Operations Support Engineer - VE

Operations Support Engineer Job Description

TIME Manufacturing Company | Waco, Texas Location: On site | Employment: Full time | Reports to: Plant Manager

About the operation:

TIME Manufacturing Company produces aerial work equipment through brands including Versalift. The Waco operation fabricates steel and aluminum components, welds structures, and assembles, mounts, and tests aerial lift equipment serving utility, telecommunications, and other fleet customers.

Position summary

The Site Engineer is the Plant Manager's day-to-day engineering partner for resolving production problems and keeping work moving through the Waco facility. This hands-on role spends substantial time on the shop floor, addressing urgent technical questions, last-minute design changes, parts substitutions, material shortages, and other obstacles to completing and shipping equipment. The Site Engineer takes ownership of issues from identification through resolution, coordinating Engineering, Quality, Purchasing, Materials, Planning, and production teams to implement practical solutions that protect safety, product performance, quality, and delivery commitments.

Key responsibilities

· Work closely with the Plant Manager. Review daily production priorities, walk the floor, and identify issues threatening output or shipment dates. Maintain a prioritized issue list with clear owners, actions, and completion dates; escalate decisions promptly.

· Resolve production problems. Troubleshoot fit and assembly issues, drawing discrepancies, fabrication defects, tooling limitations, and test failures. Work directly with operators, supervisors, and technical specialists to diagnose problems and verify effective solutions.

· Manage last-minute design changes. Assess impacts on work in process, parts, cost, and delivery. Coordinate approved changes with Product Engineering and Quality, and ensure affected drawings, bills of materials, work instructions, and production teams are updated.

· Evaluate parts substitutions. Identify available alternatives and assess fit, form, function, materials, ratings, and compatibility. Obtain required Engineering and Quality approvals before use, document affected units, and confirm implementation on the floor.

· Expedite critical parts. Partner with Purchasing, Materials, and suppliers to confirm shortages, availability, and delivery dates. Pursue approved alternatives, stock transfers, fabrication, or rework; follow critical parts through receipt, inspection, and delivery to the point of use.

· Recover production schedules. Help the Plant Manager and Planning evaluate resequencing, alternate assembly steps, and recovery plans when materials or technical issues disrupt the schedule. Make delivery, cost and labor trade-offs visible for timely decisions.

· Coordinate resolution across functions. Drive closure of incomplete kits, incorrect bills of materials, supplier discrepancies, quality holds, and equipment or process constraints. Engage the appropriate teams and stay accountable for follow-through until production can proceed.

· Prevent repeat problems. Investigate recurring issues, implement corrective actions, improve instructions and handoffs, and share lessons with production teams. Verify that fixes remain effective and that changes preserve required inspection, testing, and product traceability.

Required qualifications

· Bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, industrial, manufacturing, or a related engineering discipline, or an equivalent combination of relevant technical education and experience.

· Five or more years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment, with significant hands-on production support and troubleshooting responsibility.

· Ability to interpret engineering drawings, tolerances, bills of materials, and mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical schematics; practical understanding of fabrication and assembly processes.

· Experience coordinating engineering changes, evaluating alternate components, and working with Quality on approved deviations, rework, and inspection requirements.

· Working knowledge of ERP or MRP systems, inventory availability, production orders, purchasing lead times, and the effect of material shortages on production schedules.

· Demonstrated ability to solve urgent problems, prioritize competing demands, and follow issues through closure while applying sound technical judgment and structured root-cause analysis.

· Clear, direct communication and the ability to influence operators, supervisors, engineers, buyers, and suppliers without relying on formal authority.

Preferred experience

· Heavy equipment, aerial lifts, truck equipment, or other fabricated and assembled industrial products.

· High-mix or build-to-order manufacturing with frequent configuration changes, supplier constraints, and time-sensitive delivery requirements.

· CAD tools, engineering change control, component selection, supplier coordination, Lean methods, and production test troubleshooting.

Working relationships and accountability

Reports to the Plant Manager and works daily with production supervisors and functional teams. Owns coordination and closure of production issues, with technical approvals and product acceptance remaining with the designated Engineering and Quality authorities. Communicates options, recommendations, risks, and timing so the Plant Manager can make timely operating decisions.

Measures of success

Success will be measured by time to resolve production issues; fewer units held for technical or material problems; critical parts delivered by agreed need dates; fewer repeat issues; and improved schedule attainment and on-time shipment. Solutions must maintain product safety, quality, required approvals, and traceability while reducing avoidable rework and expediting cost.

Initial priorities

During the first 90 days, learn the products, build processes, and approval paths; establish a daily problem-solving routine with the Plant Manager; take ownership of the highest-priority open production issues; and resolve recurring causes of build delays. Establish baseline measures and demonstrate improvements in issue closure and production flow.

Work environment

This position is based at the Waco facility and requires substantial time on the manufacturing floor, close interaction with production teams, and use of required personal protective equipment. Occasional support outside normal hours may be needed to resolve urgent production issues. Essential functions may be performed with reasonable accommodation.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
Time Manufacturing Inc. is 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, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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