Manufacturing Engineer, Torque Tubes

Nextpower • Nashville, TN

3d

About The Position

At Nextpower, the Manufacturing Engineer – Torque Tubes drives concurrent engineering (DFM/DFMA), supplier process readiness, industrialization, and engineering change implementation for steel torque tubes and their connection features across the global supply base. The role develops and deploys robust manufacturing processes from coil preparation and tube forming through welding, sizing, cutting, end forming, hole making, and corrosion protection, as applicable.

The engineer partners with R&D/Design Engineering, Quality, Program Management, and Procurement to deliver manufacturable, scalable, and cost-effective products that meet structural, dimensional, assembly, and customer requirements. The position supports supplier manufacturing-line launches and ramp-ups, product development and design release, process validation, value engineering, supplier readiness, equipment commissioning, engineering change control, and technical issue resolution. It also contributes to NPI and cross-functional readiness reviews and promotes standardized manufacturing controls and best practices across suppliers.

The role requires a bachelor's degree in Engineering and substantial experience in steel tube or related manufacturing and industrialization. It involves working with global, cross-functional, and multicultural teams, occasional flexible scheduling to accommodate global teams, and 30% domestic and international travel.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and at least 10 years of relevant manufacturing engineering or industrialization experience with steel tubes, roll-formed sections, or structural steel components in an OEM or contract manufacturing environment.
• At least 5 years of experience in DFM, steel tube manufacturing processes, or steel processing machinery, including leading CAPEX projects to implement equipment in factories.
• At least 5 years of experience serving large OEM customers in renewable energy, automotive, or industrial manufacturing.
• Demonstrated ability to influence design releases through DFM/DFMA, translate supplier process capability into design requirements, and validate designs in a production environment.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of roll forming and welded steel tube production, including HF/ERW or equivalent seam welding, tooling setup, sizing, straightening, cutting, end forming, and hole making.
• Experience leading supplier process and tooling readiness, validation builds, production ramp-up, and on-site troubleshooting, and connecting machine settings and tooling condition to product quality.
• Experience with PLM-based engineering change management and controlled implementation across suppliers, including process documentation and product traceability.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, steel material specifications, and coating requirements; CAD collaboration skills for manufacturability reviews using SolidWorks or equivalent.
• Working knowledge of PFMEA, control plans, statistical process control, process capability (Cp/Cpk), measurement system analysis, Lean/Six Sigma, and structured problem solving (8D, 5-Why, Pareto).
• Practical knowledge of weld inspection and destructive or nondestructive test methods, dimensional gauging, and corrosion protection for pre-coated or post-galvanized tubing, as applicable.
• Ability to influence suppliers and cross-functional partners, negotiate technical solutions, and make timely decisions using engineering evidence.
• Experience working with global, cross-functional, and multicultural teams.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; ability to translate complex manufacturing issues into clear recommendations, work instructions, and action plans.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex technical changes and deliver measurable improvements in capacity, cost, quality, and delivery using facts and quantitative data.
• Ability to translate strategy into execution, manage competing priorities, and drive technical risk closure across multiple supplier locations.
• Ability to work flexible schedules occasionally to accommodate global teams.
• Willingness to travel 30% domestically and internationally.

Nice To Haves

• Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or Metallurgical Engineering degree.
• Solar tracker or torque tube experience.
• Six Sigma Green Belt, PMP, Lean Manufacturing, Journeyman, or other relevant industry certifications.
• Direct experience with domestic and offshore Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, especially solar tracker torque tube or structural tubing manufacturers.
• Experience developing new tube forming or end-connection processes, improving high-strength or coated steel tube production, and standardizing validated processes across factories.

Responsibilities

• Support the launch, commissioning, and ramp-up of torque tube manufacturing lines at domestic and international supplier locations; verify safe operation, throughput, yield, and sustained process capability.
• Participate in product development from concept through design release and provide DFM/DFMA input on tube profiles, wall thickness, material grades, seam location, end connections, hole patterns, tolerances, and coating requirements, incorporating supplier capability feedback.
• Review drawings, specifications, GD&T, and design revisions; identify risks to tube straightness, twist, cross-sectional geometry, weld integrity, connection fit, and assembly alignment, and recommend solutions before design release.
• Lead process development for coil handling and slitting, roll forming, longitudinal seam welding, sizing and straightening, cut-to-length, end forming or swaging, punching or drilling, and coating or weld-seam protection, as applicable.
• Plan prototype builds, supplier trials, and production validations; verify critical dimensions, weld quality, end-connection fit, and coating integrity, and coordinate mechanical and torsional validation with Design Engineering and Quality.
• Lead value engineering and cost reduction across torque tube products by optimizing material utilization, strip width, tooling, line speed, changeover, yield, and scrap while maintaining structural performance, corrosion resistance, safety, and manufacturability.
• Define manufacturing readiness deliverables, including process flows, PFMEAs, control plans, work instructions, inspection and test methods, material traceability, packaging standards, and ramp-readiness criteria, in partnership with Quality and suppliers.
• Conduct supplier readiness audits and capacity studies; assess tube mill capability, welding controls, tooling condition, preventive maintenance, bottlenecks, and staffing; drive corrective actions and verify readiness for production volumes.
• Deploy standardized process controls, in-line inspection, error proofing, automation, and Lean practices; use OEE, yield, scrap, downtime, and capability data to prioritize supplier improvements.
• Define technical requirements for tube mills, weld systems, cutting and end-forming equipment, gauges, and handling systems; develop factory and site acceptance tests (FAT/SAT) and support equipment installation, commissioning, and training.
• Serve as a Manufacturing Engineering reviewer/approver for engineering changes (ECR/DCO/ECO) in the company PLM system; validate supplier implementation, tooling and process updates, traceability, and inventory transition.
• Provide rapid technical escalation support for supplier, manufacturing, and field issues; lead structured root-cause analysis and corrective action for weld defects, dimensional variation, forming cracks, coating damage, and connection issues, and verify effectiveness.
• Document and deploy best practices for tube mill setup, tooling, welding process windows, inspection, safe material handling, and packaging to prevent tube deformation and coating damage during storage and transport.
• Participate in NPI and cross-functional readiness reviews; communicate supplier capacity, validation results, open technical risks, corrective actions, and launch status to support timely release and ramp decisions.

Benefits

• Work that directly contributes to accelerating the global shift to renewable energy.
• Opportunity to collaborate with engineers, suppliers, and partners across continents.
• Work in a fast-moving, mission-driven team shaping the future of solar technology.
• An empowered culture valuing bold ideas, authentic collaboration, and excellence.

What This Job Offers

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