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City of Albany, New York, United States
Onsite
Manager, 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 - $185,250.00We 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, disability, age, or veteran status.
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