Industrial Manufacturing Engineer - Lean Manufacturing

Position Title: Industrial Manufacturing Engineer - Lean Manufacturing Department: Engineering Reports To: VP of Engineering Location: ACSI Houston, TX

Position Summary

The Industrial Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for driving continuous improvement initiatives, optimizing manufacturing processes, reducing waste, and improving operational efficiency throughout the facility. This role will lead Lean Manufacturing efforts, implement best practices, and partner with production, quality, maintenance, and supply chain teams to improve safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on problem solver with a strong background in industrial manufacturing, process improvement, and Lean methodologies who can effectively translate data into actionable operational improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean Manufacturing initiatives utilizing:
• 5S
• Kaizen
• Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
• Standard Work
• Visual Management
• Root Cause Analysis
• Kanban
• Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
• Facilitate continuous improvement events and kaizen workshops.
• Develop and maintain Lean metrics and performance dashboards.
• Identify and eliminate non-value-added activities and waste throughout manufacturing operations.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement at all levels of the organization.

Process Engineering

• Analyze current manufacturing processes and develop improvements to increase productivity and throughput.
• Establish and maintain manufacturing standards, work instructions, and process documentation.
• Optimize plant layouts, material flow, workstation design, and manufacturing cell configuration.
• Conduct time studies and labor utilization analyses.
• Develop capacity planning and production efficiency models.

Operations Support

• Support production teams in troubleshooting manufacturing issues.
• Partner with supervisors and team leads to achieve production targets.
• Investigate bottlenecks and implement corrective actions.
• Assist with new product introduction and manufacturing readiness.
• Participate in capital equipment evaluations and implementation projects.

Quality & Safety

• Support quality initiatives through process capability improvement and defect reduction.
• Utilize root cause analysis tools to resolve recurring production issues.
• Ensure manufacturing processes comply with company quality and safety standards.
• Support safety improvement initiatives and ergonomic assessments.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs), including:
• Productivity
• Scrap and rework
• Labor efficiency
• Throughput
• On-time delivery
• Develop reports and recommendations based on operational data.
• Utilize ERP and manufacturing systems to drive decision-making.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in:
• Industrial Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Related technical discipline
• Minimum 1-5 years of manufacturing engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience implementing Lean Manufacturing principles in a production environment.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, workflow optimization, and continuous improvement techniques.
• Experience conducting root cause investigations and corrective actions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems.
• Experience with AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or manufacturing process simulation software.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 quality systems.
• Experience with shop-floor metrics and KPI management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Reduction in manufacturing waste
• Improved labor productivity
• Increased throughput
• Reduced cycle times
• Improved OEE
• Reduction in scrap and rework
• Improved on-time delivery performance
• Cost savings generated through continuous improvement initiatives
• Successful implementation of Lean projects

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in both office and manufacturing environments.
• Ability to stand and walk through production areas for extended periods.
• Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to wear appropriate PPE in manufacturing environments.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate is a results-driven manufacturing professional who enjoys being on the shop floor, leading change, coaching operators and supervisors, and delivering measurable improvements in productivity, quality, safety, and profitability through Lean Manufacturing principles.

Physical Demands:

Hours: 8-10 per day Week: 40-50 hrs per week Lunch: 1 hour

Sitting: 50 % of time Standing & Walking: 50 % of time

Environment:

• Office and Plant environment.

Physical tasks:

Stress:

• Medium to High

Performance Standards:

• Ability to perform work according to company guidelines and client's requirements.
• Ability to maintain and control production and personnel programs under Materials purview.
• Ability to prepare and present reports in a timely fashion.