Senior Continuous Improvement Engineer

Industrial Electric Manufacturing•Surrey, BC

6d•CA$46 - CA$56•Onsite

About The Position

IEM is seeking a Senior Continuous Improvement Engineer for its Surrey, B.C. locations. This role reports to the Continuous Improvement Manager and is part of a transformation journey focused on lean principles. The engineer will support kaizen activities, standard work documentation, and data-driven process improvement. This is a hands-on position for individuals passionate about lean manufacturing and seeking growth within a structured CI environment. The position requires 100% in-office presence in Surrey, BC, with no remote work options.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, business, operations, or a related field.
7–10+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, or continuous improvement.
Experience leading 10+ kaizen events from concept to sustained implementation.
Proven success in implementing and sustaining Daily Management systems.
Demonstrated ability to transition production lines from batch to flow.
Deep understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles (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 like 5-why, SMED).
Data-driven mindset with comfort in analyzing production metrics, cycle time studies, and bottleneck analysis.
Experience documenting processes and creating visual standards for operators.
Excellent facilitation and coaching skills.
Ability to work cross-functionally without friction.
Ability to navigate disagreement and push back against quick fixes.
Strong communication skills, capable of explaining complex problems to both frontline workers and executives.
Detail-oriented with a focus on follow-through and accountability.
Comfort in dynamic, multi-tasking environments with the ability to prioritize and adapt.
Ability to build trust and rapport across all levels.
Lean Expertise: Ability to run any type of kaizen and understand the connection between tools like SMED, 5S, standard work, and visual management.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to collaborate with multiple departments to drive a culture of continuous improvement, engagement, and business results.
Root Cause Thinking: Ability to dig into data and ask 'why' to find the real problem.
Systems View: Ability to see connections between processes and understand potential impacts of changes.
Data Fluency: Ability to read a Pareto chart, spot trends, and make recommendations based on data.
Facilitation skills to draw out ideas from diverse groups.
Coaching & Development skills to mentor team members.
Influence Without Authority: Ability to drive change through respect and alignment.
Grit: Ability to push through obstacles, learn from setbacks, and persevere.
Lead 4–6 major Kaizen initiatives per year.
Champion Daily Management.
100% on-site presence in Surrey, BC.
Manufacturing floor presence required.
Occasional travel to support multi-site improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

Lead Operational Transformation by scheduling, planning, and facilitating kaizen events (line balancing, standard work, Daily Management setup, SMED, 5S, visual management, error-proofing).
Conduct value stream mapping and process analysis to develop data-driven improvement roadmaps.
Design standard work from the ground up, including work sequences, takt time, operator training, and visual controls.
Establish and audit Daily Management systems, coaching leaders on sustainment.
Identify and address systemic barriers to improvement, such as design gaps, training deficits, and leadership behavior.
Drive Root-Cause Problem Solving using PDCA, A3, and 8D methodologies, utilizing data to find root causes.
Analyze production data (cycle time, downtime, quality, labor) to set priorities and measure results.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Process Engineering, and Supply Chain to implement sustainable solutions.
Track sustainability metrics, conduct post-kaizen audits, and investigate any deterioration.
Build Capability & Culture by mentoring 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, sharing learnings across teams.
Develop and deliver CI training to operations, manufacturing engineering, and leadership.
Measure & Sustain Impact by owning improvement roadmap execution, tracking schedule, budget, and impact metrics.
Establish and monitor KPIs, including productivity, quality, lead time, cost savings, and safety.
Present progress in operations reviews and escalate barriers.
Maintain a manufacturing floor presence, spending significant time observing, coaching, and facilitating.