Fabrication Project Engineer in Hayward, California at Therm-x of California

We are seeking a Fabrication Project Engineer / Project Manager to support and manage fabrication and manufacturing projects from engineering release through production execution and completion.

The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background, preferably Mechanical Engineering, combined with practical knowledge of CNC machining, fabrication processes, engineering drawings, GD&T, machine-shop process planning, and project management.

This position will work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, CNC Programming, Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations to ensure projects are properly planned, scheduled, executed, and delivered according to technical requirements, cost, quality, and schedule commitments.

Technical Knowledge & Experience

• CNC machining processes, including:
  • Horizontal Milling / H-Mill
  • Vertical Milling / V-Mill
  • CNC Turning / Lathe
  • Vertical Turning Lathe (VTL)
  • Multi-axis machining and related fabrication processes
• Machine-shop process planning and routing
• Manufacturing sequence and operation planning
• Tooling, fixtures, workholding, and machining concepts
• Engineering drawings and manufacturing specifications
• Strong working knowledge of GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing)
• Dimensional requirements, tolerances, datums, and inspection requirements
• General fabrication and manufacturing processes
• Understanding of manufacturing capacity, machine loading, lead times, and production constraints

Project Management Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain project plans, schedules, milestones, and deliverables for fabrication projects.
• Coordinate projects from engineering release through manufacturing and final delivery.
• Track project status, schedules, priorities, dependencies, risks, and action items.
• Coordinate activities between Engineering, CNC Programming, Manufacturing, Production, Quality, Purchasing, and other supporting departments.
• Review drawings, BOMs, manufacturing requirements, and project scope before production release.
• Support development and tracking of manufacturing routings and process plans.
• Identify project risks, capacity constraints, material issues, engineering issues, and schedule conflicts.
• Lead or participate in project review meetings and provide clear project status reporting.
• Follow up on open actions and drive projects toward committed completion dates.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to project execution, manufacturing lead time, capacity, productivity, and operational efficiency.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and communicate changes to appropriate stakeholders.

Project Management Software Skills

Hands-on experience with one or more project planning and management platforms is highly desirable, including:

• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft Planner
• Smartsheet
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Teams / SharePoint
• Similar project scheduling, planning, and resource-management systems

Candidate should be comfortable creating and maintaining:

• Project schedules
• Gantt charts
• Milestones
• Resource plans
• Action-item trackers
• Risk and issue logs
• Project dashboards and status reports

Desired Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in manufacturing, fabrication, machining, project engineering, or project management.
• Experience working in a CNC machining / fabrication / machine-shop environment is highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and the ability to coordinate engineering requirements with shop-floor execution.
• Experience with engineering and CAD software is considered a strong advantage, including:
• Autodesk Inventor
• SolidWorks
• AutoCAD / Autodesk products
• Other 3D CAD and engineering software