Director Operational Technology Engineer Jobs in Minnesota

Job Title
Sr. Manufacturing Technology Engineer

Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World

Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it's equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.

The Impact You'll Make in this Role
As a Sr. Manufacturing Technology Engineer, the person will support slitting, rewinding, and converting processes across manufacturing sites. This role will contribute to automation projects, equipment modernization, and process standardization to improve safety, quality, productivity, changeover efficiency, and equipment reliability.

Beyond specific programs, this position will help build long-term organizational capability by applying standards, capturing lessons learned, and supporting the replication of best practices across sites.

As a(n) Sr. Manufacturing Technology Engineer you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by:

• Support slitting, rewinding, and converting automation initiatives across manufacturing sites.
• Help project teams evaluate technical options, collect data and engineering judgment.
• Support the definition and review of technical requirements, equipment specifications, process scope, layouts, and acceptance criteria for new or upgraded converting equipment.
• Work with project teams across mechanical design, automation, web handling, safety, material handling, and process integration.
• Support the identification, documentation, and mitigation of technical risks to reduce design gaps, rework, late-stage changes, startup delays, and cost increases.
• Lead or support the development of automation solutions such as automatic knife positioning, jumbo roll handling, core loading, unloading systems, web handling improvements, inspection systems, and closed-loop controls.
• Work with suppliers to review and validate machine concepts, layouts, automation approaches, and technical proposals.
• Participate in design reviews, FAT, installation, commissioning, SAT, startup, and production ramp-up activities.
• Apply standards, best practices, lessons learned, and technical guidelines for slitting, rewinding, and converting equipment.
• Collaborate with controls, mechanical, EHS, quality, operations, maintenance, and project engineering teams to support robust and scalable solutions.
• Support business cases, CAPEX planning, project roadmaps, and prioritization by providing technical input, feasibility assessment, and risk evaluation.
• Maintain a hands-on, boots-on-the-ground engineering mindset, with strong responsiveness to help troubleshoot issues during FAT, installation, startup, and production ramp-up.

Your Skills and Expertise

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or higher (completed and verified prior to start)
• Five (5) years of engineering experience, preferably in manufacturing, project, converting, automation, or equipment design in a private, public, government or military environment
• Three (3) years of experience supporting equipment or capital projects, including scope definition, supplier engagement, execution planning, FAT, installation, SAT, startup, and production ramp-up.
• Three (3) years of experience with machine automation, mechanical systems, web handling, winding principles, knife systems, material handling, and process integration.
• One (1) year of experience with machine safety requirements, including guarding, EHS expectations, risk assessments, safety validation, and operator/maintenance access.

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Master's degree in engineering from an accredited institution
• Eight (8) years of engineering experience, preferably in manufacturing, project, converting, automation, or equipment design in a private, public, government or military environment

Skills include:

• Ability to work with external equipment suppliers and support alignment on requirements, standards, and acceptance criteria.
• Strong project execution mindset, including scope control, risk awareness, timeline support, stakeholder alignment, and issue resolution.
• Hands-on problem-solving mindset, with the ability to quickly assess technical issues, engage the right stakeholders, and support practical solutions during FAT, installation, startup, and production ramp-up.
• Ability to collaborate with plant teams, suppliers, and cross-functional partners.

Work location:

• Work location: This role follows an on-site working model, requiring the employee to work at least four days a week at the 3M Center in Maplewood, MN.
• Travel: May include up to 25-50%domestic/international
• Relocation: May be authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

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