Rubbercraft is seeking an Manufacturing Engineer III - NPI to join our organization and support the introduction, development, validation, and transition of new products into the manufacturing environment. The NPI Manufacturing Engineer III is a capable manufacturing engineering contributor responsible for developing manufacturing processes, supporting producibility, improving process capability, and supporting successful production launch of rubber and elastomer-based products.
This role supports new product introduction activities with limited supervision and works closely with cross-functional teams to ensure new products meet safety, quality, delivery, cost, customer, regulatory, and manufacturability requirements.
About Rubbercraft: Rubbercraft is a trusted leader in engineered elastomer solutions serving the aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. We design and manufacture precision-molded seals, gaskets, and custom rubber components that perform in the world's most demanding environments. Our culture is built on innovation, collaboration, quality, and customer commitment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
As an NPI Manufacturing Engineer III, the role is instrumental in supporting new product introduction, manufacturing process development, production readiness, technical problem-solving, and continuous improvement.
New Product Introduction and Process Development
- Develop and transfer new products into production by analyzing product requirements, defining manufacturing methods, and supporting production implementation.
- Develop, document, validate, and improve manufacturing process sequences, tooling approaches, equipment requirements, and production controls.
- Translate product, drawing, customer, and contractual requirements into manufacturable process plans, including BOMs, routers, work instructions, inspection support documentation, and labor assumptions.
- Support manufacturing readiness activities for assigned programs, including prototype builds, pilot builds, first article support, production readiness reviews, and handoff to operations.
- Review product designs and technical requirements to identify manufacturability risks, process constraints, tooling needs, inspection challenges, and cost drivers.
- Work with cross-functional teams to define process flow, production sequence, equipment needs, operator requirements, and launch readiness actions.
- Support phase gate activities by completing assigned manufacturing engineering deliverables and communicating risks, open actions, and required resources.
Rubber Manufacturing and Process Support
- Apply knowledge of rubber manufacturing processes, including compression molding, transfer molding, injection molding, extrusion, bonding, coating, and secondary operations as applicable.
- Support development and optimization of manufacturing processes for elastomeric and polymer-based products.
- Define process parameters, tooling needs, equipment requirements, and manufacturing controls to support repeatable product and process capability.
- Support tooling, fixtures, jigs, templates, and manufacturing aids required for manufacturability, repeatability, safety, ergonomics, and efficiency.
- Partner with Design Engineering to support design for manufacturability, producibility, inspection feasibility, and cost effectiveness.
- Evaluate manufacturing methods and equipment options by considering product requirements, process capability, labor needs, safety, quality, and capacity.
- Support process trials, production builds, and manufacturing studies used to establish or improve process capability.
Quality, Compliance, and Documentation
- Support compliance with applicable QMS requirements, engineering procedures, customer requirements, and aerospace/defense expectations.
- Support contract and technical requirement reviews to identify manufacturing feasibility, capability, cost, documentation, and compliance risks.
- Participate in phase gate, QMS, and controlled documentation processes.
- Create, review, and maintain manufacturing documentation, including BOMs, routers, work instructions, process flows, production readiness records, and supporting technical documentation.
- Support GD&T interpretation, drawing review, mechanical testing, inspection planning, and process validation requirements as needed.
- Ensure manufacturing documentation clearly communicates process steps, tooling requirements, equipment requirements, inspection points, safety considerations, and quality controls.
- Support development and maintenance of labor standards and process assumptions used to evaluate direct labor, indirect labor, machine performance, capacity, and cost.
Problem Solving and Continuous Improvement
- Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action activities related to NPI builds, production launch issues, scrap, rework, quality escapes, or process instability.
- Apply structured problem-solving methods to analyze product and process performance.
- Use data, observation, production feedback, inspection results, and technical judgment to identify process improvement opportunities.
- Support productivity improvements, waste elimination, labor reduction, cycle-time improvement, cost-reduction, 6S, and Lean Manufacturing initiatives.
