Principal Manufacturing Engineer

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing-focused initiatives to improve cost, quality, delivery, and manufacturability across mass-production products
• Apply understanding of supplier capabilities to influence design decisions, sourcing strategies, and cost-reduction opportunities
• Support and improve assembly, test, and inspection processes, including fixture design and process optimization
• Influence materials selection and product designs to balance performance, cost, risk, and manufacturability
• Execute structured prototyping and manufacturing experiments to validate solutions for high-volume mass production
• Serve as a technical leader for small functional teams, guiding others through complex manufacturing and quality challenges
• Investigate and resolve complex quality issues using structured problem-solving methodologies
• Analyze production and quality data to identify systemic issues and lead initiatives for sustainable yield improvements

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in manufacturing engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or an equivalent discipline
• 10+ years of experience supporting mechanical or electro-mechanical products in manufacturing engineering or a similar role
• Strong background in Design for Manufacturability (DFM), including die castings, injection molding, and precision electromechanical assemblies
• Proficiency in CAD tools, specifically SolidWorks
• Proven ability to plan and execute projects based on KPIs and manage technical risk

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with should-cost modeling, cost breakdowns, and supplier cost analysis
• Experience in mentoring or coaching junior engineers
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to make data-driven decisions

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching
• Employer-paid disability, family leave, and life insurance
• Paid time off including holidays
• Annual bonus plan or sales incentive plan

About the Company

Cognex is the largest and most recognized global player in industrial machine vision. Using advanced optics, image sensors, and artificial intelligence software, Cognex vision and ID systems capture and analyze images to solve the toughest problems in industrial automation.