Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Manager
Woodward
Rockford, IL · Posted October 16, 2026
Just laid off? Start here: a plan for the first weeks
See every open role at Woodward
More in Illinois job market · Manufacturing & Industrial · Engineering jobs
More roles at Woodward
- Mechanical Engineer II or Senior · Rockford, IL
- Staff/Senior Staff Systems Engineer - Flight Controls · Irvine, CA
- SAP Business Systems Analyst - OTC (Sales) · Fort Collins, CO
- IT Security Engineer III · Niles, IL
- Sr Manager, Accounting · Fort Collins, CO
- Business Operations Director, Aerospace Aftermarket Services · Rockford, IL
Similar jobs
- Sr. Director, ETF Product Development, Americas · Invesco Group Services · Downers Grove, IL
- Senior Manager - Quality Engineering · United Airlines · Chicago, IL
- Quality Engineering Manager · United Airlines · Chicago, IL
- Project Engineering and Facilities Manager · Clarke University Of Dubuque Iowa · Roselle, IL
- Engineering Manager - Full-Stack Web · Akuna Capital · Chicago, IL
- Quality Engineering Sr Manager - L6 · Sikorsky Aircraft · Greenville, SC
Where Rockford, IL ranks
Where Rockford, IL placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best cities for junior jobs in Illinois39% · of 17
- #7Best college towns for junior jobs in the Great Lakes41% · of 39
- #8Best cities for junior jobs in the Great Lakes39% · of 53
- #10Best college towns for junior jobs in the Midwest41% · of 51
- #10Best cities for junior jobs in the Midwest39% · of 69
- #14Cities where the biggest share of jobs do not need a four-year degree in the Great Lakes17% · of 39
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among architectural and engineering managers is little observed so far. Measured exposure for architectural and engineering managers: 3% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
Say which you have and which you want to build. We use it to match you to jobs like this one.
About the job
Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards.
We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future.
Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.
Estimated annual base pay: $116,000 (minimum) - $151,000 (midpoint) - $186,000 (maximum)
All Levels are eligible for the benefits below:
All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity.
401(k) match (4.5%)
Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%)
Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members
12 paid holidays
Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire
Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave
Paid parental leave
Adoption Assistance
Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits
Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life
Member referral bonus
Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending
Voluntary benefits, including: Home / Auto Insurance discounts
Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave
Key Responsibilities:
Drive Continuous Improvement: Implement and support systemic and process improvements to enhance product development velocity, ensure robust design culture, and pursue better ways of working through learning, adapting, and driving measurable progress.
Go and See Leadership: Actively engage with teams by showing up where the work happens, listening deeply, and understanding team needs to provide effective support.
Coach and Mentor Staff: Build trust, empower team members, and provide feedback to grow individuals to their full potential while maintaining a highly skilled and adaptable team using talent management systems, training matrices, and performance reviews.
Develop and Maintain Design Standards: Create, maintain, and improve design standards to ensure high-quality, compliant products while leveraging lessons learned to enhance future designs.
Budget and Resource Management: Develop and manage budgets to align with profit planning activities, assign resources effectively to meet business needs, and achieve the company’s profitability objectives.
Key Skills:
Leadership and People Management: Strong leadership and motivational skills to coach, mentor, and empower individuals while fostering collaboration and teamwork.
Adaptability and Learning Agility: Ability to adapt to changing environments, maintain a customer-focused mindset, and learn quickly to address emerging challenges.
Technical Expertise: Proficiency in tools like CAD systems, CAE systems, design evaluation matrices, DFMEA, GD&T, configuration management, ECR management, and test methods.
Continuous Improvement Knowledge: Expertise in Design for Six Sigma, lean product development, waste elimination, and structured problem-solving methods.
Communication and Presentation Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present ideas clearly and effectively.
Product Life Cycle Knowledge: Strong understanding of the product life cycle, including key deliverables and integration of lessons learned into future designs.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to align technical direction with corporate strategic goals, execute effectively, and drive meaningful progress.
Risk Management: Superb skills in identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks to ensure robust product designs.
Training and Development: Skilled in creating training programs and maintaining training matrices to upskill staff to meet organizational needs.
Financial Analysis and Budgeting: Strong understanding of financial analysis tools and the ability to manage budgets effectively to meet objectives.
Other Qualifications:
Aken - Certified Technician/ Bachelor
This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee).
Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws.
#LI-AT1