Manufacturing Systems Manager

Welcome. We're glad you're here. And we're not just saying that. We're glad we're here too. We are proud of this company and take great pleasure in introducing you to the Watson difference.

We are builders.

For more than 60 years we have designed and built workspaces for some of the most dynamic and innovative companies. Our designs are functional, refined, and manufactured with respect for our people and the environment. We are proud to source the best talent and materials at our manufacturing facility in Poulsbo, WA.

We're looking for a Manufacturing Systems Manager who supports the technical backbone of our factory: the process design, standard work, automation, and continuous improvement capability that let the production floor run reliably and get better every day.

This role owns the Manufacturing System team - manufacturing engineers, programmers, continuous improvement specialists, and technical machine experts - who serve as the primary technical coaches on the floor. You partner closely with the Plant Manager, whose team runs daily production and owns on-time performance. Your job is to make sure they have the systems, standard work, and technical capability to do that well.

You're not chasing the schedule. You're building what makes hitting the schedule possible: sound process design, reliable automation, and a culture where problems get solved at the root, not just patched for the shift.

This role reports to the VP of Operations and works as a peer with the Plant Manager, engineering manager, production planning manager and purchasing manager, together owning Watson's Operations model from customer order to fulfillment.

Welcome to The Orchard

This role is on-site at The Orchard, our Pacific Northwest workplace in Poulsbo, Washington.

The Orchard is more than a campus. It's a living reflection of who we are. Surrounded by towering Douglas firs, winding walking trails, and mountain views, it's a place designed to support both focus and connection. It's also where you'll find dogs padding through the hallways, teammates gathering for tabletop games and monthly BBQs, and conversations that turn into real, meaningful change.

We believe in investing in growth, yours and ours. At Watson, you'll find learning and development opportunities that help you stretch your skills, explore new ideas, and turn curiosity into capability.

What you'll do

Own the Manufacturing System

• Own process design, standard work, and manufacturing engineering across the production floor

• Build and maintain the technical systems - tooling, programs, work instructions - that let the floor run safely, consistently, and at quality

• Set the direction for automation and new equipment, balancing capability against cost and reliability

• Serve as the technical authority the Plant Manager and Value Stream Managers turn to when a process problem needs more than a quick fix

Drive Continuous Improvement

• Build and coach a structured continuous improvement capability: root cause analysis, standard work, visual management, and daily problem-solving

• Lead or support kaizen events and larger process redesigns tied to real throughput, quality, or safety gaps

• Give the floor the tools and coaching to solve their own problems, rather than solving it for them every time

• Track the impact of improvement work in hard numbers - throughput, scrap, downtime, safety - and keep the pipeline of ideas moving

Lead the Manufacturing System Team

• Lead and develop a team of manufacturing engineers, programmers, continuous improvement specialists, and technical machine experts

• Set priorities across the team so technical support lands where it matters most on the floor

• Build a team that coaches rather than commands - the floor solves problems better with good tools and good teaching than with someone doing it for them

• Recruit, mentor, and grow technical talent that can keep pace with a growing, more automated factory

Partner Across Operations

• Partner with the Plant Manager to translate process and system improvements into daily floor results

• Work with Engineering on manufacturability during new product introduction, ensuring designs can be built efficiently and consistently at scale

• Partner with Supply Chain and Purchasing on tooling, equipment, and material specifications that affect process design

• Use ERP and production data to identify constraints, prioritize projects, and measure whether changes actually worked

Project & Capital Management

• Lead manufacturing engineering projects from scoping through implementation, supporting equipment upgrades and facility changes

• Build project timelines and budgets, and hold projects accountable to both

• Bring a business lens to every project: understand the cost-benefit case and communicate it plainly to leadership