Manufacturing Engineer

Company Information:

Rock Exotica (Thompson Manufacturing, Inc) was founded in 1987 by Rock Thompson, whose passion for rock climbing and inventive spirit led him to build the company from his parent’s garage with a rebuilt WWII milling machine and a groundbreaking product—the Soloist. Since then, Rock Exotica has continued to revolutionize technical equipment for professionals, staying true to its roots of innovation, safety, and quality. Proudly designed, manufactured, and assembled in Utah, USA, we remain committed to pushing boundaries while honoring the craftsmanship that started it all.

Join the team that’s redefining safety. At Rock Exotica, we don’t just manufacture safety and rescue equipment, we lead the industry with groundbreaking Innovation and first-to-market products Trusted by first responders, arborists, and the entertainment world. We’re looking for Dedicated individuals who value quality, precision, and the mission of helping others stay safe. If you're driven by purpose and inspired by Excellence, Rock Exotica is where your impact begins!!

**Pre-employment drug screening required**

**Must Be 18+ year of age to apply**

We are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for all employees and customers. As part of our commitment to safety, we evaluate all candidates based on their ability to uphold our workplace standards, including the safety and well-being of those we serve. All hiring decisions are made in accordance with applicable federal and state law.

Job Summary:

The Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining efficient manufacturing processes that ensure Rock Exotica products are produced accurately, safely, and cost-effectively. This role places a strong emphasis on process engineering; including PFMEA, line balancing, lean manufacturing, machine design, and continuous improvement to optimize workflow, reduce waste, and improve production throughput and quality. The Manufacturing Engineer serves as the technical authority for all process design decisions and is the primary R&D liaison to Production for process-related matters.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Process Design & Engineering

• Designs, develops, and sustains manufacturing processes that produce conforming product accurately, safely, and efficiently.
• Owns the Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) — develops, maintains, and links to the control plan for all new and revised products and processes.
• Conducts process verification activities, including capability studies (Cpk), process validation, and sign-off for production readiness.
• Performs root cause analysis and corrective action (RCCA) for process-related issues.
• Conducts time and motion studies, capacity analysis, and value stream mapping to identify and eliminate waste.

NPI Process Readiness

• Participates in the manufacturing launch of new and revised products — leads process readiness activities including process design, tooling development, line qualification, and production team training.
• Collaborates with the Development Engineer on production documentation, ERP router development, and work instruction review to ensure process accuracy.
• Assists Design Engineers in resolving product manufacturability issues; contributes to Design for Manufacturing (DFM) reviews.
• Supports first article inspections (FAI) and PPAP activities for new products and processes.

Production Support

• Collaborates with the Assembly Manager and production teams to improve production control systems, SOPs, safety protocols, and training materials.
• Owns the creation, updating, and maintenance of ERP production routing data, ensuring accuracy of work center sequences and process steps.
• Performs miscellaneous duties and special projects as assigned.

Machine & Tooling Design

• Designs, develops, qualifies, and continuously improves production process tooling — including assembly fixtures, jigs, and assembly aids — optimized for ergonomics and efficiency.
• Owns the design and development of assembly machines and production equipment, including Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).
• Manages tooling capital requests and coordinates tooling purchase orders within R&D, in collaboration with the R&D Manager.
• Provides technical direction to the Mechanical Engineering Technician (when assigned) and Manufacturing Engineering Technician on tooling development, build, and qualification.

Line Balancing & Continuous Improvement

• Leads line balancing studies and implements efficient workstation layouts to support takt time and throughput goals.
• Identifies and implements lean manufacturing improvements including 5S, standard work, visual management, and waste elimination (TIMWOOD).
• Drives and facilitates continuous improvement (CI) initiatives to reduce cycle time, improve quality, and lower production costs.
• Represents Manufacturing Engineering on cross-functional CI events including kaizen, Gemba walks, and A3 problem solving.