Junior Manufacturing Specialist/ Engineer, Plates

Position: Junior Manufacturing Specialist/ Engineer, Plates Location: Burnaby, British Columbia

Remote Status: On-Site

Job Id: 2299

# of Openings: 0

Ballard's Advanced Manufacturing team has an immediate need for a motivated Junior Manufacturing Specialist/ Engineer to support our plate production line. The plates manufacturing specialist / engineer will support the design, revision, and maintenance of manufacturing processes and equipment based on established engineering principles to meet functional requirements or performance specifications, working under the guidance of senior engineers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Monitor OEE across the production line and support improvement initiatives led by senior engineers.
• Help establish, monitor, and refine process parameters, control limits, and standard work to support consistent output.
• Support capacity and cycle-time studies; help identify bottlenecks and contribute to resolution efforts.
• Participate in and support process improvement projects using Lean/Six Sigma methodologies.
• Assist with PFMEA development and updates; help ensure control plans reflect current process risk.
• Review PLC/HMI data, fault logs, and sensor trends to help diagnose equipment issues, escalating complex or intermittent problems as needed.
• Support evaluation of automation upgrades, tooling changes, and error-proofing (poka-yoke) solutions.
• Develop and maintain process documentation: work instructions, control plans, PFDs, setup sheets.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Support safety initiatives on the line, including participation in risk assessments, safety audits, and incident investigations as needed.
• Assist with new product/process introduction (NPI) activities, including trial runs, first-article inspections, and process validation.
• Collaborate with Quality, Maintenance, and Production teams to resolve day-to-day line issues and support corrective/preventive actions..
• Participate in daily production meetings, tier meetings, or shift handoffs to communicate process status and open issues.
• Support training of production operators on new or revised work instructions and standard work.
• Track and report on assigned KPIs (scrap rate, downtime, first-pass yield, etc.) and flag trends to senior engineers.
• Assist with spare parts management and equipment reliability tracking in support of preventive maintenance programs.
• Participate in kaizen events or continuous improvement workshops.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
• 0–3 years of process engineering experience in a manufacturing environment; experience with automated production equipment is a plus.
• Root-cause problem-solving skills (5-Why, Fishbone, DMAIC, 8D, or similar), with willingness to develop further under mentorship.
• Basic working knowledge of automated line components: conveyors, robotics, sensors, PLCs, pneumatics/servo systems.
• Ability to read and interpret PLC logic, electrical schematics, and mechanical drawings (not required to program, but must be able to communicate effectively with controls engineers).
• Familiarity with data analysis tools (Excel, Minitab, or similar).
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and collaborate across departments
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma tools and mindset (certification a plus).
• Good written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting findings to team members.
• Ability to work on the production floor and respond to live line issues as needed.

The typical hiring range for this position is $60,000 to $75,000.Ballard considers many factors in determining total compensation, including the successful Candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, experience, position location, and internal equity. As part of our total rewards offering, permanent employees in this position may be eligible for our competitive annual short-term and long-term bonus program, subject to program eligibility requirements.

As a Ballard employee, we want you to feel valued and appreciated for your efforts. That’s why we offer a competitive benefits package in addition to a performance-driven compensation philosophy. From bonuses to benefits, our people work hard, and we believe they should be rewarded for it. We care about career growth and development. We believe in work-life balance with tons of flexibility and rewarding benefits.
Extended health and dental benefits and employee assistance program
Paid time off
Retirement plan matching
Onsite fitness facility & yoga classes
Extensive learning opportunities, catalogue of development course offerings
People networks and mentorship programs (to name a few)

Note: The incentive programs, benefits, and perks have specific eligibility requirements. The Company reserves the right to alter these incentive programs, benefits, and perks in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

Our Values
Listen & Deliver | Quality. Always. | Inspire Excellence | Row Together | Own It

Ballard values diversity in the workplace and is committed to Employment Equity. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates.