Manufacturing IT System Specialist

Position Summary

An international IT services and solutions provider is seeking an Manufacturing IT System Specialist to lead the design, implementation, and support of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), with a focus on Siemens MOM/Opcenter and its integrations with PLC, SCADA, and ERP platforms. This role is responsible for ensuring that MES solutions reliably enable production performance, meet business and plant requirements, and align with global standards. The manager will oversee system architecture, configuration, and enhancements, while driving engineering best practices, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration. By translating operational needs into scalable MES solutions, the MES Engineering Manager will help optimize uptime, throughput, quality, and cost efficiency across manufacturing operations.

This is a W2 Contract Position and an Onsite Position. Local candidates are preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary IT liaison for plant operations on MOM/Opcenter, aligning IT services with production schedules and business SLAs/OLAs.
• Manage and enhance Incident, Request, Problem, Change, and Release processes, ensuring strong performance against KPIs (MTTR, first-time fix, backlog health, change success rate).
• Lead major incident response, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and executive-level communication.
• Plan and execute configuration updates, patches, and releases for MOM/Opcenter and related integrations.
• Partner with vendors and engineering teams to capture requirements, validate solutions, and deliver secure, compliant deployments.
• Communicate technical architecture and change impacts in clear, business-friendly terms.
• Develop and maintain operational reporting frameworks (weekly and monthly) covering incidents, root causes, availability, capacity, change outcomes, user satisfaction, and cost-to-serve.
• Provide concise, business-relevant updates to plant leadership and executives, ensuring transparency on risks, remediation, and delivered value.
• Lead Kaizen initiatives to improve reliability, efficiency, and user experience.
• Propose and track measurable improvements (e.g., downtime reduction, throughput gains, cost avoidance).
• Standardize policies and SOPs while ensuring compliance with regulations.
• Lead, coach, and develop the operations support team with clear objectives and growth plans.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and ethical culture that emphasizes continuous learning and high morale.
• Build strong relationships with operations, quality, maintenance, engineering, and production planning teams.
• Identify opportunities for added business value through automation, data visibility, and process optimization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field
• Proven experience in MES implementation and support, ideally with Siemens MOM/Opcenter.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, automation systems (PLC, SCADA), and ERP integration.
• Hands-on experience with system architecture, configuration, and troubleshooting in a manufacturing IT environment.
• Familiarity with industry standards such as ISA-95, GMP, or other manufacturing compliance frameworks.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work in global/cross-cultural environments.

Position Details

• Type: Onsite
• Location: Liberty, NC

While performing the duties of this job you may be required to intermittently sit, stand, walk, lift 10-25 pounds if needed. You may also be required to use close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and peripheral vision and hearing.

Other duties assigned depending on various projects requirements.

Activ8 Recruitment & Solutions / Renaissance Resources Inc. has been a trusted leader in North American recruiting for Japanese businesses for over 25 years. We specialize in connecting top talent with companies in the Automotive, Electronics, Food & Beverage, Logistics, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Banking & Finance, and Entertainment industries. Our client-focused approach ensures that we understand your unique needs, whether you're a company seeking skilled professionals or a candidate looking for the right career opportunity. By working closely with each individual, we provide tailored solutions that drive success.

We screen ALL Candidates to verify the validity of each applicant's provided information. Upon submitting your resume, we will contact only those candidates that we deem qualified for our client. If we do not contact you, we do not see the fit for the position. If we are unable to reach you in a reasonable timeframe, you will be eliminated from the pool of potential candidates.

We prioritize direct applicants; third-party resumes may not be reviewed.

Job Types: Full-time, Contract

Pay: $ $60.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance

Work Location: In person