Head of Production Engineering (Mechanical) in Rancho Cordova, California at Butcher Power Products

Butcher Power Products (BPP) designs and manufactures mission‑critical and industrial power solutions for essential infrastructure nationwide. Headquartered in Sacramento, CA, our teams collaborate closely across engineering, manufacturing, and operations to build reliable, high‑quality systems and take pride in delivering work that truly matters.
Job Summary:The Head of Production Engineering is a hands on leadership role, The person in this role must be the subject-matter expert who knows how to do the work themselves — capable of designing manufacturing processes, tooling, and equipment in CAD — so they can teach and develop the engineering team and personally perform drawing reviews and approvals. They are the technical authority the team relies on and the person who sets the standard for design quality, while also managing the people, priorities, and performance of the production engineering function. This role works closely with production, quality, maintenance, and R&D teams to support operational excellence and new product introductions. Key Responsibilities:

• Hands-On Design & Engineering: Personally design, model, and detail manufacturing processes, fixtures, tooling, and equipment in CAD. This is a working role: the successful candidate stays actively engaged in design and technical problem-solving alongside the team rather than delegating all hands-on work.
• Mentorship & Teaching: Coach, train, and develop engineers and technicians in design methods, CAD best practices, GD&T, design for manufacturability/assembly (DFM/DFA), and structured problem-solving, raising the technical capability of the whole team.
• Design & Technical Review: Lead, critique, and approve the team’s designs, drawings, and process documentation; set and enforce the standard for design quality and engineering rigor through formal design reviews.
• Leadership & Management: Lead and manage the production engineering team, including design engineers, manufacturing engineers, and technicians.
• Process Development: Design, develop, and optimize manufacturing processes, ensuring they are scalable, cost-effective, and meet quality standards.
• Equipment & Technology: Evaluate, select, and implement new machinery, tools, and technologies to improve production capabilities and efficiency.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Kaizen initiatives to reduce waste, improve yield, and enhance overall process performance.
• New Product Introduction (NPI): Collaborate with R&D and product development teams to ensure smooth transition from prototype to mass production, including process validation and documentation.
• Cost & Efficiency Management: Identify opportunities for cost reduction through process improvements, automation, and material optimization.
• Quality Assurance: Partner with the Quality team to ensure production processes comply with regulatory standards and internal quality requirements.
• Documentation & Standards: Develop and maintain work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and process control documentation.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinate with Production, Supply Chain, Quality, and Engineering departments to align engineering support with operational needs.
• Safety: Must comply with the company’s safety policies.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering
• 8+ years of progressive production / manufacturing engineering experience, including significant time spent personally designing processes, tooling, and equipment.
• Demonstrated, current hands-on proficiency in [SolidWorks / CAD platform] — able to independently produce production-ready models and drawings and to perform drawing reviews and approvals, not just direct others.
• Proven ability to lead formal design reviews and to mentor and train engineers and technicians in design and problem-solving.
• Experience hiring, developing, and managing a team of engineers and/or technicians.
• Working knowledge of GD&T, DFM/DFA, and engineering drawing standards.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, tooling, automation, and production systems.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement practices.
• Proficient with process simulation and data analysis tools.
• Strong understanding of safety standards, quality systems (ISO 9001, AS9100, etc.), and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent leadership, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities.

Core Competencies:

• Hands-on mechanical / process design (CAD)
• Technical mentoring, teaching, and team development
• Design review and engineering quality standards
• Production process development and optimization
• Team leadership and talent development
• Continuous improvement and Lean methodologies
• Equipment selection and technical project management
• Cost reduction and efficiency improvement
• Quality and compliance management
• Cross-functional collaboration and communication

CompensationThe base pay range for this role is $145,000 – $165,000 per year.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Butcher Power Products is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please let us know.
Compensation ranges are provided in accordance with applicable state and local pay transparency laws.