Principal Manufacturing Engineering

Cognex Corporation • Natick, MA

1d

About The Position

Cognex is a global leader in industrial machine vision, recognized for its financial strength and over 40 years in business. The company utilizes advanced optics, image sensors, and artificial intelligence software in its vision and ID systems. Cognex is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment, guided by a "Work Hard, Play Hard, Move Fast" culture that celebrates employee innovation, determination, and dedication. The Operations Engineering organization at Cognex is responsible for delivering world-class cost, quality, and delivery performance to customers globally, partnering closely with product design teams and the supply chain. This role is part of the Sustaining Engineering team within Operations Engineering, which focuses on maintaining and improving mass-produced products by driving manufacturability improvements, cost reductions, quality enhancements, and supply chain resiliency across global manufacturing partners. The Principal Manufacturing Engineer is a senior technical contributor who leads complex manufacturing initiatives and small project teams to improve efficiency, quality, and cost across Cognex’s production portfolio. This position supports mass-production products and supplier processes, influencing product design, manufacturing strategy, and operational decision-making. Operating with broad direction, this engineer applies manufacturing expertise to lead the execution of solutions to complex, cross-functional problems and drives measurable business impact through capability improvements, cost optimization, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Requirements

• Experience with advanced manufacturing processes, applied to improving quality, scalability, and cost
• Hands-on experience in mechanical and/or PCB manufacturing
• Strong background in Design for Manufacturability (DFM/DFA), including die castings, injection molding, cable assemblies, surface treatments, and precision electromechanical assemblies
• Proficient in CAD tools
• Demonstrated ability to use AI, automation, or data-driven tools to improve engineering efficiency, with a willingness to mentor others
• Proven ability to plan and execute projects based on KPIs or department strategies, recommending appropriate resources and managing risk
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to make data-driven decisions that balance technical and business needs
• Excellent communicator, capable of working directly with global suppliers, contract manufacturers, and internal design teams, including participation in off-hours meetings when required
• Experience acting as a technical project leader, coordinating and influencing small teams without direct authority
• Demonstrated success managing multiple concurrent projects and delivering results against challenging goals
• Experience with engineering documentation, change control, and formal qualification processes
• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent discipline
• 10-15 years of experience supporting high-tech, electronics, or electro-mechanical products in manufacturing engineering or similar role

Nice To Haves

• optics manufacturing knowledge a plus
• Experience with should-cost modeling, cost breakdowns, and supplier cost analysis is strongly preferred
• Proficient in CAD tools (SolidWorks preferred)

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing-focused initiatives that improve cost, quality, delivery, and manufacturability across mass-production products
• Lead and execute structured prototyping and manufacturing experiments to evaluate design, process, and material changes, and successfully transfer validated solutions into high-volume mass production environments
• Serve as a technical leader for small functional teams, guiding others through complex manufacturing and quality challenges
• Influence materials selection and product designs to achieve an optimal balance of performance, cost, risk, and manufacturability
• Investigate and resolve complex quality issues using structured problem-solving methodologies, drive corrective and preventive actions across suppliers and internal teams
• Analyze production and quality data, identify systemic issues, and lead initiatives that deliver sustainable efficiency and yield improvements
• Apply strong understanding of supplier capabilities and limitations to influence design decisions, sourcing strategies, and cost-reduction opportunities
• Support and improve assembly, test, and inspection processes, including fixture design and process optimization

Benefits

• "Work Hard, Play Hard, Move Fast" culture, which celebrates employee innovation, determination, and dedication in a dynamic, fun, and distinctive atmosphere.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees