Manager, Industrial EngineeringWork Mode: Onsite
Location:Onsite, four days per week - Kohler, WI
OpportunityThe Industrial Engineering Manager is a strategic, hands-on role responsible for driving operational excellence through the development and deployment of labor standards, process improvements, and productivity enhancements across global manufacturing and assembly operations. This role champions industrial engineering best practices-including time studies, line balancing, and work measurement-to optimize resource utilization, improve labor efficiency, and enable scalable growth across diverse geographic regions.
This position requires a technical expert in Industrial Engineering who is also a strong cross-functional collaborator, capable of influencing operations, Lean/CI, finance, and engineering teams to achieve measurable performance improvements.
Key Responsibilities:- Develop and maintain standardized, accurate labor standards for global manufacturing and assembly processes.
- Conduct time studies, work sampling, and motion analysis (e.g., MOST, MTM, MODAPTS) to identify productivity opportunities.
- Lead line balancing, process flow optimization, and workstation layout design to maximize throughput and minimize waste.
- Support cost modeling and capacity planning efforts in collaboration with operations and finance teams.
- Drive the global standardization of IE tools, templates, and methodologies across all manufacturing sites.
- Provide coaching and training to site-level engineers and operational teams on IE practices and labor analysis techniques.
- Collaborate with Lean/Continuous Improvement teams to embed IE principles into broader operational transformation efforts.
- Evaluate product designs for manufacturability and labor impact; recommend design optimizations to improve efficiency.
- Develop and manage labor productivity KPIs and reporting systems to track progress and identify gaps.
Skills/Requirements - Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering or a related technical field.
- 8-10 + years of experience in industrial or manufacturing engineering, preferably in a multi-site or global environment.
- Advanced proficiency in time study techniques, labor standard development, and work measurement.
- Experience with standard work creation, line balancing, and ergonomic assessment.
- Strong analytical and quantitative problem-solving skills.
- Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel and industrial engineering software tools (e.g., simulation tools, AutoCAD, or equivalent).
Preferred Qualifications:- Certifications in MOST, MTM, or MODAPTS.
- Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) or labor tracking technologies.
- Exposure to international manufacturing environments and diverse labor models.
- Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) from an Industrial Engineering perspective.
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Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.We believe in supporting you from the moment you join us, which is why Kohler offers day 1 benefits. This means you'll have access to your applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period. The salary range for this position is $135,600 - $211,000. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate's experience, their education, and the work location. In addition, this position is eligible for a performance bonus/variable incentive compensation.
