Manufacturing Engineer I

Woodward L'Orange • Rockford, IL

23d

About The Position

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. 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.

Requirements

• 4 Year Bachelors BS OR 6+ years equivalent experience
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined by ITAR/EAR regulations.

Nice To Haves

• Assists in identifying inefficiencies in manufacturing operations by collecting data (e.g., cycle times, scrap rates, setup times) and supporting small-scale process improvement initiatives under supervision.
• Collect and organize data related to production processes, such as cycle times, throughput, and downtime, using spreadsheets or basic tools.
• Collect production data on labor, material usage, and machine downtime to support cost analysis and basic cost-benefit calculations for manufacturing decisions.
• Learn basic Lean principles, such as 5S and waste identification, and apply them to small tasks.
• Learn basic DFMA principles and assist in design reviews to identify manufacturability issues. Collaborate with design teams to collect data and document feedback on product designs.
• Learns the basics of equipment selection, troubleshooting, and maintenance processes. Assists in evaluating equipment specifications, performing basic troubleshooting tasks, and documenting equipment performance under supervision.
• Learn from senior engineers by actively seeking guidance and feedback to improve technical and interpersonal skills. Focus on understanding processes and building foundational expertise.
• Identify basic issues in manufacturing workflows and propose simple solutions.
• Learns the basics of APQP tools and systems, focusing on process control and product quality. Assists in monitoring process capability and supporting tooling/fixturing evaluations and documentation updates.
• Communicate findings effectively and work collaboratively with other roles.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to troubleshoot basic process issues and assist operators in maintaining workflows.
• Document downtime trends and evaluate defective hardware for basic disposition actions such as rework or scrap.
• Assist in creating and documenting basic manufacturing processes, ensuring workflows are captured accurately and reflect production requirements.
• Collect data to support evaluations of process capability and identify minor issues in production processes.
• Assist in maintaining and updating production documentation, including SOPs, process flow diagrams, and basic work instructions. Ensure documentation is organized and accessible.
• Tracking project milestones, maintaining documentation, and supporting basic project tasks.

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level