Plant Manager
Re:Build Manufacturing · Kalamazoo, MI
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Production
- Base pay
- $120k–$180k
- Travel
- 10%
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Certification
- Black Belt preferred
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Today
The role in 30 seconds
A management production role at Re:Build Manufacturing (industrial) in Kalamazoo, MI. Hands-on experience with wire processing equipment such as Komax, Schleuniger, or equivalent systems.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · Black Belt preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Black Belt, Green Belt, 5S, OEE
- Base pay
- $120k–$180k
- Day to day
- about 10% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026
Production Engineer roles in Michigan: typical posted base $130k–$189k. This one lists $120k–$180k.
Median of the low and high ends of 3 live postings that list pay, out of 22 production engineer openings in Michigan, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Michigan plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 21 other live production postings in Michigan.
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 8+)
Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 59%
- ✓ Team leadership 50%
- ✓ Six Sigma 32%
- ✓ Automation 32%
- ✓ EHS / safety 32%
- New product launch 27%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for 5S, OEE, ISO 9001, AS9100, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Re:Build Manufacturing
We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Carey → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Re:Build Manufacturing in Kalamazoo
3 other open roles at this site · 1 person we found in production roles at Re:Build Manufacturing.
- Advanced Manufacturing Engineer · Manufacturing
- Production Engineer · Production
- Engineering Technician · Manufacturing
Full description from Re:Build ManufacturingAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓IPC/WHMA-A-620 Certified IPC Specialist or Trainer.
- ✓AS9100 or ISO 9001 Lead Auditor certification.
- ✓Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
- ✓OSHA certification.
The BIG payoff
We are a company who is going to make a difference in the industries and the communities in which we choose to operate. Every employee of Re:Build will share ownership in the company and will share in the financial rewards of the success we achieve together, at all levels of the company!
We want to work with people that reflect the communities in which we operate
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
About Re:Build
At Re:Build, our mission is to ensure the next generation of important products are made, at scale, in America. We are laying the foundation for a better future for our customers, employees, and communities by revitalizing America's manufacturing base and creating meaningful jobs across the country, including in historically deindustrialized regions.
We operate an advanced, end-to-end manufacturing platform that partners with industrial companies and innovators to take products from first concept to full-scale production in critical verticals including aerospace and defense, electrification, medical, energy and environment, and robotics and automation.
The way we operate is as important as the work we do. It's guided by The Re:Build Way, 16 principles that shape how we collaborate with each other, partner with our customers and vendors, and contribute to the communities where we operate. (link to The Re:Build Way principles )
Who We Are Looking For
Re:Build Harness Solutions is looking for an experienced manufacturing leader to lead wire harness operations at our Kalamazoo, Michigan facility. You bring direct experience in wire harness, cable assembly, or electro-mechanical manufacturing and know how to build safe, reliable operations that deliver on quality, cost, and customer commitments.
You are a hands-on, metrics-driven leader who develops strong teams and scalable manufacturing systems. You use measures such as OEE, first-pass yield, cycle time, labor efficiency, safety, and on-time delivery to drive improvement and make informed decisions.
This is an opportunity to help build a digitally integrated wire harness operation and establish the processes, technology, and workforce capabilities needed to support continued growth.
What You Get To Do
- •Lead daily manufacturing operations with accountability for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and customer priorities.
- •Drive production performance using KPIs including OEE, first-pass yield, on-time delivery, cycle time, and labor efficiency.
- •Optimize wire harness processes including cutting, stripping, crimping, soldering, assembly, testing, and inspection.
- •Implement wire processing equipment, automated systems, smartBuild formboards, tooling, and digital manufacturing technologies.
- •Lead Lean continuous improvement efforts to reduce waste, improve quality, and increase production efficiency.
- •Partner with Engineering on manufacturability, capacity, production requirements, and process improvements.
- •Build and develop a high-performing team of supervisors, engineers, technicians, and production operators.
- •Own plant safety, quality, and compliance, including applicable IPC/WHMA-A-620, AS9100, ISO 13485, and ITAR requirements.
- •Lead root cause analysis, corrective actions, quality audits, inspection, and testing activities.
- •Manage key plant financial drivers, capital equipment investments, manufacturing costs, and capacity planning.
- •Support customer requirements, quoting, business reviews, and strategic growth initiatives.
What You Bring To The Team
- •10+ years of manufacturing operations experience, including 5+ years in plant or production management leading teams of 20+.
- •Direct wire harness, cable assembly, or electro-mechanical manufacturing experience.
- •Experience scaling low-volume, high-mix operations and improving quality, cost, and delivery.
- •Strong knowledge of wire cutting, stripping, crimping, soldering, assembly, testing, and wire harness workmanship standards.
- •Hands-on experience with wire processing equipment such as Komax, Schleuniger, or equivalent systems.
- •Knowledge of IPC/WHMA-A-620 and familiarity with ITAR-controlled manufacturing environments.
- •Strong Lean manufacturing and structured problem-solving experience, including 5S, standard work, visual management, A3, or 8D.
- •Experience with ERP/MES systems, production metrics, capacity planning, scheduling, and manufacturing flow.
- •Demonstrated ability to build teams, coach employees, and lead through growth or operational transformation.
- •Ability to work onsite in Kalamazoo, Michigan and travel up to 10%.