Global Smart Manufacturing Manager
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's, MBA
Cranberry Township, PA, USA
In Person
Engineering ManagementEngineering Leadership
About the job
Requirements
- Experience and strong knowledge of digital manufacturing applications (MES), Industrial IoT, automation and control systems, SCADA and PLC environments, data analytics and visualization tools, ERP integration (SAP), and robotics and cobots.
- Demonstrated ability to manage and implement Industry 4.0 projects with positive financial impact.
- Ability to drive and ensure regular process documentation is developed and maintained.
- Experience in a multinational manufacturing environment.
- Experience in manufacturing equipment procurement, setup, and commissioning, including understanding of equipment and software qualification and validation processes.
- Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams in the development and optimization of new technologies.
- Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and convey technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.
- Organizational change management experience.
- KPI ownership experience.
- Vendor management experience.
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering from an ABET-accredited program.
- For Level II Engineering Manager, 10 years of relevant experience, including at least 2 years of direct staff management experience.
- For Senior Engineering Manager, 12 years of relevant experience, including at least 2 years of direct staff management experience.
- A Master of Science degree may substitute for up to 2 years of relevant experience; a PhD may substitute for up to 4 years of relevant experience.
Responsibilities
- Define and execute the global Factory of the Future technology vision.
- Develop and prioritize Industry 4.0 initiatives aligned with business objectives and operational strategies.
- Identify emerging technologies and assess their potential business value across the manufacturing network.
- Partner with executive leadership to establish digital manufacturing priorities, investment strategies, and long-term transformation plans.
- Drive enterprise-wide adoption of manufacturing technologies that improve competitiveness and operational agility.
- Partner with plant leadership to identify, prioritize, and implement digital manufacturing opportunities.
- Communicate strategy, progress, risks, and business outcomes to senior leadership and key stakeholders.
- Develop multi-year capital investment plans for Factory of the Future technologies.
- Lead evaluation, development, and deployment of scalable advanced manufacturing technologies, including MES, IIoT, AI/ML, digital twins, automation, analytics platforms, ERP-integrated solutions, robotics, cobots, and AMRs/AGVs.
- Develop tools, templates, and frameworks to evaluate new technologies and factory readiness; establish engineering standards and deployment best practices.
- Oversee implementation of scalable digital manufacturing solutions across global manufacturing facilities.
- Partner with data scientists, AI engineers, and business leaders to identify applications such as predictive maintenance, process optimization, vision inspection, and digital process control.
- Ensure seamless integration of shop-floor equipment, automation systems, manufacturing data, and enterprise platforms.
- Drive standardization of system architectures, connectivity models, and technology platforms for a connected manufacturing ecosystem.
- Support equipment procurement, commissioning, qualification, validation, and technology readiness activities.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external technology partners to develop and deploy manufacturing solutions.
- Lead cross-functional teams through technology assessments, pilot programs, and global rollouts.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a global team of smart manufacturing, automation, analytics, and digital technology experts.
- Build organizational capabilities in digital manufacturing, AI, data analytics, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
- Foster innovation, knowledge sharing, technical excellence, and continuous learning.
- Support workforce adoption of new technologies through training, change management, and leadership engagement.
- Drive succession planning and capability development for future manufacturing technology needs.
- Establish and maintain global standards, governance frameworks, and best practices for smart manufacturing technologies and digital systems.
- Ensure consistent deployment methodologies, performance metrics, and technology management processes across manufacturing locations.
- Establish and govern global manufacturing technology standards, MES templates, automation architectures, and digital deployment methodologies.
- Improve manufacturing productivity, quality, asset utilization, reliability, and cost performance through data-driven decision making.
- Promote process documentation, system lifecycle management, and continuous improvement practices.
- Develop business cases, capital investment proposals, and ROI models to prioritize and justify digital manufacturing initiatives.
- Monitor and measure the financial and operational impact of smart manufacturing initiatives.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience and knowledge of machine learning, industrial connectivity architectures, AI in manufacturing, digital twins, advanced vision systems, and AMRs/AGVs.
- Experience deploying AI/ML solutions in production environments and understanding cloud manufacturing platforms, including Azure, AWS, and Snowflake.
- Experience developing multi-year digital manufacturing roadmaps, including capital investment planning, ROI modeling, and prioritization.
- Experience creating governance models for global manufacturing systems, including data architecture, data quality management, master data governance, historian strategies, and data ownership models.
- Experience working with data scientists and AI engineers to develop manufacturing solutions and prioritize AI use cases, including predictive maintenance, process optimization, computer vision quality inspection, and digital process control.
- Experience connecting shop-floor machines to enterprise systems.
- Experience developing digital skills within manufacturing organizations, influencing plant leadership, and driving workforce adoption through stakeholder engagement.
- Ability to apply advanced engineering principles and process control strategies to improve operating efficiency of new and existing automation systems.
- Understanding of manufacturing and operations technology cybersecurity requirements, including industrial network security, familiarity with ISA/IEC 62443, and operations technology cybersecurity risk assessments.
- Proven ability to drive technology at scale across 20 or more facilities, including developing standard automation platforms, global equipment catalogs, MES templates, and KPI governance.
- MBA; operations certification such as lean systems is a plus.
- Continuing education in management studies.
- PMP certification.
About the company
MSA Safety Inc. is a global provider of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. It develops, manufactures, and sells items such as gas detection systems, head protection gear, and fall protection devices, serving industrial, military, and construction customers. How its products work: gas detectors monitor air for hazardous gases and trigger alarms; helmets and protective headgear shield the skull; fall-protection gear like harnesses and anchors prevents falls during work at heights. The company differentiates itself through a long history (founded 1914), a wide product range, and a global, trusted reputation that combines equipment with related services and contracts. Its goal is to keep workers safe and protect facilities by providing reliable safety solutions and meeting stringent safety standards.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania
Founded
1914
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 sales rose 6% to $503 million, with adjusted EPS up 24%.
- Industrial PPE grew 16% organically, helped by helmets, fall protection, and data-center activity.
- Fire-service replacement demand should inflect more meaningfully in 2027 under updated NFPA standards.
What critics are saying
- PFAS litigation still spans 1,275 Globe cases, keeping legacy liabilities alive through 2026.
- Middle East conflict reduced detection revenue and delayed shipments in first-half 2026.
- Autronica integration and 1.8x leverage pressure capital allocation if fire orders soften in 2027.
What makes MSA Safety unique
- Autronica's July 2026 acquisition expands MSA's fire-and-gas portfolio beyond core detectors.
- ALTAIR io 6 and MSA Grid deepen sticky connected-work workflows in 2026.
- G1 City Edition SCBA ties FireGrid, beaconing, and NFPA 1970 compliance together.
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Benefits
- Hybrid Work Options
- Remote Work Options