Director Advanced Manufacturing Jobs in Arizona (NOW HIRING)

GTI is a contract manufacturing partner supporting customers in renewable energy, power generation, infrastructure, and industrial systems.
We fabricate custom designed, purpose-built enclosures and skids for our customers and perform mechanical and electrical integration in-house, delivering a true turn-key product to our customers. Our scope spans Engineering, prototype builds, through full production, requiring teams that can move fast, adapt, and execute with precision.
GTI Values: Safety I Quality I Customer Obsession I Speed I Agility
Position Overview
GTI Energy is seeking an Advanced Manufacturing Engineer to lead product industrialization and manufacturing readiness activities through structured NPI phase gate execution from early product development through full production launch. This role operates at the center of Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Operations with direct accountability for ensuring products are manufacturable, scalable, operationally ready, and aligned with cost, quality, and production targets.
The Advanced Manufacturing Engineer serves as the manufacturing authority throughout the NPI lifecycle, ensuring manufacturing deliverables, production processes, tooling strategies, labor models, and operational readiness requirements are completed prior to production release.
The ideal candidate has strong experience supporting industrial manufacturing, electro-mechanical systems, modular infrastructure, or engineered-to-order product environments with hands-on exposure to launch execution, manufacturing process development, and production ramp activities.
Key Responsibilities
NPI Phase Gate Ownership & Execution
• Own manufacturing deliverables across all NPI phase gates from concept development through production release
• Define manufacturing readiness requirements at each phase gate including design maturity, BOM completeness, routings, tooling, labor planning, capacity, and quality requirements
• Participate as the manufacturing authority during phase gate reviews and product readiness evaluations
• Ensure products do not advance through gated development stages without required manufacturing criteria being completed
• Drive accountability for unresolved manufacturing risks, operational gaps, or launch concerns prior to gate approval
• Support structured NPI execution processes aligned with schedule, quality, and operational objectives
Product Industrialization & Manufacturing Strategy
• Translate engineering designs into executable and scalable manufacturing strategies
• Define manufacturing build approaches, line flow concepts, takt assumptions, staffing models, and production methodologies
• Develop and validate manufacturing routings, work instructions, build documentation, and process standards
• Ensure alignment between product design intent, manufacturing capability, operational constraints, and cost targets
• Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) improvements early in product development
• Support standardization and scalability across manufacturing processes and product platforms
Prototype, Pilot & Production Launch Support
• Lead manufacturing execution activities for prototype builds, pilot builds, and launch programs
• Identify manufacturing issues during early builds and drive corrective actions across Engineering and Operations teams
• Validate tooling, fixtures, equipment, work instructions, and manufacturing processes prior to production scale-up
• Capture lessons learned during launch execution and implement improvements into manufacturing and design processes
• Support initial production ramp activities and stabilize manufacturing performance during launch phases
• Remain engaged post-launch to support operational performance, issue resolution, and production continuity
Cross-Functional NPI Leadership
• Partner closely with Design Engineering to influence product architecture, detail design, and manufacturability decisions
• Work with Supply Chain and Sourcing teams to validate supplier capability, lead times, capacity, and material readiness
• Collaborate with Quality teams to define control plans, inspection requirements, validation methods, and acceptance criteria
• Coordinate with Operations and Production teams regarding staffing plans, training requirements, and manufacturing readiness
• Serve as the manufacturing escalation point throughout NPI execution and launch activities
• Support coordination between Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Production Control, and Quality teams
Manufacturing Risk, Cost & Capacity Management
• Identify manufacturing risks tied to process complexity, tooling, labor constraints, production scalability, or supply chain challenges
• Support manufacturing cost modeling through labor assumptions, tooling strategies, process planning, and operational analysis
• Drive mitigation plans addressing cost, schedule, capacity, quality, and execution risks
• Support make-versus-buy evaluations and production scaling strategies
• Evaluate operational readiness and manufacturing capacity requirements tied to product launches and customer demand
Production Release & Operational Handoff
• Ensure all manufacturing documentation, routings, tooling validation, and process controls are complete prior to production release
• Support formal handoff of programs from NPI into full Operations ownership
• Train production teams on manufacturing processes, tooling, assembly requirements, and launch expectations
• Support early production issue resolution and continuous process improvement post-launch
• Maintain alignment between Engineering changes and manufacturing execution throughout production ramp phases
Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence
• Support Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, and operational excellence initiatives
• Drive Root Cause Analysis and corrective action implementation tied to launch issues, production inefficiencies, or process failures
• Improve manufacturing workflows, launch execution processes, and industrialization standards
• Contribute to standardization of manufacturing methods, tooling approaches, and production systems across facilities
Requirements
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related discipline
• 7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience within industrial, electro-mechanical, or engineered product environments
• Direct experience supporting structured New Product Introduction (NPI) programs and gated product development processes
• Strong understanding of fabrication, welding, assembly, electrical integration, and industrial manufacturing operations
• Experience participating in or owning NPI phase gate deliverables and manufacturing readiness activities
• Strong cross-functional leadership capability across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality teams
• Hands-on shop floor problem-solving capability and launch execution experience
• Strong organizational, communication, and operational execution skills
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting automotive, BESS systems, modular data centers, power generation systems, GenSet platforms, modular construction, or heavy industrial OEM products
• Experience supporting high-mix, engineered-to-order manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with APQP, PPAP, or structured gated product development frameworks
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma background preferred
• Experience supporting prototype builds, pilot builds, and production ramp activities
• Familiarity with ERP systems, production planning workflows, and manufacturing reporting tools preferred
Benefits & Perks
GTI Energy offers a competitive compensation and benefits package designed to support employees and their families while providing long-term career growth opportunities within a fast-growing manufacturing organization. Benefits may include:
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match (where applicable)
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
• Sick time in accordance with state and local requirements
• Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage
• Career advancement opportunities within a rapidly growing organization
• Exposure to advanced manufacturing, modular infrastructure, and large-scale industrial projects
• Collaborative, fast-paced environment with strong operational and engineering leadership
• Employee-focused culture centered on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement
Benefits eligibility and offerings may vary based on position, location, and employment classification.
$109,000 - $152,000 a year
GTI promotes a diverse and inclusive workforce and is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, marital status, or any other Federal or State legally-protected classes. We also value the safety of all employees and work hard to maintain a Drug Free Workplace.
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