Continuous Improvement Engineer

INDIANA MILLS & MANUFACTURING INC•Macon, GA

48d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Continuous Improvement Engineer drives operational excellence by identifying, developing, and implementing process improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations. This role partners with production, safety, engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to optimize processes, reduce waste, improve productivity, and enhance product quality. The CI Engineer leverages Lean, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies to implement sustainable solutions, monitor performance, and standardize best practices across operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
3–5 years of experience in manufacturing, process improvement, or continuous improvement roles.
Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, and other continuous improvement methodologies.
Fundamentals of fixture and tool design
Experience conducting root cause analysis, process mapping, and value stream analysis.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and basic data analysis tools.
Excellent problem-solving, project management, and written and verbal communication skills.
Must comply with legal and corporate responsibilities.

Nice To Haves

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Experience in automotive or low-volume high-mix manufacturing environments.
Familiarity with ERP/MES systems, SPC tools, and process simulation software.
Experience mentoring and leading cross-functional teams.
Knowledge of safety and quality compliance standards.

Responsibilities

Work closely with production team members to understand their perspective, listen to challenges, and implement solutions.
Lead efforts to create an efficient, zero-defect environment.
Facilitate communication with other departments to innovate systems of efficiency and improvement.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence across the organization.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance process capability using Lean, Six Sigma, and other CI tools.
Conduct process mapping, value stream analysis, and root cause analysis to diagnose inefficiencies and implement solutions.
Develop strategies to maximize development processes for new products and prototypes.
Support pilot programs, process trials, and prototype production runs to validate process changes.
Analyze systems and processes and implement value stream mapping.
Identify areas to maximize value, including inventory, downtime, scrap utilization, and time management.
Lead and manage continuous improvement projects from concept through implementation.
Develop project plans, charters, KPIs, and timelines, ensuring alignment with operational and business goals.
Facilitate Kaizen events, cross-functional problem-solving sessions, and process improvement workshops.
Track project progress, evaluate results, and communicate outcomes to stakeholders.
Collect, analyze, and interpret operational, quality, and production data to drive process improvement decisions.
Monitor KPIs such as OEE, cycle time, scrap rates, downtime, and first-pass yield.
Prepare dashboards, reports, and presentations to communicate impact to management and teams.
Work cross-functionally with engineering, production, maintenance, safety, and quality teams to implement improvements.
Train and mentor team members on CI principles, Lean tools, and problem-solving techniques.
Ensure process improvements comply with quality standards (IATF 16949, ISO 9001) and safety regulations (OSHA, EPA).
Support ergonomic assessments and implement safety improvements during process changes.