The day-to-day responsibilities of an Engineering Manager at Jabil are highly dynamic and require a balance of tactical floor support and long-term strategic planning. You will be responsible for the overall output, quality, and technical development of your engineering team.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Leading and Mentoring Engineering Teams: You will directly manage a team of manufacturing, process, test, or design engineers. This involves setting daily priorities, conducting performance reviews, and fostering professional growth.
• Driving Operational Performance: You will own key engineering metrics such as equipment efficiency (OEE), scrap reduction, cycle time optimization, and first-pass yield. You will lead root-cause analysis investigations for major technical issues on the production floor.
• Managing New Product Introductions (NPI): You will oversee the engineering deliverables for NPI projects, ensuring tooling, test fixtures, and manufacturing processes are validated and ready for mass production within budget and schedule.
• Collaborating with Plant Leadership: You will work closely with the Plant Manager, Business Unit Managers, and Quality Assurance to align engineering resources with production demands and plant profitability goals.
• Engaging with Customers: You will serve as a technical point of contact for Jabil's customers, presenting engineering capabilities, discussing design-for-manufacturability (DFM) feedback, and managing engineering change orders (ECOs).

To be competitive for the Engineering Manager position at Jabil, you must possess a strong foundation in engineering principles combined with proven leadership experience in a manufacturing or high-tech product environment.

Must-Have Skills & Experience

• Education: A Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or Manufacturing) or a closely related technical field.
• Leadership Experience: A minimum of 3 to 5 years of direct people management experience, specifically leading engineering teams within a manufacturing, hardware development, or industrial environment.
• Domain Expertise: Strong working knowledge of manufacturing processes, assembly technologies, test engineering, and quality management systems (such as ISO 9001 or ISO 13485 for medical devices).
• Continuous Improvement: Proven experience driving Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Kaizen initiatives, preferably backed by a green or black belt certification.

Nice-to-Have Skills & Experience

• Advanced Degrees: A Master's degree in Engineering Management or an MBA.
• Industry-Specific Knowledge: Experience in specialized manufacturing sectors such as PCBA, plastics injection molding, medical device manufacturing, or automotive electronics (IATF 16949).
• Global Collaboration: Experience working within a global matrix organization, managing cross-border projects, or collaborating with international design and manufacturing sites.

Q: How technical is the interview for an Engineering Manager at Jabil? A: The interview is highly operational. While you may not be asked to write code or perform complex stress calculations on a whiteboard, you must be able to discuss manufacturing physics, test strategies, and engineering methodologies in deep, granular detail. You need to speak confidently about equipment, tooling, yield metrics, and process validation.

Q: What is Jabil's company culture like for managers? A: Jabil has a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and highly collaborative culture. Decisions are made quickly, and there is a strong emphasis on practical problem-solving and customer satisfaction. Successful managers are proactive, highly adaptable, and comfortable navigating ambiguity in a rapidly changing market.

Q: How long does the entire hiring process typically take? A: The process generally takes between three to six weeks from the initial recruiter screen to the final offer. This timeline can be shorter for local candidates or urgent plant openings, where multiple rounds may be consolidated into a single-day panel interview.

Q: Does Jabil require personality or cognitive testing? A: Yes, Jabil frequently utilizes personality and behavioral assessments during the early stages of the interview process. These tests are designed to evaluate your cognitive problem-solving style, leadership traits, and cultural alignment with the company's core values.

To maximize your chances of success during your Jabil interview, keep these practical, insider tips in mind:

• Quantify Your Achievements: When discussing your past projects, always use concrete metrics. Instead of saying "I improved production," say "I led a cross-functional team that implemented a new testing protocol, reducing cycle time by 14% and saving $120,000 annually."
• Focus on Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Jabil's core business is turning designs into physical products. Emphasize your experience in identifying design flaws early in the cycle and collaborating with design teams to make products easier, cheaper, and faster to manufacture.
• Master the STAR Method: Structure your behavioral answers clearly using the Situation, Task, Action, and Result framework. Ensure your "Actions" focus heavily on your specific leadership, decision-making, and collaboration rather than just the collective actions of your team.

• Understand Jabil's Global Footprint: Familiarize yourself with Jabil's scale, business units, and the specific capabilities of the plant you are interviewing for. Showing that you understand how your local plant fits into the broader global supply chain will set you apart from other candidates.

Securing an Engineering Manager position at Jabil is an exceptional opportunity to lead high-impact teams, work with cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, and deliver products for some of the world's most innovative brands. The role is challenging, requiring a unique blend of technical mastery, operational discipline, and people-centric leadership.

To prepare effectively, focus your energy on structuring your past experiences around operational metrics, team development, and cross-functional collaboration. Revisit your key NPI and continuous improvement projects, and practice articulating how you navigated stakeholder conflicts and technical roadblocks.

As you finalize your preparation, you can explore additional interview experiences, salary benchmarks, and detailed company insights on Dataford to ensure you walk into your interviews with maximum confidence.

The compensation data above highlights the competitive salary structure for Engineering Managers at Jabil. When evaluating your offer, remember that total compensation packages typically include a base salary, performance-based bonuses, and comprehensive health and retirement benefits. Use this data to benchmark your expectations and guide your discussions with the recruitment team. Good luck with your preparation—your journey to leading engineering excellence at Jabil starts now.