- Evaluate recurring production issues and recommend process, documentation, tooling, equipment, or training improvements to improve stability and repeatability.
- Support capital equipment, tooling, automation, and manufacturing improvement opportunities through technical, functional, and financial input.
Cross-Functional Program Support
- Work with Design Engineering, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, Tooling, Planning, and Program Management to support successful product launch.
- Communicate technical risks, schedule impacts, resource needs, process constraints, and recommended actions to stakeholders.
- Forecast labor, equipment, capacity, tooling, and process resource needs to support launch readiness.
- Support supplier, tooling, equipment, and outside processing activities by providing manufacturing engineering input and technical requirements as needed.
- Coordinate assigned actions across functional groups to support schedule, quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
- Support multiple projects or product launch activities in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment.
Required Qualifications:
Education and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, preferably Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant manufacturing engineering, NPI engineering, process engineering, or related technical experience.
- Demonstrated experience supporting new product introduction, production launch, manufacturing process development, or process improvement in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience developing manufacturing methods, process documentation, production controls, tooling concepts, or production readiness deliverables.
- Experience in aerospace, defense, rubber manufacturing, polymer manufacturing, or high-mix / low-volume manufacturing is preferred.
Technical Competencies
- Knowledge of manufacturing engineering principles and new product introduction processes.
- Knowledge of rubber manufacturing principles and processes such as compression molding, transfer molding, extrusion, injection molding, bonding, coating, and tool design.
- Ability to define manufacturing process sequences, process controls, labor standards, equipment needs, tooling requirements, and production readiness requirements.
- CAD experience sufficient to support fixtures, jigs, layouts, tooling concepts, and manufacturing aids.
- Working knowledge of GD&T, drawing interpretation, mechanical testing, process validation, and inspection support requirements.
- Experience supporting DFMEA, PFMEA, root cause analysis, corrective action, and manufacturing risk reduction activities.
- Working knowledge of QMS procedures, phase gate deliverables, controlled forms, BOMs, routers, work instructions, ERP/MRP systems, and Microsoft Office.
- Ability to evaluate manufacturing issues using practical problem-solving, data analysis, technical reasoning, and cross-functional input.
Process and Product Knowledge
- Working knowledge of design for rubber manufacturability, tooling support, process engineering, manufacturing documentation, project execution, and production launch.
- Working knowledge across applicable support disciplines, which may include quoting and estimating, additive manufacturing, tooling design, project management, material science, automation, priming and bonding, coatings and painting, material preparation, kitting, or manufacturing coordination.
- Ability to apply product and process knowledge to improve manufacturability, process stability, launch readiness, cost, and quality.
Professional Skills
- Strong analytical, technical, and practical problem-solving skills.
- Strong written, verbal, and technical communication skills.
- Ability to support technical efforts and work effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Strong organizational and project execution skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment.
- Ability to drive assigned tasks to completion with limited supervision.
- Strong attention to detail in manufacturing documentation, process planning, technical reviews, and production readiness activities.
Preferred Qualifications (Not Required)
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent continuous improvement training.
- Experience in aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
- Experience with AS9100 or similar quality management systems.
- Experience with 3DX / PLM, SQL reporting, ERP/MRP systems, or engineering data analysis tools.
- Experience supporting capital equipment justification, installation, validation, and implementation.
- Experience with rubber-to-metal bonding, elastomeric seals, molded rubber products, extrusion, inflatable seals, bonding, coatings, automation, or additive manufacturing for fixtures and manufacturing aids.
BENEFITS:
At Rubbercraft, we recognize how important your career and benefits are to you and your family. We offer a full suite of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability coverage, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, basic and supplemental life insurance, employee assistance plan, retirement savings and matching, and other developmental opportunities. We are committed to supporting the way you live and work.
RCC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to complete the application process may contact Human Resources.
This position requires access to information subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a "U.S. person" as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15), which includes U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees, as required by U.S. export control laws.