Senior Production Engineering Manager

Astemo Indiana • Monroe, GA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

ASTEMO AMERICAS, INC. is seeking a Senior Production Engineering Manager to lead and develop a team of Production Engineers. This role involves setting strategic direction for production engineering, overseeing manufacturing processes, leading new product launches, managing capital projects, driving continuous improvement, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in manufacturing and production engineering within the automotive industry, with significant people management experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related).
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing or production engineering within the automotive or Tier‑1 supplier industry.
• 5+ years of people‑management experience leading engineering teams.
• Strong knowledge of high‑volume manufacturing processes for electromechanical and mechanical products.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, PFMEA, Control Plans, and IATF 16949 requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Engineering or Business Administration.
• Experience with Hydraulic Pumps, Electronic Power Steering (EPS), steer‑by‑wire, or advanced steering systems for automobiles.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Familiarity with automated assembly, end‑of‑line functional testing, and traceability systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Production Engineers supporting machining, plastic molding, assembly, and test operations.
• Set directional strategy for production engineering aligned with plant safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.
• Build a strong engineering culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.
• Oversee manufacturing processes, including precision aluminum and steel machining, plastic injection molding, mechanical assembly, ECU programming, and functional testing.
• Ensure robust process design, line balancing, error‑proofing (poka‑yoke), and automation to support high‑volume, high‑quality production.
• Support manufacturability for aluminum housings, gear mechanisms, pump mechanisms, and electronic control integration.
• Lead production readiness for new product launches including process validation, PFMEA, control plans, run‑at‑rate, and capacity confirmation.
• Partner with Product Design Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Program Management to transition products from development to mass production.
• Review and approve engineering changes related to process, tooling, and equipment.
• Develop and manage capital budgets for new equipment, automation, and line expansions.
• Lead capital projects from concept through installation, commissioning, and handover to operations.
• Collaborate with equipment suppliers and integrators for assembly, testing, and traceability systems.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, and problem‑solving initiatives to improve productivity, quality, and throughput.
• Lead root‑cause analysis for production losses, quality escapes, and customer concerns related to steering systems.
• Identify and implement cost‑reduction opportunities without compromising safety or quality.
• Partner closely with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Safety teams to achieve plant KPIs.
• Support customer audits, internal audits, and technical reviews related to power steering manufacturing.
• Act as the primary engineering escalation point for complex production issues.
• Manage Production Engineering Associates, including hiring, training, counseling and discipline, performance appraisal, and assigning/prioritizing all work for subordinates.

Benefits

• The job description mentions that Astemo is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and provides information on how to request reasonable accommodations for the application process, but does not list specific benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, or paid time off.

What This Job Offers

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