Manufacturing Excellence Engineer

Accelevation•Miamisburg, OH

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manufacturing Excellence Engineer is responsible for improving manufacturing performance through the application of Lean Manufacturing and Toyota Production System (TPS) principles across Accelevation's manufacturing operations. This role partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, and Executive Leadership to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and inventory through structured problem solving, standardized operating systems, and leadership development. The Manufacturing Excellence Engineer serves as an internal Lean expert, working directly with manufacturing leaders to identify waste, stabilize processes, improve flow, and implement sustainable operational improvements. Success in this role is measured by the organization's ability to solve problems, improve performance, and sustain results—not simply by completing improvement projects. This position requires a highly visible, hands-on approach, with significant time spent on the production floor observing work, coaching leaders, facilitating problem solving, and driving continuous improvement at the source.

Requirements

Five (5) or more years of experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, Operational Excellence, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or Continuous Improvement initiatives within a manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated success improving manufacturing performance through Lean Manufacturing principles and structured problem solving.
Experience facilitating Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen events, and cross-functional improvement initiatives.
Experience implementing Standard Work, Leader Standard Work, Daily Management Systems, and Visual Management.
Experience utilizing manufacturing and ERP data to identify opportunities, prioritize improvements, and measure operational performance.
Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and Toyota Production System (TPS) principles.
Demonstrated ability to influence leaders and drive organizational change without direct authority.
Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, workflow analysis, and process optimization.
Experience utilizing structured problem-solving methodologies including PDCA, A3 Thinking, 5 Why, and Root Cause Analysis.
Ability to analyze manufacturing data and translate findings into practical operational improvements.
Excellent facilitation, communication, and coaching skills.
Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization, from production employees to executive leadership.
Self-motivated with a strong bias toward action and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in complex manufacturing environments involving fabrication, assembly, automation, modular manufacturing, or engineered products preferred.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification or equivalent demonstrated Lean Manufacturing expertise preferred.
Additional Lean, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence certifications are desirable.

Responsibilities

Partner with manufacturing leadership to identify opportunities to improve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, and Inventory performance.
Apply Lean Manufacturing and Toyota Production System (TPS) principles to eliminate waste and improve operational performance.
Facilitate Value Stream Mapping activities to identify current-state conditions and develop future-state improvement plans.
Lead Kaizen events and structured improvement activities focused on measurable operational results.
Develop and implement Standard Work, Leader Standard Work, Daily Management Systems, and Visual Management across manufacturing operations.
Coach leaders in PDCA, A3 Thinking, root cause analysis, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
Observe manufacturing processes through regular Gemba activities and recommend practical improvements that improve safety, flow, quality, and productivity.
Analyze manufacturing constraints, labor utilization, material flow, and production performance to identify opportunities for increased throughput and reduced variation.
Develop manufacturing performance metrics and visual management tools that improve operational decision-making.
Support manufacturing capacity planning through workflow analysis and process optimization.
Partner with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Planning, and Operations to resolve cross-functional operational challenges.
Utilize ERP and manufacturing data to identify trends, measure performance, and prioritize improvement initiatives.
Document and standardize best practices to ensure improvements are sustained across multiple manufacturing facilities.
Support facility expansions, process development, new product introductions, and other strategic manufacturing initiatives as assigned.
Travel to facilities as needed.