Manufacturing Engineer - Automation

About the Role Senior Automation Manufacturing Equipment Engineering – Rubber Products Production (Hydraulic Hoses, Conveyor Belt, Air Spring, Drapper Belt, V Belts, Etc) – Automation and general equipment and process technical definition. Critical member of the Manufacturing Engineering BA Team, responsible for elevating excellence for Production Equipment and Standardization, Machinery and Production Design, Investments definition, Cost Saving Projects, Automation, and more, across the IAM organization. This role ensures that we define the best process and support or manufacturing operations to produce high advanced spiraled and flexible steel cord high pressure industrial hoses and other related rubber products in a robust, and cost‑effective manner across multiple manufacturing sites.

Serving as both a regional technical authority and a strategic partner to manufacturing plants, this position leads complex process revamp design and automation concepts, equipment selection and industrialization initiatives and ensures consistent launch readiness and stable production performance. Leveraging deep expertise in overall manufacturing equipment and product–process interactions, capacity and layout planning are part of the scope. The position is responsible for the technical support and definition of equipment and related manufacturing concepts across multiple Hoses, Conveyor Belt, PTS, Air Spring, PTS plants within IAM, directly influencing the successful project technical alignment, technical specification creation, investment financial analysis support, being under capacity increase or cost reduction support projects and continuous improvement of products representing approximately €300 M in annual revenue.

Location: ContiTech Fairlawn OH. Relocation within US possible. What You'll Do

• Serve as Business Area technical authority for new technologies investment, from rubber hot preparation, confection, curing, cutting, assembly, finishing equipment, etc., ensuring consistent standards and capability across all sites.
• Lead end‑to‑end industrialization of new products from design definition through launch and stable serial production.
• Provide expert guidance on manufacturing equipment technologies, materials, and assembly processes, including escalation and problem‑solving support.
• Define and optimize equipment concepts, automation, tooling, and layouts to meet safety, quality, cost, scalability, and capability targets.
• Support investment initiatives for capital asset selection to manufacture rubber products; assist plants with cost saving calculations and investment payback justification.
• Lead improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Support structured problem‑solving using Lean and Six Sigma tools (A3, 8D, DMAIC, SPC, MSA).
• Deploy and govern manufacturing best practices and technical standards to ensure consistency and long‑term equipment robustness, with global teams and under global hose manufacturing standards.
• Seek newer technologies for hose manufacturing with a market perspective and global new trends; benchmark CT group technologies.
• Monitor post‑launch manufacturing performance to ensure stable serial production and compliance with industrialization standards; track KPIs for equipment performance and profitability gains.
• Identify and assess industrialization equipment risks and coordinate mitigation actions with plant teams; analyze trends to prevent recurrence.
• Standardization & Trainings: drive implementation and adherence to global equipment standards across locations; provide training and technical support to engineers and plant teams.
• Support introduction of new technologies, materials, and processes through validation, documentation, and standardization. What We're Looking For
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Mechatronics, Manufacturing, or related engineering or science field.
• 5+ years of extensive experience in Manufacturing Engineering with deep expertise in equipment automation, robotics, vision systems, autonomous material handling equipment, remote control and supervisory systems.
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience in rubber and plastic production processes and ramp‑up projects.
• Deep expertise in specifying and executing projects in automation, integration and supplier/vendor administration.
• 20 – 40 % travel availability.
• Proficient in English is mandatory. Nice to Have
• Rubber and General Hose manufacturing, belts technology, including mining belts, industry V belts, rubber air Spring manufacturability.
• Production processes & equipment core manufacturing processes (rubber preparation, extrusion, calendaring, curing, cutting, grinding, winding up, confection of conveyor belts and similar, testing, inspection, packing, etc.).
• Product and process industrialization technologies, systems, standards, and infrastructure.
• Industrial engineering fundamentals and methods; design and product manufacturing test processes.
• Technical requirements definition to support purchasing process; problem‑solving and decision‑making tools (A3, 8D, DMAIC, SPC, MSA).
• Quality Core Tools (PFMEA, APQP, MSA, R&R, flowcharting, process control plans).
• Lean production / CBS principles, methods, and tools.
• Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas now or in the future for this job posting.