Manufacturing Process Engineer II

Company Overview

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases is a leading provider of cryogenic pumps, heat exchangers, process systems, turboexpanders, services, and solutions for the liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied hydrogen (LH2), and industrial gases industries. Applications include fueling stations, marine engines, peak shaving, power generation, virtual pipelines, carbon capture, geothermal power and well stimulation. We are a subsidiary of Nikkiso Company Ltd, a leading industrial manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with $1.5 B USD in annual revenue, 8000 + employees worldwide, and publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Nikkiso ACD is an engineering and manufacturing company specializing in machinery designed to operate at cryogenic temperatures as low as – 420 degrees Fahrenheit, the boiling point of Liquid hydrogen. For over 50 years, Nikkiso ACD has specialized in centrifugal and reciprocating pumps as well as turbines for air separation. Nikkiso ACD has the most diversified product line in the industry covering nearly every application requiring pumps or turboexpanders.

This position is based at Nikkiso ACD, LLC, located in Santa Ana, CA.

Job Overview

The Manufacturing Process Engineer is responsible for optimizing manufacturing processes to improve quality, delivery, and cost performance across the operation. This role provides day-to-day manufacturing engineering support while leading continuous improvement initiatives through Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Gemba, and Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) methodologies.

Key responsibilities include developing and enhancing production cells, building and training high-performing teams, creating and maintaining manufacturing work instructions and standard operating procedures, and supporting production through the generation of manufacturing travelers and work order execution. The Manufacturing Process Engineer also drives root cause analysis and corrective actions through participation in CAPA activities to eliminate recurring issues at the source.

In addition, the role collaborates closely with Industrial Engineering, EHS, and Facilities teams to improve plant layout, workflow efficiency, and material flow throughout the facility. Strong technical writing skills are required to develop clear manufacturing documentation, standardized processes, and engineering procedures that support operational excellence and sustainable process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Continuous improvement, Lean Manufacturing and 5S Champion – Aside from day-to-day manufacturing engineering support, the Manufacturing Process Engineer will be responsible for product cell development, team building and training on standard and specialized operating procedures.
• To be successful in this role, you will need to use industry standard and state of the art continuous improvement tools and problem-solving techniques such as: 6 Sigma, Lean, 5S, Gemba, Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM), Value Stream Mapping and Kaizen events.
• Methods of Manufacture - Generate manufacturing travelers and support released workorders throughout the factory. Develop, maintain, and edit manufacturing work instructions and workflow sequences. Participate in and assemble CAPA teams for root cause and corrective action remedy at the source.
• Plant / Facility layout – Work closely with Industrial Engineering, HSE and Facility Maintenance teams to improve workflow and material flow throughout our operation.
• Technical writing – Development of work instructions and procedures to support Manufacturing Engineering.

Other than basic navigation, each area will need to document their processes for training, reference, and standardization.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications:

• Working knowledge of ACAD and / or Solidworks for communicating engineering concepts, tools and fixtures
• Knowledgeable about manufacturing materials, processes, and practices that are consistent with Nikkiso ACD centrifugal and reciprocating pump products, and how they are manufactured for the cryogenic industry
• Working knowledge of machining castings, forgings, and welding
• Machining and Fabrication – Bronze alloy, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel
• Problem Solving / Lean Manufacturing
• Project Planning / Project Management
• Supplier development strategies
• Perform time studies – machining / assembly / processing and other like activities
• Procedure development and writing/formatting, generating, and managing Work Instructions
• Understanding of focus factory layouts for cellular manufacturing, workflow, and material flow

Essential Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in mechanical / Manufacturing / Industrial Engineering or equivalent.
• Minimum seven years of experience, working as a Manufacturing and or Industrial Engineer.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications such as: Power Point, Word, Excel and Visio

Work Environment

• Job will generally be performed in an office environment, but may require travel to a client's office, production facility or industrial/construction job site. Conditions will vary at each location, but the conditions listed above will generally apply

Physical Demands

• In order to perform the duties of this job, the employee may be required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop or kneel, talk and hear, and use fingers and hands to feel objects, tools or controls

Salary: $71,000 - $98,000 Per Year

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

EEOC Statement

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled Nikkiso CE&IG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.