Director of Manufacturing Engineering

				Overview:

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Director of Manufacturing Engineering? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

Responsibilities:

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Meet the Recruiter: Eric Laffey

Summary:

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we're building the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you'll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary: 

The Director of Manufacturing Engineering leads the manufacturing engineering organization within a high-volume lithium-ion battery manufacturing environment. This role oversees the design, development, and optimization of advanced manufacturing systems to achieve world-class standards in safety, quality, efficiency, and cost. The Director collaborates closely with executive leadership to shape long-term engineering strategies, implement emerging technologies, and align engineering initiatives with corporate goals. This position requires a balance of visionary leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and deep technical expertise to drive innovation and operational excellence. By developing top engineering talent and fostering a culture of accountability, the Director of Engineering ensures sustainable growth, competitive advantage, and industry leadership for the organization.

Essential Duties:

Functional Leadership & Operations:

* Lead the Manufacturing Engineering organization, overseeing multiple engineering teams, and ensuring alignment with business objectives
* Defines and drives the long-term engineering strategy for the manufacturing facility, aligning with corporate and global business objectives
* Oversees all engineering segments, ensuring cohesive execution of programs across process, equipment, automation, controls, and systems engineering
* Partners with executive leadership to establish and deliver on strategic initiatives, capacity expansions, and technology roadmaps
* Identifies and implements new technologies, systems, and innovations to maintain competitive advantage in advanced manufacturing
* Ensures engineering policies, practices, and standards meet global quality, safety, and environmental regulations

Strategic Alignment & Continuous Improvement:

* Partner with senior leadership to translate business goals into actionable engineering objectives and programs
* Guide innovation initiatives focused on next-generation materials, chemistries, and manufacturing technologies
* Champions continuous improvement initiatives in safety, quality, cost, and productivity across all engineering functions
* Oversees the introduction of next-generation manufacturing equipment and digital transformation initiatives, including MES and Industry 4.0 tools
* Ensures lessons learned and best practices are shared across engineering teams to accelerate organizational maturity

Team Development & Knowledge Sharing:

* Leads, mentors, and develops senior engineering leaders and managers across multiple disciplines
* Builds a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and servant leadership within the engineering function
* Drives succession planning and workforce development to ensure sustainable leadership pipelines and engineering expertise
* Champions diversity, equity, and inclusion within engineering teams to foster innovation and broaden organizational capability

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement:

* Collaborate closely with R&D, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain functions to ensure readiness and smooth introduction of new products and processes
* Represent the Manufacturing Engineering function in cross-functional planning, audits, and customer or partner engagements
* Provide technical guidance on process scalability, manufacturability, and investment priorities
* Coordinate with peer engineering groups to ensure standardization and leverage shared expertise across departments

Quality, Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management:

* Ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory, environmental, and safety requirements (ISO, IATF, OSHA, etc.)
* Apply structured risk management frameworks (FMEA, FTA, DRBFM) to identify and mitigate potential risks
* Oversee process control systems and verification measures to ensure product quality and traceability
* Promote a strong culture of safety, compliance, and environmental responsibility across all engineering activities

Supervisory Responsibilities:

* Leads the Manufacturing Engineering team through both direct supervision and indirect influence

Travel Requirement: 

* This position may require up to 20% domestic travel and occasional international travel to support cross-site collaboration, supplier engagement, and industry events

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred 

Required:

* Bachelor's Degree in Chemical, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline

Preferred:

* Master's or Ph.D. in Chemical, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

Essential Qualifications:

* 10+ years of progressive experience in process engineering, manufacturing engineering, or product development within high-volume manufacturing environments
* Proven experience managing multiple engineering teams or functions with accountability for planning and performance
* Demonstrated success developing and executing technical strategies that improve production capability, efficiency, and quality
* Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to partner effectively with senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders
* Recognized expertise in process optimization, automation, and manufacturing system integration
* Proficiency in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving (DOE, SPC, MSA)
* Strong financial and business acumen with experience managing budgets and capital projects
* Proficiency with Microsoft Office and engineering/data systems (e.g., MES, SCADA, SQL, Tableau, Ignition)
* Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

* Leadership experience in large-scale battery, electronics, or precision manufacturing industries
* In-depth knowledge of lithium-ion cell design, materials, and manufacturing processes
* Experience implementing Industry 4.0 or digital manufacturing initiatives
* Strong understanding of ISO, IATF, OSHA, and other regulatory standards
* Proficiency in both English and Japanese, enabling effective communication with domestic and international stakeholders

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

* To ensure health and safety in the workplace and for employee protection, wearing PPE is required and includes equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator. A respirator fit test will be required based on functional area.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed 
			

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Panasonic Corporation of North America