Manager - Manufacturing Process Engineering (SMT Electronics) at Flex in Coopersville, MI

Job description

Flex is the diversified manufacturing partner of choice that helps market-leading brands design, build and deliver innovative products that improve the world. A career at Flex offers the opportunity to make a difference and invest in your growth in a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment. If you are excited about a role but don't meet every bullet point, we encourage you to apply and join us to create the extraordinary. Job Summary 

 JOB LOCATION: WALKER, MICHIGAN INTERNAL JOB TITLE: MANAGER - PROCESS ENGINEERING Reason for opening: Newly created, full-time position Position Summary We are seeking a dynamic engineering leader to drive manufacturing excellence within our high-volume SMT electronics manufacturing operation. This role will lead a team of Process Engineers and Technicians responsible for developing, optimizing, and sustaining world-class manufacturing processes that deliver exceptional quality, productivity, cost performance, and customer satisfaction. The successful candidate will combine strong technical expertise in SMT manufacturing with proven people leadership capabilities to build engineering talent, improve manufacturing performance, and support business growth through continuous improvement, automation, and operational excellence initiatives. This position partners closely with Operations, Quality, Product Engineering, NPI, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and Customer teams to ensure manufacturing processes consistently meet quality, delivery, capacity, and cost objectives. What You'll Do Lead Engineering Excellence Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Process Engineers and Engineering Technicians supporting SMT manufacturing operations. Establish performance goals, succession plans, and professional development programs to build a high-performing engineering organization. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Drive Operational Performance Improve manufacturing capability, throughput, capacity utilization, first-pass yield, quality, and cost performance. Lead initiatives focused on reducing defects, scrap, rework, downtime, and process variation. Develop and monitor KPIs including: OEE First Pass Yield Scrap Rework Throughput Capacity Utilization Equipment Performance Optimize SMT Manufacturing Processes Provide technical leadership across: Solder Paste Printing SPI Pick-and-Place Systems Reflow Processes AOI X-Ray Inspection Selective Soldering Back-End SMT Operations Lead Continuous Improvement Initiatives Apply advanced engineering methodologies including: Statistical Process Control (SPC) Design of Experiments (DOE) PFMEA Control Plans Root Cause Analysis CAPA Six Sigma Lean Manufacturing Support New Product Introduction Partner with NPI and Product Engineering to ensure successful product launches. Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and process readiness activities. Develop robust manufacturing processes that support quality and scalability objectives. Strategic Leadership Identify and justify engineering investments, automation opportunities, and process improvement projects. Develop business cases for capital equipment, productivity improvements, and capacity expansion programs. Communicate project status, risks, resource requirements, and recommendations to senior leadership. Qualifications Required Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related technical discipline. 7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience. 3+ years of engineering leadership or people management experience. Experience supporting high-volume SMT electronics manufacturing environments. Strong knowledge of: SMT Process Engineering Reflow Optimization AOI and X-Ray Technologies Process Capability Analysis SPC and DOE Lean Manufacturing Continuous Improvement Methodologies Preferred Master's Degree or MBA. Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification. Experience in EMS, automotive electronics, medical devices, industrial electronics, or consumer elec