Manager, Manufacturing & Test Engineering

Manage r, Manufacturing & Test Engineering

Status: Exempt (salaried)

Reports To: Director, Manufacturing Engineering

Position Summary

The Manager, Manufacturing & Test Engineering leads the test engineering, process engineering, and manufacturing engineering technician functions supporting Plug Power’s production operations. The Manager directs a team of approximately twelve, including process engineers, test engineers, a test software developer, and manufacturing engineering technicians, and is accountable for the performance, development, and retention of that team while contributing personal technical depth to the work.

The position owns the responsiveness of engineering support to the production floor, drives standardization across test platforms and manufacturing documentation, and partners closely with Production, R&D, Supply Chain, Warehouse, and Quality to align priorities and deliver measurable improvements in quality, throughput, and cost.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Team Leadership and Development

Lead, develop, and mentor a team of test engineers, process engineers, and manufacturing engineering technicians; establish individual development plans for junior staff and structured onboarding for new team members

Own the manufacturing engineering ticketing system: set response and closure expectations, establish the technician group as first responders with clear escalation paths to process and test engineering, and report on backlog, cycle time, and recurring issue themes

Partner with Production leadership to set and continuously realign engineering priorities against the build schedule and floor constraints

Develop and manage the engineering intern program within the function, including project scoping and mentorship assignment

Own and manage the operating and capital budgets for both the process engineering and test engineering functions, including spend forecasting, prioritization, and justification of capital requests

Define, track, and communicate team performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs)

Test Engineering

Own the development, maintenance, and lifecycle management of all production test assets, including digital test (device I/O interfacing) and physical test (flow rate measurement, pressure decay, and similar functional verification)

Drive standardization of test platforms across product lines — hardware architecture, instrumentation, software structure, calibration, and documentation — to a common, sustainable baseline

Provide technical direction to the LabVIEW software developer and to engineers building Python-based test and data analysis tools; ensure consistent practices for code structure, revision control, and documentation

Manage external vendors and integrators for test fixtures, stands, and programs that exceed internal capability: define requirements, evaluate proposals, oversee execution, and conduct acceptance testing

Ensure test coverage, repeatability, and measurement system integrity; use production test data to identify recurring failure modes and drive corrective action

Process Engineering

Own the development and maintenance of work instructions and standard operating procedures; drive the current initiative to bring all work instructions to a verified, current state

Own ERP routing accuracy and maintenance; lead the verification and subsequent restructuring of bills of material to better support manufacturing execution

Direct time studies, labor standards, line balancing, and capacity analysis to support throughput and staffing decisions

Own control plans, process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA), and job hazard analyses (JHAs) for production processes

Lead tooling and fixture design, procurement, and maintenance programs

Drive Lean and 5S implementation on the floor, including Kaizen events, standard work, and visual controls

Lead continuous improvement projects targeting cycle time, first-pass yield, scrap, rework, and ergonomics

Cross-Functional Coordination

Coordinate with R&D on new and changing product designs to ensure manufacturability, testability, and production readiness

Partner with Supply Chain and Warehouse on material flow, BOM structure, and component availability

Partner with Quality on nonconforming material disposition, corrective action, and process capability

Always represent Plug Power in a professional manner in all interactions

Perform all other duties as assigned

Education and Experience

Required

BS in Engineering or a STEM-related discipline

7+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing or production environment, including a minimum of 3 years directly managing engineers and/or technicians as a formal people leader

Demonstrated ownership of the full people management cycle: hiring, goal setting, performance management, coaching, and the development of junior engineers, technicians, and interns

Hands-on experience with production test systems, including test stand or fixture development, electronic instrumentation, and data acquisition

Electronics experience including reading schematics, sensor and instrumentation selection, and troubleshooting electrical and electronic test hardware

Experience developing and maintaining manufacturing process documentation, including work instructions and standard operating procedures

Demonstrated application of structured problem-solving methods such as 8D, 5-Why, or DMAIC

Experience managing external vendors or integrators through requirements definition, execution, and acceptance

Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, electrical schematics, P&IDs, and process documentation

Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present to leadership and translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders

Preferred

Degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering; MS a plus

Experience leading a team of eight or more, or managing across two or more distinct engineering disciplines

Working knowledge of LabVIEW and/or Python sufficient to direct and review the work of test software developers

Hands-on experience with ERP/MRP systems, including routing maintenance and BOM structure

Experience with PFMEA, control plans, time studies, and labor standards

Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)

Experience owning a departmental operating or capital budget and building capital investment justifications

Experience managing a production support ticketing or work order system against defined response and closure targets

Background in electromechanical assembly, fuel cell, or other complex hardware manufacturing environments

Pay Rate:

$114,000.00 - $185,250.00

• We offer a fantastic total rewards package at Plug, and a brief summary is below:
• ✓Base salary is determined on a number of factors including but not limited to education, experience, skills, and geography. These factors are considered when making an offer of employment. If you are interested in this position, we’d ask that you apply.
• ✓The above pay range, may not take into account local geographic pay variations. If there is an applicable geographic differential, a member of the HR team can discuss that with you.
• ✓Health, Dental & Vision Insurance eligibility starting from the first day of hire
• ✓401(k) with 5% company match
• ✓Bonus eligibility
• ✓Paid time off including vacation, personal and sick time
• ✓Paid Holidays
• ✓Wellness Reimbursement Program
• ✓Potential to apply for Tuition Reimbursement
• ✓Employee Referral program
• ✓Employee Assistance Program
• Plug Power Inc. is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disabili