Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Rochester Precision Opt•Town of Henrietta, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer provides technical leadership and manufacturing support for various precision optics operations, with responsibility for process development, production support, and continuous improvement across multiple manufacturing lines. This role works closely with production, quality, and engineering teams to improve process stability, reduce waste, increase throughput, and support the successful transition of products from prototype through volume production. The position plays a key role in developing standardized manufacturing methods, troubleshooting complex production issues, and implementing process improvements that enhance quality, repeatability, and operational efficiency. Success in this role requires strong technical judgment, hands-on problem-solving ability, and experience working within a precision manufacturing environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Optical, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
Minimum 10 years of manufacturing engineering experience within a precision manufacturing environment, preferably supporting optical assembly or other high-precision production processes.
Strong understanding of manufacturing process development, process control, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement methodologies.
Experience supporting production environments, including root-cause investigation, yield improvement, cycle time reduction, and process optimization.
Proficiency interpreting engineering drawings, specifications, and Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) requirements.
Hands-on experience with fixture/tooling development and manufacturing process documentation.
Experience with 3D CAD modeling software; SolidWorks preferred.
Strong analytical capability with experience using production data and process metrics to support decision-making and process improvement.
Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles; Six Sigma experience or certification is beneficial.
Experience working within ISO-regulated manufacturing environments; familiarity with ITAR-controlled manufacturing environments is a plus.
Experience supporting prototype-to-production transitions and manufacturing scale-up activities preferred.

Nice To Haves

Six Sigma experience or certification is beneficial.
familiarity with ITAR-controlled manufacturing environments is a plus.
Experience supporting prototype-to-production transitions and manufacturing scale-up activities preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership and manufacturing support across multiple precision optics production lines.
Develop, implement, and maintain standardized manufacturing processes, work instructions, and process documentation to support consistent and repeatable production.
Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis efforts related to production and process issues impacting quality, yield, or throughput
Support the transition of products from prototype and engineering development into stable volume production environments.
Design, develop, and implement tooling, fixtures, and process improvements to increase efficiency, improve repeatability, and reduce scrap and cycle time.
Analyze production data and process metrics to identify trends, improve process capability, and support data-driven manufacturing decisions.
Partner closely with production, quality, and engineering teams to resolve manufacturing challenges and improve operational performance.
Lead or support manufacturing projects and capital improvement initiatives, including scope definition, implementation, validation, and follow-through.
Train and provide technical guidance to production personnel, technicians, and junior engineering staff as needed.
Ensure manufacturing processes comply with internal quality standards, customer requirements, and applicable regulatory or documentation requirements.