Smart Manufacturing Systems Manager

Who We Are:

Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day;

they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time ng part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Challenge is #Quality Driven and #People Powered!

An experienced leader to own and drive MES, SCADA, HMI, and IIoT systems across our global automotive manufacturing network. This role ensures seamless integration with ERP and PLM platforms, high-quality data, and reliable 24/‑7 operations that underpin production efficiency, quality assurance, and operational agility. You will be at the center of our smart‑factory journey—enabling real‑time visibility, predictive maintenance, and continuous improvement across multiple plants.

• Deploy, maintain, and optimize MES/SCADA systems across all automotive plants to support high‑volume production.
• Integrate MES/SCADA with ERP, PLM, and analytics platforms to deliver end‑to‑end traceability, quality, and operational insights.
• Implement IIoT sensors, edge computing, and machine connectivity for real‑time data acquisition from PLCs, robotics, and production assets.
• Monitor KPIs, production metrics, OEE, and system performance to ensure operational excellence and rapid problem resolution.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality, Engineering, and Maintenance teams to optimize throughput, cycle times, and first‑pass yield.
• Support new vehicle program launches and plant expansions with MES/SCADA integration, validation, and change management.
• Build dashboards, reporting tools, and real‑time analytics for plant leadership and executive decision‑making.
• Troubleshoot MES/SCADA and connected‑machine issues to minimize downtime and disruption.
• Ensure compliance with cybersecurity requirements and automotive standards (IATF 16949, ISO/SAE 21434, IEC 62443).
• Standardize MES/SCADA processes and best practices across all manufacturing sites.
• Train and mentor plant personnel and engineers on smart‑manufacturing systems and best practices.
• Manage a team of MES/SCADA engineers and integration specialists to deliver consistent results.
• Evaluate and recommend emerging manufacturing software, automation, and IIoT technologies.
• Lead data‑collection initiatives for predictive maintenance, energy management, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate closely with OT Infrastructure & Cybersecurity teams to ensure secure and reliable operations.

This will be a M‑F position located at our Corporate Office in Walker, MI. Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

• Associate’s degree in Industrial, Electrical, or Computer Engineering.
• 5+ years MES/SCADA management experience in automotive or high-volume manufacturing.
• Experience integrating MES/SCADA with ERP/PLM systems and industrial protocols (e.g., OPC UA, Modbus, Profinet).
• Proven smart‑factory and IIoT deployment experience (predictive maintenance, digital twins, cloud analytics).
• Automotive launch/change‑management experience.
• Knowledge of cloud platforms, edge devices, and digital‑twin architecture.
• Leadership experience managing cross‑functional technical teams.
• Strong problem‑solving, analytical, and communication skills.