Job Description

About the Role

Pinnacle Partners is recruiting for a Process Engineer in Ixonia, WI. This is a highly hands-on engineering position focused on improving manufacturing processes, equipment reliability, workflow, and operational efficiency within a growing manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate will have 3–7 years of experience in a manufacturing facility, strong mechanical aptitude, and the ability to work directly alongside Maintenance and Production to identify problems and implement solutions. This role is approximately 80% floor-based and 20% engineering, administrative, and documentation work, making it an excellent opportunity for an engineer who enjoys being directly involved in projects and seeing improvements through from concept to implementation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work directly with Maintenance and Production to identify recurring equipment failures, downtime, and manufacturing issues.
• Analyze equipment and manufacturing processes to identify opportunities for improved reliability, efficiency, and productivity.
• Develop corrective action plans to address recurring equipment and process issues.
• Establish and implement standard work procedures to improve consistency and efficiency.
• Take ownership of assigned projects from initial concept through implementation and startup.
• Work alongside Maintenance during equipment installations, modifications, testing, and startups.
• Provide hands-on support during projects and equipment modifications, including physically working alongside Maintenance when needed.
• Assist with capital equipment and capital improvement projects.
• Support equipment upgrades and modifications to improve reliability and production performance.
• Assist with fixture design, machine guarding, replacement parts, tooling, and process modifications.
• Focus heavily during the first six months on improving equipment reliability and eliminating recurring maintenance issues.
• Conduct time studies and capacity reviews to evaluate manufacturing efficiency and resource requirements.
• Perform process observations and identify opportunities to improve workflow, standardization, and productivity.
• Document manufacturing processes, improvements, procedures, and project results.
• Assist with implementation of process improvements and ensure changes are effectively incorporated into production.
• Support Industrial Engineering activities including plant layouts, workstation setup, tooling selection, and workflow improvements.
• Use SolidWorks and/or AutoCAD to develop parts, fixtures, tooling, plant layouts, and machine modifications.
• Create and maintain Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Support manufacturing process changes and equipment improvements.
• Utilize JobBOSS or other ERP/MRP systems to support manufacturing and engineering activities.
• Apply knowledge of CNC machining, hydraulics, electrical systems, controls, and pneumatics when troubleshooting equipment and processes.
• Assist with evaluating and upgrading older manufacturing equipment.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings, scrap reduction, improved throughput, and better utilization of manufacturing resources.
• Collaborate with Maintenance, Production, Engineering, and other departments to implement improvements.
• Support equipment installations and commissioning of new or modified machinery.
• Evaluate manufacturing layouts and recommend changes to improve material flow and productivity.
• Help identify opportunities to improve staffing, workflow, equipment utilization, and process redundancy.
• Take ownership of challenges and proactively drive projects toward completion.
• Support continued growth and expansion of the manufacturing operation.
• Work approximately 80% on the manufacturing floor and 20% on engineering, administrative, and documentation activities.

Requirements:

• Associate's degree or higher in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Industrial Engineering, STEM, or a related field.
• 3–7 years of experience in a similar engineering role within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and a hands-on approach to engineering.
• Willingness and ability to work directly on the manufacturing floor and alongside Maintenance personnel.
• Comfortable troubleshooting equipment and physically participating in equipment modifications and installations.
• Ability to read mechanical and electrical schematics.
• Experience conducting time studies and capacity reviews.
• Ability to observe manufacturing processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee projects from start to finish.
• Experience with JobBOSS or another ERP/MRP system.
• Experience with cost savings, scrap reduction, and manufacturing efficiency initiatives.
• Familiarity with CNC machining and manufacturing equipment.
• Ability to identify and implement process improvements.
• Experience developing or implementing standard work procedures.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects and challenges.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with Maintenance, Production, Engineering, and other departments.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a smaller, hands-on manufacturing environment.
• Ability to work Monday through Friday on first shift, generally around 7:00 AM–4:00 PM.
• Willingness to work overtime as needed to support projects and manufacturing operations.

Preferred:

• Experience with metal spinning, lagging, press operations, or swaging.
• Experience upgrading or modifying older manufacturing equipment.
• CNC machining experience.
• Experience working with tube bending equipment.
• Experience with hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical systems, and controls.
• Experience with SolidWorks.
• Experience with AutoCAD.
• Experience designing fixtures, tooling, guards, or replacement parts.
• Experience with manufacturing plant layouts and workstation design.
• Industrial Engineering experience.
• Experience in a smaller manufacturing, fabrication, or machine shop environment.
• Experience working in an environment where employees are expected to wear multiple hats.
• Experience with capital equipment installation and commissioning.
• Experience with process standardization and workflow improvement.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing or continuous improvement.
• Experience identifying cost reduction and efficiency opportunities.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial manufacturing environment.
• Experience working with conveyor systems or conveyor components.
• Experience with Haas CNC equipment or other CNC machining centers.

Benefits Overview:

• $75K–$100K base salary depending on experience and qualifications.
• Monday–Friday, first-shift schedule, generally around 7:00 AM–4:00 PM.
• Potential for future career growth into Maintenance or other departmental leadership responsibilities.

Explore More Engineering Opportunities

This role falls within our Engineering/Manufacturing division, where we specialize in placing professionals in areas such as:

• Mechanical/Electrical Engineering
• Manufacturing/Process Engineering
• Controls Engineering
• Project Engineering
• Technical Sales
• Operations / Plant Engineering

Explore additional Engineering roles and learn more about how we support Engineering professionals:

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