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3M

Diversified technology manufacturer of adhesives, PPE.

Technical Program Manager

Manufacturing Engineering +1Confirmed live in the last 24 hours
Full-timeNo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

  • A bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline is required.
  • Bilingual fluency in Mandarin Chinese and English is required.
  • At least five years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, Technical Program Management, Product Industrialization, or related technical manufacturing roles is required.
  • Demonstrated experience leading new product introduction, process development, industrialization, or manufacturing transfer programs is required.
  • Strong understanding of manufacturing process development, qualification methodologies, process validation, and production ramp management is required.
  • Experience working directly with contract manufacturers, suppliers, or external manufacturing partners is required.
  • Strong knowledge of manufacturing performance metrics, including Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Yield, Throughput, Downtime, Scrap, Cycle Time, Capacity Utilization, and Process Capability, is required.
  • Experience with structured problem-solving methodologies, including 5 Why, Fishbone, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, Design of Experiments, Statistical Process Control, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, and Six Sigma, is required.
  • Experience using data analysis and statistical tools such as Minitab, JMP, Excel, Power BI, or equivalent analytics platforms is required.
  • Strong understanding of Statistical Process Control, process capability analysis (Cp/Cpk), and manufacturing process monitoring is required.
  • The ability to lead complex technical programs and influence cross-functional teams without direct authority is required.
  • Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills are required.
  • Willingness to travel regularly and maintain an on-site presence at contract manufacturing facilities as required is required.

Responsibilities

  • Lead manufacturing process development, qualification, and production readiness for new product introductions, product transfers, and major process changes.
  • Define process requirements, operating windows, manufacturing controls, tooling requirements, and equipment readiness plans for production launches.
  • Drive process characterization and establish validated operating parameters for consistent product quality and process stability.
  • Partner with contract manufacturers to develop robust, repeatable, scalable manufacturing processes that meet product specifications and customer requirements.
  • Lead engineering builds, pilot runs, process validations, and production ramp activities.
  • Drive Installation Qualification, Operational Qualification, and Performance Qualification, process validation, line qualifications, and manufacturing readiness reviews.
  • Establish process control plans, reaction plans, Statistical Process Control methodologies, and process monitoring strategies.
  • Evaluate manufacturing readiness and identify technical risks that may affect quality, schedule, capacity, or production performance.
  • Own manufacturing performance metrics, including Yield, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Scrap, Downtime, Throughput, Cycle Time, Capacity Utilization, and Process Capability (Cp/Cpk).
  • Develop KPI dashboards and performance review mechanisms with contract manufacturers to monitor operational health and identify improvements.
  • Analyze manufacturing performance data to identify trends, bottlenecks, variability, and emerging risks.
  • Drive yield improvement through data-driven problem solving, statistical analysis, and continuous improvement methodologies.
  • Lead Overall Equipment Effectiveness improvement programs focused on reducing downtime, setup losses, speed losses, and quality losses.
  • Drive scrap reduction through defect elimination, process optimization, and improved material utilization.
  • Improve throughput and productivity through cycle time reduction, line balancing, bottleneck elimination, and automation solutions.
  • Establish and monitor process capability requirements for critical process parameters and key product characteristics.
  • Support production planning and capacity management through capacity analyses and forecasting future manufacturing requirements.
  • Partner with operations teams to improve manufacturing efficiency, labor productivity, and overall factory performance.
  • Lead investigations and resolution of complex manufacturing, process, equipment, and quality-related issues.
  • Use structured problem-solving methodologies, including 5 Why, Fishbone, 8D, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, Design of Experiments, Six Sigma, and statistical analysis techniques.
  • Conduct root cause analysis for yield loss, scrap generation, downtime events, process excursions, equipment reliability issues, and manufacturing bottlenecks.
  • Apply statistical tools, including Statistical Process Control, Cp/Cpk analysis, Minitab, JMP, regression analysis, and design of experiments, to improve process performance.
  • Develop, implement, and validate corrective and preventative actions that deliver sustainable improvements in manufacturing performance.
  • Partner with Product Engineering and Quality Engineering to investigate product non-conformances and manufacturing-related defects.
  • Ensure technical issues are resolved with permanent corrective actions and measurable business impact.
  • Lead technical transfer activities between suppliers and contract manufacturing partners.
  • Ensure deployment of manufacturing processes, tooling, equipment, automation systems, and work instructions.
  • Drive process scale-up from prototype through pilot production and mass production.
  • Verify manufacturing processes achieve target performance levels for Yield, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Throughput, Capacity, Quality, and Process Capability before production release.
  • Conduct process capability studies and readiness assessments to support manufacturing ramp decisions.
  • Perform bottleneck analyses and capacity modeling to ensure manufacturing readiness for volume growth.
  • Ensure manufacturing systems can meet current and future production demand requirements.
  • Serve as the primary technical and manufacturing operations representative between 3M and contract manufacturing partners.
  • Provide technical leadership and direction across Product Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Procurement, Operations, and external manufacturing teams.
  • Lead technical workstreams and coordinate execution across multiple stakeholders and organizations.
  • Facilitate regular manufacturing performance reviews focused on quality, yield, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, capacity, delivery, and operational improvement initiatives.
  • Communicate technical status, manufacturing performance, risks, mitigation plans, and recommendations to leadership and project teams.
  • Drive cross-functional decision-making and alignment to resolve manufacturing constraints and meet business objectives.
  • Escalate and manage critical manufacturing risks that could affect customer commitments, quality performance, or production schedules.
  • Influence investment decisions related to equipment, automation, tooling, and process improvement initiatives.
  • Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on Yield, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Throughput, Scrap Reduction, Downtime Reduction, Capacity Expansion, and Cost of Poor Quality reduction.
  • Apply Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Total Productive Maintenance, and Operational Excellence methodologies to improve manufacturing performance.
  • Drive automation initiatives and advanced manufacturing technologies that improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
  • Implement data-driven manufacturing management practices through KPI visualization, Statistical Process Control systems, and performance dashboards.
  • Identify and deploy best practices across multiple manufacturing sites and suppliers.
  • Evaluate emerging technologies, equipment, and manufacturing methods that enhance product quality, operational efficiency, and cost competitiveness.
  • Support long-term manufacturing strategy and capability development for strategic contract manufacturing partners.
  • Champion a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and technical excellence.
  • Contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.

