We are seeking a Principal Manufacturing Engineer to lead critical manufacturing initiatives within our top-freezer refrigeration operations in Decatur, Alabama. This role serves as a technical authority responsible for driving process excellence, equipment reliability, and manufacturing strategy across high-volume production lines. The Principal Manufacturing Engineer will play a key role in supporting new product introductions, optimizing existing processes, and ensuring alignment between engineering, quality, and operations to deliver best-in-class performance.Coordinate and manage capital equipment procurement projects, including specification development in alignment with GE Appliances and industry standards, supplier selection and early engagement, technical reviews, factory layout development, supplier runoff/qualification, installation, and final equipment acceptance. Ensure all tooling and equipment are reliable, robust, and designed to maximize Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)Own the program metrics as applicable to your assigned projects: capital equipment & tooling budgets, program schedule, reliability, quality and labor targets. Work with the program team to perform trade‑off analysis on competing metrics if necessary and drive decisions based on overall business impactFacilitate/lead the use of the Production Preparation Process (3P) and Lean manufacturing principles while developing manufacturing equipment and processes. Utilize cross‑functional participation to ensure that the equipment and processes are compatible with the entire value stream. Efforts should include right‑sized equipment, workstation design, material presentation, standard work and single piece flowStandards and ComplianceEnsure all equipment executed in GEA factories comply with Industry and Governmental Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) standards.Utilize Human Organizational Performance (HOP) principles to ensure that all equipment / tooling / processes are implemented with the health and safety of the operators in mind.Work with functional leaders to ensure equipment & processes support business initiatives of Bill of Process (BoP), Lean Manufacturing, Ergonomic Design and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering or related discipline OR equivalent hands‑on experience in technical/manufacturing disciplinesQualifications7+ years of hands‑on experience in manufacturing equipment and processes;Proven success in managing capital equipment projects, including supplier selection, installation, and qualification.Expertise in Lean manufacturing principles.Strong communication and leadership skills to engage with diverse teams, from shop floor operators to senior management.A track record of meeting deadlines and budgets for construction and equipment projects.Preferred QualificationsAppliance manufacturing background, especially across laundry or other high-volume assembly operationsSolid operational plant finance background and understandingExperience managing large manufacturing and engineering projectsDemonstrated ability to mentor, develop, grow and maintain a skilled engineering teamFluent with Lean manufacturing principlesProven communication skills – will be expected to communicate to all levels of the organizationDemonstrated ability to take ownership of cross‑functional program deliverables and ability to drive decisions based on the overall benefit to the companyExperience implementing and/or operating under Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) systemDirect management experience for highly skilled engineering teamsExperience with implementing Lean process improvement in a manufacturing operation#J-18808-Ljbffr