Job Description Location Salem, Massachusetts Position Type Full-time, on-site Department Engineering / Operations Works Closely With Manufacturing, Product Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations Leadership About

ANCORE ANCORE

is a growing fitness-equipment manufacturer based in Salem, Massachusetts. We design and assemble compact mechanical products used by athletes, fitness professionals, rehabilitation providers, and consumers. ANCORE is entering a significant period of growth. We are preparing to substantially expand manufacturing capacity, improve our existing assembly operation, develop new tooling and processes, and ultimately transition into a new facility designed around the next stage of the business. Position Summary ANCORE is seeking a highly hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to own the technical side of our manufacturing system and help develop, improve, and scale our assembly processes, production tooling, fixtures, workstations, material flow, testing methods, and manufacturing infrastructure. This role will work closely with ANCORE's Production Manager, who currently owns day-to-day production and brings deep knowledge of the product and assembly process. The Manufacturing Engineer will not replace that ownership; instead, they will provide the technical engineering capability needed to improve how the line is designed, supported, tested, and scaled. The successful candidate should be equally comfortable developing a concept in CAD, fabricating or modifying a fixture, testing it with production personnel, evaluating the results, and refining the solution. Not every challenge will fall neatly within an existing internal process or area of expertise. This person must be curious, resourceful, and comfortable learning unfamiliar systems, identifying outside expertise where necessary, and independently driving projects from problem definition through implementation. ANCORE's manufacturing environment is centered on mechanical assembly, so direct experience implementing fixtures, tooling, workstations, or process changes on an active assembly floor is strongly preferred. Key Responsibilities

• Own the technical development and improvement of the processes used to assemble, test, inspect, package, and move ANCORE products through production, in close partnership with the Production Manager and production team.
• Work side-by-side with the Production Manager, combining their day-to-day production and product knowledge with engineering analysis, design, and process-development capability.
• Partner with the Production Manager to analyze assembly methods, cycle times, bottlenecks, ergonomics, labor needs, and production flow, and develop practical technical solutions as volume increases.
• Design custom assembly fixtures, gauges, tooling, test fixtures, mistake-proofing devices, workstation accessories, and other production aids.
• Personally prototype, fabricate, machine, assemble, modify, and troubleshoot fixtures and tooling when practical, while using outside fabrication resources appropriately when needed.
• Create production-ready CAD models, drawings, and documentation for fixtures, tools, and equipment, and refine designs based on operator feedback.
• Support capacity expansion by modeling cycle times, workstation and equipment needs, line balance, material flow, and processes requiring duplication, redesign, or automation, while working with Manufacturing leadership on staffing and operating requirements.
• Design workstations, production cells, and material-flow systems around efficient presentation of parts, ergonomics, quality, and operator use.
• Own the technical manufacturing inputs to ANCORE's future facility planning, including production layouts, material flow, compressed air, electrical service, workstations, equipment, testing systems, storage interfaces, and production utilities, in partnership with Manufacturing and Operations leadership.
• Coordinate with contractors, equipment suppliers, manufacturing leadership, and outside technical resources; support equipment relocation, installation, commissioning, and process validation.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment and process problems and develop mistake-proofing and process controls that prevent errors rather than relying only on inspection.
• Work with Product Engineering to improve manufacturability, with Quality Engineering to develop and validate production test methods and process capability, and with the Production Manager to implement changes effectively on the line.
• Document manufacturing knowledge so critical processes do not depend solely on individual experience. Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, engineering technology, or a related technical field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, mechanical design, process engineering, tooling, or a related hands-on engineering role.
• Strong mechanical-design and practical problem-solving ability.
• Experience designing mechanical fixtures, tooling, equipment, or production aids.
• Strong proficiency with 3D CAD and mechanical drawings.
• Comfort personally building, testing, modifying, and troubleshooting physical solutions.
• Strong understanding of mechanical assemblies, tolerances, fasteners, materials, and fabrication methods.
• Ability to independently take a loosely defined problem from observation through design, implementation, and refinement.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness and ability to learn unfamiliar technical systems.
• Strong organization and communication skills and ability to work closely with production personnel. Preferred Qualifications
• Hands-on machining experience using manual mills, lathes, drill presses, saws, or similar equipment.
• Experience personally fabricating prototypes, fixtures, gauges, or production tooling.
• Welding, sheet-metal, 3D-printing, woodworking, or other practical fabrication experience.
• Experience designing assembly lines, work cells, material-flow systems, or manufacturing layouts.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing, line balancing, cycle-time analysis, standard work, and mistake-proofing.
• Experience with pneumatic systems, compressed-air tooling, sensors, basic controls, or production automation.
• Experience commissioning equipment or supporting a manufacturing-facility expansion or move.
• Experience with mechanically assembled products or low-to-medium-volume manufacturing.

What Success Looks Like The successful candidate will become the technical engineering owner of ANCORE's manufacturing system while working side-by-side with the Production Manager, who continues to own day-to-day production. Together, they will improve how materials flow, how products are assembled and tested, how operators interact with fixtures and workstations, and how the line scales without sacrificing quality. Over the next several years, this role will have the opportunity to influence everything from individual hand tools and assembly fixtures to the architecture of ANCORE's next manufacturing facility. This is not a role where the engineer simply writes recommendations for someone else to implement, nor is it a role that independently owns every aspect of production. We are looking for someone who enjoys turning ideas into physical solutions, collaborating closely with the Production Manager and Quality team, and taking responsibility for the technical side of seeing those solutions work in production. Physical and Work Requirements

• Full-time, on-site work in Salem, Massachusetts.
• Significant time working directly in manufacturing, assembly, fabrication, and testing areas.
• Ability to safely use hand tools, fabrication equipment, and machine tools appropriate to the employee's training.
• Ability to lift and move tools, fixtures, products, or components weighing up to 35 pounds.
• Occasional travel may be required for equipment suppliers, vendors, or facility-related work. Compensation and Benefits

Compensation:

$95,000-$120,000 annually

Health Insurance:

HSA-eligible health plan with 50/50 premium sharing

Retirement:

Fidelity Safe Harbor 401(k) with a 4% company contribution at a 5% employee contribution

Dental & Vision:

Employee-paid coverage available

Time Off:

Paid holidays, PTO, and additional benefits in accordance with company policy ANCORE is an equal opportunity employer.

Pay:

$95,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person