Reports To: Continuous Improvement Manager
Purpose of the Position: IEM is currently seeking a Senior Continuous Improvement Engineer for our Surrey, B.C. locations and will report to our Continuous Improvement manager. Join our transformation journey as a lean professional supporting kaizen activities, standard work documentation, and data-driven process improvement. This is a hands-on role ideal for candidates with a passion for lean manufacturing and a desire to grow in a structured CI environment.
Please note: This position requires 100% in-office presence in our Surrey offices and does not offer remote work.Key Responsibilities: Lead Operational Transformation- Schedule, plan, and facilitate kaizen events: line balancing, standard work, Daily Management setup, SMED, 5S, visual management, error-proofing
- Conduct value stream mapping and process analysis; develop data-driven improvement roadmaps
- Design standard work from the ground up: work sequences, takt time, operator training, visual controls
- Establish and audit Daily Management systems; coach leaders on sustainment
- Identify systemic barriers to improvement (design gaps, training deficits, leadership behavior) and address them
Drive Root-Cause Problem Solving- Lead systematic problem-solving using PDCA, A3, and 8D methodologies; use data to find real root causes
- Analyze production data (cycle time, downtime, quality, labor) to set priorities and measure results
- Work cross-functionally (Ops, Process Engineering, Supply Chain) to implement solutions that stick
- Track sustainability metrics; conduct post-kaizen audits and investigate deterioration
Build Capability & Culture- Mentor E2 engineers on CI methodologies, kaizen facilitation, and systematic thinking
- Coach operations leaders and supervisors on Daily Management discipline and lean problem-solving
- Document and standardize best practices; share learnings across teams
- Develop and deliver CI training to operations, manufacturing engineering, and leadership
Measure & Sustain Impact- Own improvement roadmap execution; track schedule, budget, and impact metrics
- Establish and monitor KPIs: productivity, quality, lead time, cost savings, safety
- Present progress in operations reviews and escalate barriers.
- Manufacturing floor presence required; spend significant time observing, coaching, facilitating.
Qualifications: Education & Experience- Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, business, operations, or related field.
- 7-10+ years in manufacturing, operations, or continuous improvement
- Led 10+ kaizen events from concept to sustained implementation
- Proven success implementing and sustaining Daily Management systems
- Demonstrated ability to move production lines from batch toward flow
Technical Skills- Deep understanding of Lean Manufacturing: value stream mapping, takt time, line balancing, pull systems, standard work, visual management, 5S.
- Proficiency in process improvement methodologies: PDCA, A3 problem solving, 8D, root-cause analysis (5-why), SMED.
- Data-driven mindset: comfortable analyzing production metrics, cycle time studies, bottleneck analysis, process capability.
- Experience documenting processes and creating visual standards that operators can follow.
Leadership & Mindset- Excellent facilitation and coaching skills; you make others better at problem-solving
- Ability to work cross-functionally (Ops, ME, Supply Chain, Quality) without friction
- Can navigate disagreement and push back when people want quick fixes instead of root causes
- Strong communication: can explain complex problems clearly to frontline workers and executives
- Detail-oriented; you follow through and hold teams accountable
- Comfort in dynamic, multi-tasking environments; you prioritize and adapt as business needs change
- Energizing presence; you build trust and rapport across all levels
Core competencies- Lean Expertise: You can run any type of kaizen; you understand how tools like SMED, 5S, standard work, and visual management connect.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with multiple departments to drive culture of continuous improvement, engagement and business results.
- Root Cause Thinking: You don't accept surface answers; you dig into data and ask "why" until you find the real problem.
- Systems View: You see connections between processes; you know that fixing one thing might break another.
- Data Fluency: You trust data over opinions; you can read a praetor chart, spot a trend, and make a recommendation.
- Facilitation: You can draw out the best ideas from a room full of people with different perspectives.
- Coaching & Development: You invest in people; your team members grow in capability under your mentorship.
- Influence Without Authority: You can move things without a formal decision; you build alignment through respect.
- Grit: Improvements are hard; you push through obstacles, learn from setbacks, and keep going.
Success Criteria- Lead 4-6 major Kaizen initiatives/year.
- Champion Daily Management
LOCATION & LOGISTICS- 100% on-site in Surrey, BC. No remote work.
- Manufacturing floor presence required; you'll spend significant time on the shop floor observing, coaching, facilitating.
- Occasional travel to support multi-site improvement initiatives.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS- Compensation ranges from $45.67 - 56.25/hr CAD
