Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor

Your Job

The Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of manufacturing processes for fiber optic products. This role builds and develops the Manufacturing Engineering team while transforming prototype and low-volume assembly methods into safe, repeatable, documented, and scalable manufacturing operations.

Our Team

Working across Operations, Engineering, Quality, Planning, Program Management, and other cross functional teams, this position establishes manufacturing readiness, resolves technical and operational challenges, and strengthens long-term process capability. The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineering leader with a strong manufacturing-floor presence who can balance immediate business needs with sustainable operational growth. 

Our culture is guided by Principle Based Management™, which provides employees with opportunities to contribute and benefit from the value they create.

What You Will Do

• Provide Manufacturing Engineering leadership for facility planning and transition activities, including manufacturing layouts, equipment relocation, process requalification, production readiness, and operational continuity

 • Build and lead the Manufacturing Engineering team by establishing priorities, technical ownership, accountability, operating routines, and resource plans aligned with plant and business needs 

 • Prioritize engineering resources based on customer commitments, manufacturing risk, capacity requirements, and business needs while driving ownership, urgency, and follow through

 • Lead the development, validation, implementation, optimization, and sustainment of safe, controlled, repeatable, and scalable manufacturing processes for new and existing fiber optic products

 • Lead manufacturing readiness for prototype, pilot, pre-production, new product introduction, product transfer, launch, and stabilization activities

 • Develop scale-up and capacity plans covering process flow, work content, cycle time, labor, equipment, tooling, floor space, material flow, process controls, and training requirements

 • Lead the development and implementation of manufacturing cells, layouts, production methods, equipment, fixtures, tooling, automation, standard work, and material-flow improvements

 • Partner with Product Engineering to evaluate designs, specifications, drawings, bills of material, tolerances, and assembly requirements for manufacturability, scalability, process capability, and production risk

 • Partner with Quality to establish process controls, inspection methods, acceptance criteria, PFMEAs, measurement-system requirements, and corrective-action practices 

 • Ensure product and process characteristics affecting optical performance, reliability, manufacturability, and product quality are understood and appropriately controlled 

 • Use manufacturing data and shop-floor observations to identify variation, capacity constraints, recurring problems, and improvement opportunities

 • Apply Lean Manufacturing, structured problem solving, visual management, standard work, and daily accountability practices to improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost

 • Establish standards and accountability for manufacturing documentation, process validation, training requirements, engineering records, and change control 

 • Develop long-term organizational capability through recruiting, onboarding, mentoring, cross training, technical development, and succession planning

 • Communicate manufacturing risks, technical decisions, capacity constraints, resource needs, timing, and required actions across organizational levels, and serve as the escalation point for complex manufacturing issues

 • Champion Principle Based Management™ within the Manufacturing Engineering organization 

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, Optical Engineering, or a related technical field

 • 7+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, industrialization, or a related discipline within a production environment

 • People-leadership experience within an engineering, manufacturing, or technical organization 

 • Demonstrated experience developing and scaling prototype or low-volume manufacturing processes into stable, repeatable production 

 • Hands-on experience supporting manufacturing operations, production personnel, equipment, tooling, fixtures, and process troubleshooting

 • Experience developing manufacturing processes, documentation, controls, layouts, cells, or production methods

 • Strong root cause analysis, corrective action, risk assessment, data analysis, and structured problem-solving skills 

 • Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, tolerances, and technical requirements

 • Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, allocate resources, lead technical teams, and drive accountability in a fast-paced, high-mix environment 

 • Effective communication and influencing skills across manufacturing, technical, supplier, customer, and leadership groups

What Will Put You Ahead

•  Experience with fiber optic manufacturing, optical connectivity, cable or connector assembly, or another precision-assembly technology

 • Practical knowledge of fiber preparation, termination, polishing, end-face inspection, optical testing, cleanliness, and optical performance requirements

 • Experience supporting prototype, custom, high-mix/low-volume, new product introduction, product-transfer, or manufacturing scale-up environments

 • Experience with process validation, process capability, PFMEA, control plans, measurement system analysis, and statistical process control

 • Experience developing or implementing fixtures, tooling, manufacturing equipment, automation, or semi-automated solutions

 • Demonstrated success building engineering capability, developing technical talent, and leading teams through business growth, facility transition, or new capability development 

For this role, we anticipate paying $120,000 - $150,000 per year. This role is eligible for variable pay, issued as a monetary bonus or in another form.

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

In order to comply with U.S. export control laws and regulations, this position requires applicants to either provide proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status or be eligible to receive an export authorization (a license) under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and/or the Export Administration Regulations.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here.

Who We Are

At Molex, we offer you the opportunity to contribute to the development of electronic solutions that improve people's lives. We use our capabilities to transform the world by creating solutions for technology used in everyday products. From data communications to the home, automotive, industrial, consumer, medical and other markets, our products enable the technology that brings people together.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our Benefits

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunities

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here, aquí, or tu).