Desired Qualifications

  • A master's degree in an engineering or technical discipline is preferred.
  • Experience in high-volume manufacturing environments such as electronics, medical devices, consumer products, optics, automotive, industrial products, or advanced materials is preferred.
  • Demonstrated success improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Yield, Throughput, Capacity Utilization, and Scrap performance in manufacturing operations is preferred.
  • Experience in injection molding, converting, coating, assembly, automation, or related manufacturing processes is preferred.
  • Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma Black Belt or Green Belt, Total Productive Maintenance, or Operational Excellence programs is preferred.
  • Knowledge of Manufacturing Execution Systems, manufacturing dashboards, production reporting, and digital factory technologies is preferred.
  • Experience with automation equipment, robotics, vision systems, and advanced manufacturing technologies is preferred.
  • Familiarity with quality management systems, including ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or similar standards, is preferred.
  • Experience conducting capacity analysis, line balancing, labor optimization, and factory productivity improvement initiatives is preferred.
  • Experience supporting global manufacturing organizations and working across multiple time zones is preferred.

About the Company

3M

Diversified technology manufacturer of adhesives, PPE.

3M is a diversified technology and manufacturing company that sells products in adhesives, tapes, abrasives, personal protective equipment, healthcare, automotive, and household goods. Its products work by applying materials science to solve tasks such as bonding, finishing, protecting people, enabling diagnostics, and everyday applications. It differentiates itself through a large patent portfolio, extensive R&D, collaborations, and a broad multi-market footprint, plus a long-running sustainability program. Its goal is to deliver reliable solutions that address real-world needs while advancing environmental and social responsibility and creating value across its markets.

Company size
10,001+
Company stage
IPO
Headquarters
St Paul, MN
Founded
1902

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