrap reduction in finishing and MRO, Reduction of weld repair and blend/grind rework, Optimization of NDT throughput and first-pass yield, Tooling redesign for ergonomics, repeatability, and cycle time, Automation opportunities in cut-off, grind, and inspection.
Track savings using validated financial models and report monthly progress to leadership.
Partner with Supply Chain and Design Engineering to ensure cost-effective manufacturability.
Create and modify CAD models, drawings, and tooling designs to support finishing operations.
Translate design specifications into manufacturing instructions and production plans.
Support CAM programming and toolpath optimization for machining operations.
Collaborate with design engineers to ensure manufacturability and minimize downstream finishing burden.
Support development and implementation of quality control plans, inspection procedures, and SPC methods.
Participate in quality audits, process validations, and root-cause analysis for finishing defects.
Lead corrective actions that permanently eliminate recurring defects such as shrinkage, cracks, inclusions, and weld repair failures.
Ensure compliance with customer, regulatory, and aerospace/industrial gas turbine requirements.
Create and maintain manufacturing documentation including SOPs, work instructions, and process control plans.
Train operators, inspectors, welders, and MRO personnel on new processes, equipment, and quality requirements.
Collaborate with upstream process owners (wax, shell, melt) to ensure stable inputs to finishing operations.
Work closely with Quality, Operations, and Maintenance to ensure process stability and equipment reliability.