Continuous Improvement Engineer

Dover Corporation•Centerville, IA

About The Position

Dover Food Retail is seeking a Continuous Improvement Engineer for its Centerville, Iowa location. This position drives targeted, measurable, and sustainable improvements across operations and support functions. The engineer co-owns the development and execution of site strategies and initiatives, coaches lean capabilities, and works as an individual contributor, team facilitator, and/or coach. The role is part of operations and reports directly to the factory CI Leader. The engineer helps build a business environment that embraces Kaizen, continuous improvement, and structured problem-solving as drivers of organizational and individual growth. The position also leads or supports lean conversions, process and facility improvements, and cross-functional initiatives. It is eligible for performance-based commissions under the applicable commissions plan; pay is determined using job-related factors including responsibilities, experience, education, location, and skills.

Requirements

At least 2 years of continuous-improvement experience is preferred; candidates with a relevant bachelor’s degree and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Ability to communicate effectively and influence across functions and organizational levels.
Strong listening and coaching skills.
Demonstrated team-building, leadership, and facilitation skills.
Ability to manage projects independently with little to no supervision.
Ability to recognize organizational roadblocks and apply change-management techniques to find solutions.
Strong computer and Microsoft Office skills.

Nice To Haves

Ability to speak the language of Lean and continuous improvement.
At least 2 years of experience facilitating and leading methods such as continuous process improvement, Lean, Personnel Qualification Standard, Tiger Teams, Daily Management/Management for Daily Improvement, Key Process Indicators, Flow, Job Safety Analysis, Training Within Industry, Standard Work, Standard Operating Procedure, Point of Use, and Pull Replenishment.
Hands-on understanding and experience using and coaching TPS/Lean fundamentals, including 5S, Standard Work, PSP, Kaizen, Daily Management, VSM, TPI, and Poka-Yoke.
Experience leading or facilitating Kaizens through a Lean OPEX conversion.
Cross-functional experience in operations, material flow, supply chain management, customer support, accounting, or product development.
Experience with project- and change-management tools.
At least 2 years of project-management experience.
Experience as a people leader and/or facilitator.
Experience developing Lean capabilities across cross-functional departments.

Responsibilities

Coach others formally and informally to identify and act on opportunities to reduce waste.
Form, facilitate, lead, and participate in cross-functional teams.
Use and coach data-based decision-making and problem-solving processes.
Facilitate, lead, and participate in lean conversion actions.
Train others formally and informally in the use of lean tools.
Develop lean capabilities across the organization.
Work cross-functionally as a problem-solver and team builder.
Organize Kaizen events, workshops, and associated logistics.
Maintain a positive, solution-seeking attitude in business interactions.
Contribute effectively in team environments as an individual contributor and leader.
Motivate others to engage with, support, and share the organization’s vision.
Communicate effectively across organizational levels and adapt to different business environments, audiences, and priorities.
Share best practices with local CI staff, leadership, and Dover Enterprise teams.
Document and develop processes and systems as appropriate.
Write business cases and capital expenditure requests and assess the financial impact of sustained continuous-improvement actions.
Lead or co-lead facility and operations upgrades or enhancements.
Perform other responsibilities as assigned.