Equipment Innovation Analyst

Inspire•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Equipment Innovation Analyst supports the evaluation, testing, approval, and integration of equipment systems intended to improve restaurant operations. The role gathers, organizes, and analyzes equipment specifications, performance, service, operational, capacity, and space-planning data to identify trends and prepare recommendations. It coordinates assigned test and deployment activities using established processes and under equipment leadership’s direction. The analyst observes restaurant operations and how team members use equipment, documenting issues and opportunities to improve workflow, ergonomics, reliability, throughput, and ease of use. The role collaborates with operations teams, cross-functional partners, franchisees, and suppliers to research equipment opportunities and prepare findings for manager review. Final business, specification, sourcing, and deployment decisions remain with the appropriate manager or leadership team. The role works within approved processes, objectives, budgets, and specifications, may make routine execution decisions within assigned work, and recommends equipment, testing, and process improvements. Travel is required 10% of the time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering.
1–3 years of experience in data analysis, equipment, restaurant operations, engineering, testing, space planning, or related work in the QSR, fast-casual, full-service restaurant, hospitality, or equipment manufacturing industry.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, including organizing, validating, analyzing, and presenting data with spreadsheets, charts, pivot tables, and basic dashboards.
Ability to maintain equipment specification data, compare technical requirements, and identify missing, inconsistent, or outdated information.
Ability to analyze equipment performance, issue, service, warranty, operational, capacity, space-planning, and financial data.
Ability to conduct field observations, time-and-motion studies, workflow mapping, and structured data collection.
Ability to translate analysis into clear findings, assumptions, recommendations, and presentation materials.
Ability to organize work, maintain project documentation, track actions, and meet deadlines.
Sound judgment within established guidelines and ability to identify issues requiring escalation.
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, franchisees, operations leaders, and suppliers.
Ability to interpret plans, written specifications, graphics, technical illustrations, and equipment utility requirements.
Working knowledge of manufacturing time and material costs, restaurant design, equipment design, and restaurant operations.
Working knowledge of applicable industry regulations and food-safety requirements.

Responsibilities

Follow the Inspire Brands approved testing process and procedures for equipment tests known as the ETAP.
Support development of equipment systems that meet established screening criteria by working with OE directors and managers, peers, cross-functional partners, and vendor engineering teams; gather requirements, compare alternatives, organize technical data, and document findings.
Maintain and analyze equipment specification data, identify missing, inconsistent, or outdated information, coordinate validation, and prepare comparisons for manager review.
Collect, categorize, and analyze equipment issue data, including frequency, failure modes, downtime, repair history, warranty status, and operational impact; identify trends, coordinate follow-up, and escalate unresolved or material issues.
Analyze restaurant operations and equipment use through field observations, time-and-motion studies, workflow mapping, and review of operating procedures; document impacts and summarize improvement opportunities.
Perform capacity and space-planning analysis, compare demand, production rates, equipment throughput, footprints, clearances, utilities, and adjacencies, and prepare draft layouts, assumptions, and recommendations for review.
Coordinate assigned equipment tests with vendors, franchisees, and Company Operations leaders; maintain test plans, data-collection tools, action logs, and documentation; validate data quality; summarize status and results; and escalate risks, delays, or decisions.
Monitor newly introduced equipment and technology by collecting performance, service, warranty, cost, and operational data; develop recurring reports or dashboards and communicate findings to equipment leadership.
Research equipment, technology, suppliers, competitors, and industry developments; organize findings and prepare comparative analyses of potential applications, benefits, risks, and information requiring validation.
Develop job aids, data summaries, and training materials for new equipment systems, and support training or field communications as needed.
Communicate with co-workers, management, franchisees, and others in a courteous and professional manner.
Follow Inspire Brands’ Business Code of Conduct, Corporate Compliance Program, company regulations, policies, work procedures, and instructions.