Manager, Manufacturing & Test Engineering

Manage r, Manufacturing & Test Engineering   Status:   Exempt (salaried)   Reports To:   Director, Manufacturing Engineering   Position Summary   The Manager, Manufacturing & Test   Engineering   leads the test engineering, process engineering, and manufacturing engineering technician functions supporting Plug Power’s production operations. The Manager directs a team of approximately twelve, including process engineers, test engineers, a test software developer, and manufacturing engineering technicians, and is accountable for the performance, development, and retention of that team while contributing personal technical depth to the work.   The position owns the responsiveness of engineering support to the production floor, drives standardization across test platforms and manufacturing documentation, and partners closely with Production, R&D, Supply Chain, Warehouse, and Quality to align priorities and deliver measurable improvements in quality, throughput, and cost.   Core Duties and Responsibilities   Team Leadership and Development   Lead, develop, and mentor a team of test engineers, process engineers, and manufacturing engineering technicians;   establish   individual development plans for junior staff and   structured   onboarding for new team members   Own the manufacturing engineering ticketing system: set response and closure expectations,   establish   the technician group as first responders with clear escalation paths to process and test engineering, and report on backlog, cycle time, and recurring issue themes   Partner with Production leadership to set and continuously realign engineering priorities against the build schedule and floor constraints   Develop and manage the engineering intern program within the function, including project scoping and mentorship assignment   Own and manage the operating and capital budgets for both the process engineering and test engineering functions, including spend forecasting, prioritization, and justification of capital requests   Define, track, and communicate team performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs)   Test Engineering   Own the development, maintenance, and lifecycle management of all production test assets, including digital test (device I/O interfacing) and physical test (flow rate measurement, pressure decay, and similar functional verification)   Drive standardization of test platforms across product lines — hardware architecture, instrumentation, software structure, calibration, and documentation — to a common, sustainable baseline   Provide technical direction to the LabVIEW software developer and to engineers building Python-based test and data analysis tools; ensure consistent practices for code structure, revision control, and documentation   Manage external vendors and integrators for test fixtures, stands, and programs that exceed internal capability: define requirements, evaluate proposals, oversee execution, and conduct acceptance testing   Ensure test coverage, repeatability, and measurement system integrity; use production test data to   identify   recurring failure modes and drive corrective action   Process Engineering   Own the development and maintenance of work instructions and standard operating procedures; drive the current initiative to bring all work instructions to a verified, current state   Own ERP routing accuracy and maintenance; lead the verification and   subsequent   restructuring of bills of material to better support manufacturing execution   Direct time studies, labor standards, line balancing, and capacity analysis to support throughput and staffing decisions   Own control plans, process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA), and job hazard analyses (JHAs) for production processes   Lead tooling and fixture design, procurement, and maintenance programs   Drive Lean and 5S implementation on the floor, including Kaizen events, standard work, and visual controls   Lead continuous improvement projects targeting cycle time, first-pass yield, scrap, rework, and ergonomics   Cross-Functional Coordination   Coordinate with R&D on new and changing product designs to ensure manufacturability, testability, and production readiness   Partner with Supply Chain and Warehouse on material flow, BOM structure, and   component   availability   Partner with Quality on nonconforming material disposition, corrective action, and process capability   Always represent Plug Power in a professional manner in all interactions   Perform all other duties as assigned   Education and Experience   Required   BS in Engineering or a STEM-related discipline   7+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing or production environment, including a minimum of 3 years directly managing engineers and/or technicians as a formal people leader   Demonstrated ownership of the full people management cycle: hiring, goal setting, performance management, coaching, and the development of junior engineers, technicians, and interns   Hands-on experience with production test systems, including test stand or fixture development, electronic instrumentation, and data acquisition   Electronics experience including reading schematics,   sensor   and instrumentation selection, and troubleshooting electrical and electronic test hardware   Experience developing and   maintaining   manufacturing process documentation, including work instructions and standard operating procedures   Demonstrated application of structured problem-solving methods such as 8D, 5-Why, or DMAIC   Experience managing external vendors or integrators through requirements definition, execution, and acceptance   Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, electrical schematics, P&IDs, and process documentation   Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present to leadership and translate technical co