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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Manufacturing Systems Manager - **Company:** Watson Inc - **Location:** Poulsbo, WA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $110,000.0 - $130,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Operational Databases, Systems Integration, Visual Systems - **Published:** July 17, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=6f1a1c3938e8b5f1 ## About the Role * 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, or continuous improvement leadership, ideally with people leadership experience * How to diagnose root cause issues quickly and drive corrective action that actually sticks * Lean manufacturing principles - standard work, visual management, root cause analysis - and how to build that capability in a team, not just practice it yourself * Familiarity with automation, CNC programming, or equipment integration in a production environment * How to use ERP systems and production data to identify constraints and prioritize work * How to translate technical detail into plain language leadership and the floor can both act on * Experience partnering with manufacturability and new product introduction efforts is a plus Who you are * Someone who sees themselves as a system builder, not just a problem solver * Someone with insane curiosity and a strong instinct for root cause over quick fixes * Someone who leads through coaching, not command, and earns trust by showing up on the floor * Someone who holds high standards without making people feel small * Someone who pays attention to small details and sees how they fit into the big picture * Someone who collaborates naturally with the Plant Manager, Engineering, and Supply Chain, because they understand they're all running different parts of the same machine ## Description * Own process design, standard work, and manufacturing engineering across the production floor * Build and maintain the technical systems - tooling, programs, work instructions - that let the floor run safely, consistently, and at quality * Set the direction for automation and new equipment, balancing capability against cost and reliability * Serve as the technical authority the Plant Manager and Value Stream Managers turn to when a process problem needs more than a quick fix Drive Continuous Improvement * Build and coach a structured continuous improvement capability: root cause analysis, standard work, visual management, and daily problem-solving * Lead or support kaizen events and larger process redesigns tied to real throughput, quality, or safety gaps * Give the floor the tools and coaching to solve their own problems, rather than solving it for them every time * Track the impact of improvement work in hard numbers - throughput, scrap, downtime, safety - and keep the pipeline of ideas moving Lead the Manufacturing System Team * Lead and develop a team of manufacturing engineers, programmers, continuous improvement specialists, and technical machine experts * Set priorities across the team so technical support lands where it matters most on the floor * Build a team that coaches rather than commands - the floor solves problems better with good tools and good teaching than with someone doing it for them * Recruit, mentor, and grow technical talent that can keep pace with a growing, more automated factory Partner Across Operations * Partner with the Plant Manager to translate process and system improvements into daily floor results * Work with Engineering on manufacturability during new product introduction, ensuring designs can be built efficiently and consistently at scale * Partner with Supply Chain and Purchasing on tooling, equipment, and material specifications that affect process design * Use ERP and production data to identify constraints, prioritize projects, and measure whether changes actually worked Project & Capital Management * Lead manufacturing engineering projects from scoping through implementation, supporting equipment upgrades and facility changes * Build project timelines and budgets, and hold projects accountable to both * Bring a business lens to every project: understand the cost-benefit case and communicate it plainly to leadership ## Related Videos - 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