Manufacturing Systems Engineer II

Manufacturing Systems Engineer II

Department: Operational Excellence (OpEx)
Reports To: OpEx Lead (with priority alignment to the COO)
Location: On-site manufacturing
Experience Level: Senior Individual Contributor (8+ years required)

Why Atlas Gunworks

Atlas Gunworks builds the Ferrari of handguns. Our products demand extreme precision, disciplined execution, and uncompromising quality. That standard gives us the opportunity—and the responsibility—to build manufacturing systems that are as refined as the product itself.

We are intentionally transitioning from a high-skill, tribal-knowledge environment into a scalable, system-driven precision manufacturer. This role exists to make that transition real. Not through theory, but through disciplined documentation, measurement, and standardization on the factory floor.

If you believe structure enables excellence—and you know how tight-tolerance machining actually works—this role will resonate.

Role Summary

The Manufacturing Systems Engineer II is the owner of how work is defined, documented, measured, and standardized across Operations, Engineering, and Quality. This role industrializes knowledge by converting real-world processes into clear, controlled, and repeatable systems.

This is a hands-on, floor-centric engineering role. The Manufacturing Systems Engineer II spends significant time in machining, assembly, and inspection areas capturing reality, not idealized process flow. The output of this role directly enables higher throughput, better quality, and faster root-cause resolution by freeing Engineering and Quality leaders to focus on problem-solving rather than documentation.

Non-Negotiable Requirement

Candidates must have direct experience in tight-tolerance CNC machining environments.
This includes hands-on exposure to:

• Precision machining operations
• Tooling, fixturing, and setup sensitivity
• Dimensional control and measurement
• Understanding how variation is introduced and controlled

Candidates without this background will not be considered.

Core Responsibilities

1. Process Capture and Documentation (Primary Responsibility)

• Walk manufacturing processes end-to-end on the floor, including machining, secondary operations, assembly, and inspection
• Capture and document:
• • Correct process sequence and flow
• Visual documentation (photos at critical steps)
• Tooling, fixtures, gages, consumables, and PPE
• Known constraints, sensitivities, and failure modes
• Validate documentation with operators, engineers, and quality prior to release
• Ensure documentation reflects actual current-state execution

2. Work Instructions and Standard Work Ownership

• Create and maintain:
• • Work Instructions (WI)
• Standard Work documents
• Visual job aids and setup guides
• Inspection and measurement guidance (in coordination with Quality)
• Enforce consistency in:
• • Format
• Terminology
• Level of detail
• Naming conventions
• Ensure documents are clear, visual-first, and usable by new or cross-trained operators

3. Time Studies and Process Measurement

• Conduct time studies using approved OpEx methodology
• Capture:
• • Cycle time
• Touch time vs wait time
• Setup and changeover time
• Process variability
• Provide clean, usable data to support:
• • Labor utilization analysis
• Scheduling and capacity planning
• Automation feasibility
• Root-cause investigations

This role owns the data, not the decision.

4. Quality and Measurement System Support

• Document:
• • Inspection points and quality checks embedded in the process
• Measurement methods and gage usage
• Calibration and control requirements
• Support Quality in:
• • Identifying where defects are introduced
• Mapping rework loops
• Establishing first-pass yield measurement points

This role ensures quality is designed into the process, not corrected downstream.

5. Document Control and Systems Governance

• Own operational execution of:
• • Document naming conventions
• File structure and hierarchy
• Version control and obsolescence handling
• Work within Atlas Gunworks' Change Management process:
• • All document changes follow formal control and release
• No uncontrolled updates or workarounds
• Partner with IT on SharePoint structure while retaining ownership of content integrity

6. Cross-Functional Enablement

• Act as a force multiplier for:
• • Engineering (removing documentation burden)
• Quality (clear standards and measurement definition)
• Operations (clear expectations and training material)
• Support new processes, equipment, and R&D handoffs by ensuring documentation readiness prior to release

Behavioral Expectations

• Comfortable living in the weeds
• Methodical, observant, and disciplined
• Low ego, high standards
• Willing to challenge incomplete or inaccurate documentation
• Trusted by both operators and engineers

What Success Looks Like

• Engineering and Quality leaders spend less time documenting and more time solving problems
• Work instructions are trusted, current, and consistently used
• Process variation becomes visible and measurable
• Training, onboarding, and cross-training accelerate
• EMOR quality and execution metrics improve due to better data and standards

Final Note

This is not a documentation role in name only.
This is a manufacturing systems ownership role for someone who understands precision machining deeply and believes that disciplined systems are what allow excellence to scale.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing environments with tight-tolerance CNC machining
• Demonstrated experience documenting and standardizing real production processes
• Strong understanding of:
• • Machining operations and constraints
• Tooling and fixturing sensitivity
• Measurement systems and dimensional control
• Experience conducting time studies and basic industrial engineering analysis
• Proven ability to work on the floor with operators, engineers, and quality teams
• Exceptional attention to detail and documentation discipline

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in aerospace, defense, medical, or other precision manufacturing environments
• Experience supporting quality systems (ISO-style environments preferred but not required)
• Familiarity with MES, digital work instruction tools, or structured documentation systems
• Strong visual documentation skills (process photography, layout clarity)