Lead Manufacturing Engineer

What You'll Do

• Partner with a contract fabricator and our internal mechanical/controls engineering teams to optimize the LIN skid design for lead time, cost, and quality. 
• Own Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) reviews across the skid, piping, tank, and controls room integration. 
• Define and implement a quality strategy for the system, including incoming material inspection/qualification (piping, weldments, vacuum-jacketed components, tank, pump assemblies) and final system-level test and qualification plans. 
• Own the quality plan for the system: PFMEA, control plans, inspection and test plans (ITPs), and critical-to-quality (CTQ) feature definition with measurement methods and acceptance criteria. 
• Establish weld quality controls with the fabricator — WPS/PQR review, welder qualification, and NDE requirements (visual, dye penetrant, radiographic) tied to ASME B31.3 and applicable code requirements. 
• Drive supplier quality: first article inspection (FAI/PPAP-style) approvals, source inspection, supplier audits, and corrective action follow-through on critical components. 
• Build the as-built quality documentation package for each skid (material test reports, weld maps and NDE records, pressure/leak test records, calibration and traceability) for internal and code acceptance. 
• Develop test protocols (e.g., leak checks, vacuum integrity, pressure testing, cryogenic performance validation) to de-risk the system before it ships to the field. 
• Lead pilot/first-article builds, driving root-cause resolution of build issues and feeding learnings back into design and process documentation. 
• Build the production process plan (routers, work instructions, fixturing/tooling strategy) in collaboration with the fabricator. 
• Drive continuous improvement across pilot and early production builds toward the lowest sustainable cost, shortest lead time, and highest quality steady-state production design. 
• Manage fabricator relationship and performance: capability assessment, quoting support, capacity planning, and issue escalation/resolution. 
• Interface with supply chain to qualify critical component suppliers (tank, Turbo-Brayton pump, vacuum-jacketed piping, valves, instrumentation). 
• Create and maintain manufacturing documentation: BOMs, process flow diagrams, inspection plans, and non-conformance/CAPA processes. 

What You'll Bring

• 7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, with direct experience taking complex electromechanical or fluid systems from prototype to production. 
• Hands-on welding experience (e.g., TIG welding on stainless steel) or strong working knowledge of weld processes, weld quality standards, and weld inspection methods (visual, dye penetrant, radiographic, etc.). 
• Cryogenics experience — familiarity with liquid nitrogen or other cryogenic fluid systems, vacuum-jacketed piping, cryogenic valves, and associated safety and handling considerations. 
• Experience developing incoming inspection and final test/qualification plans for mechanical or fluid systems. 
• Strong quality systems background — ISO 9001 (or equivalent) practices, PFMEA and control plans, non-conformance/CAPA management, and measurement systems analysis/gauge R&R. 
• Familiarity with weld quality standards and NDE acceptance criteria, and the ability to read and assess WPS/PQR and inspection documentation. 
• Comfort using data to drive quality decisions — SPC, process capability (Cp/Cpk), yield and defect Pareto analysis on low-volume, high-complexity builds. 
• Experience managing or partnering closely with external fabricators or contract manufacturers on skid-mounted or complex assembled systems. 
• Working knowledge of relevant codes and standards (e.g., ASME B31.3, ASME Section VIII pressure vessel code, CGA cryogenic standards) is a strong plus. 
• Solid understanding of GD&T, root cause analysis (8D, 5-Why, fishbone), and DFM/DFA principles. 
• Experience with pilot build management and transitioning designs into scalable production. 
• Ability to travel to fabricator/supplier sites as needed. 
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience). 

Nice To Have

• Experience with data center or critical infrastructure cooling systems. 
• Familiarity with Turbo-Brayton or similar cryogenic refrigeration/pump technologies. 
• Experience with controls/instrumentation integration on skid-mounted systems. 
• Quality certifications such as ASQ CQE/CQA, Six Sigma Black Belt, AWS CWI, or ISO 9001 lead auditor. 
• Experience with ASME code-stamped fabrication and working with authorized inspectors. 

VEIR is committed to equal pay for equal work in its compensation practices. The base salary range for this position in the U.S. is $120,000 - $140,000 per year + equity + benefits. A candidate's salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications, job level, supervisory status, and location.