Director - Manufacturing Engineering

About McNeilus, an Oshkosh Company

McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Inc. is committed to serving everyday heroes and is an industry leading designer and manufacturer of refuse truck bodies. McNeilus produces a complete line of high-performance rear load, front load, and automated side load refuse bodies to augment any refuse collection fleet. Our team members are critical in our mission of supporting waste warriors and keeping communities safe and clean.

The Director of Manufacturing Engineering will provide strategic leadership, direction, and oversight for McNeilus manufacturing engineering organization. This role is responsible for ensuring best-in-class processes, tools, and standards are implemented to support efficient, safe, and cost-effective production of Oshkosh’s products. The Director will drive continuous improvement, champion manufacturing innovation, and partner cross-functionally to align manufacturing engineering capabilities with business objectives. A critical component of this role includes developing talent, building organizational capabilities, and fostering a culture of operational excellence across all manufacturing sites.

YOUR IMPACT  

These duties are not meant to be all-inclusive, and other duties may be assigned: 

• Develop and execute manufacturing engineering strategies that enable operational excellence, efficiency, and scalability in alignment with Oshkosh’s long-term business goals.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight for manufacturing engineering deliverables, including process design, tooling, equipment selection, automation, and production readiness.
• Lead standardization efforts across plants and product lines to ensure consistent best practices in process development, documentation, and execution.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, Industry 4.0) to enhance safety, quality, productivity, and cost competitiveness.
• Develop and manage training programs to strengthen technical competencies and leadership skills within the manufacturing engineering team.
• Serve as subject matter expert in manufacturing technologies, processes, and methods, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of industry advancements.
• Partner with program management, product engineering, and operations to ensure new product introductions are seamlessly integrated into manufacturing, with robust process validation and production readiness.
• Oversee lifecycle management of manufacturing processes, ensuring scalability, sustainability, and adaptability to evolving customer and business requirements.
• Advise senior leadership on manufacturing engineering strategies, capital investment priorities, and emerging technologies to drive long-term competitive advantage.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS   

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering; or equivalent.
• Twelve (12) or more years of experience in engineering, contracts, lean and value stream management; or in a related area.
• Five (5) or more years of management experience.
• Ability to travel up to 5%.

STANDOUT QUALIFICATIONS 

• Graduate degree in Engineering; or equivalent.
• Prior experience with Defense or government contracts.
• Prior experience working in, or with, a Manufacturing industry.
• Knowledge of Lean principles and value stream methodologies.
• Ability to interact with company personnel, builds strong relationships at all levels and across all business units and organizations, and understands business imperatives.
• Exceptional verbal, written, interpersonal and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management, Board of Directors, and teams.
• Experience and proficiency with CATIA and/or CREO.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings.
• Experience with new product development processes and best practices.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The following represents general working conditions for this role. Specific conditions may vary depending on business needs and individual circumstances. 

• This role combines office-based administrative duties with physical activity in field or production environments. 
• In the office setting, tasks may require extended computer use, sitting, and attending meetings. 
• Field or floor work may involve walking across various terrains or shop floors, standing, moderate lifting (up to 50 pounds), climbing stairs, and exposure to varying temperatures or noise levels. 
• Must be able to shift focus between detailed cognitive work and occasional physical tasks as ne