Manufacturing Data & SPC Engineer

Manufacturing Data & SPC Engineer

The SPC / Data Engineer will play a critical role in establishing data-driven manufacturing processes for the permanent magnet production facility in Sumter, South Carolina. This position is responsible for developing and maintaining statistical processcontrol (SPC) systems, manufacturing KPIs, data collection strategies, and production analytics. The role will work closely with Process Engineering, Operations, Quality, Automation Engineering, and IT to transform production data into actionable insights that improve process capability, yield, throughput, and overall manufacturing performance. The SPC / Data Engineer serves as a key enabler for structured root cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• Develop and maintain SPC systems across manufacturing processes
• Support definition of critical process parameters and monitoring strategies
• Identify trends, variation, and process drift before product quality is affected
• Support implementation of control plans and reaction plans

• Manufacturing Data & Analytics
• Develop manufacturing KPI dashboards and reporting tools
• Analyze production, quality, equipment, and process data
• Support data-driven decision making throughout manufacturing operations
• Establish standardized data collection and reporting practices

• Root Cause Analysis & Continuous Improvement
• Support root cause investigations using statistical methods and data analysis
• Partner with Process Engineers to identify performance drivers and process limitations
• Develop analytical tools to support continuous improvement activities
• Quantify the effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions
• Participate in DMAIC, 8D, and structured problem-solving initiatives

• Systems & Data Integration
• Support integration of manufacturing equipment, automation systems, MES, and quality systems
• Collaborate with Automation Engineering and IT to improve data availability and accuracy
• Develop automated reports and performance dashboards
• Ensure data integrity and consistency across manufacturing systems

• Reporting & Performance Management
• Maintain weekly and monthly manufacturing KPI reporting
• Prepare management reports and performance summaries
• Develop trend analyses and performance forecasts
• Support engineering and operations reviews with fact-based data insights

• Documentation & Standards
• Develop standards for data collection, KPI definitions, and reporting methodologies
• Maintain documentation related to SPC systems and analytical tools
• Support audit readiness through accurate process and performance records

Education and Experience

• Recognized as degreed or holding an accredited certification in a relevant technical or engineering discipline
• Minimum 3–7 years of experience in manufacturing analytics, SPC, process engineering, or industrial data analysis
• Experience working within high-volume manufacturing environments
• Experience implementing SPC methodologies and process capability studies

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Data Analytics, Statistics, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
• Automotive manufacturing experience
• Experience with MES systems and manufacturing databases
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, SQL, or similar reporting tools
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies

Requirements

• Travel Requirements: 10% (as needed, domestic or international travel)

Language Skills

English, German beneficial

Supervisory Responsibilities

No formal direct reports

Employment at Will

This job description is intended as an outline of the duties of the position and is subject to change by VAC from time to time. It is NOT a contract of employment. Employment at VAC is voluntarily entered into and is subject to termination by you or VAC AT WILL, with or without cause at any time, either party believes such action to be appropriate.