Manufacturing Engineer I

Manufacturing Engineer I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tMgKm_71qs (by clicking this link you are being referred to an external site that is not part of Panasonic) Meet the Recruiter: Eric Laffey Summary: Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we’re building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation. Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Job Summary: The Manufacturing Engineer I is an entry-level engineering role designed to develop foundational manufacturing engineering skills through hands-on experience and mentorship in a high-volume manufacturing environment. The position impacts the engineer’s own work and immediate team by supporting production optimization, process reliability, and quality improvement activities. This role emphasizes learning standard manufacturing processes, tools, and problem-solving methodologies through involvement in data collection, troubleshooting support, and continuous improvement initiatives, while contributing to safe, stable, and efficient manufacturing operations. Essential Duties: Functional Operations: Applies basic manufacturing engineering principles, tools, and standard procedures under supervision Supports assigned tasks within engineering and operations projects Assists with data collection, basic process analysis, and documentation (e.g., time studies, process checks) Supports development and maintenance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions Assists with technical equipment troubleshooting under guidance from senior engineers and maintenance teams Learns and supports preventative maintenance activities to improve equipment uptime and process stability Performance Optimization & Continuous Improvement: Works on clearly defined process improvement tasks under close supervision Applies existing manufacturing processes, standards, and tools to support efficiency and waste reduction efforts Contributes to continuous improvement initiatives and small-scale equipment or process upgrades Supports development of permanent countermeasures to address manufacturing issues using established problem-solving methods Gains exposure to automation systems and manufacturing technologies through project support activities Training & Team Support: Learns manufacturing engineering practices through mentorship, job shadowing, and guided project participation Develops familiarity with engineering workflows, documentation standards, and structured problem-solving approaches Actively seeks feedback to build technical competence and professional effectiveness Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication: Communicates primarily within the immediate engineering team and assigned project groups Collaborates with production, quality, maintenance, and engineering team members following established procedures Develops professional communication and documentation skills to support knowledge sharing and project execution Quality, Safety, & Compliance: Supports implementation and adherence to quality systems to ensure product conformance to specifications Participates in root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) activities as a contributor Learns and complies with all safety policies, procedures, and regulatory

Actively participates in safety initiatives and supports safety planning for new equipment or process changes Properly uses and maintains required personal protective equipment (PPE), including Tyvek suits, gloves, respirators, and other safety gear as required by the functional area Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator. The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred Education, Certifications, and Licenses: Required: Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a closely related STEM field Preferred: Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (Green Belt a plus) Certified Manufacturing Technologist (CMfgT) SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or similar CAD certification OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Certification Essential

Strong foundational understanding of core engineering principles Demonstrated eagerness to learn and develop practical manufacturing engineering skills Mechanical aptitude with interest in troubleshooting and root cause analysis Ability to apply basic data-driven approaches to support process development and improvement Willingness to learn technical docu