Senior Process Improvement Engineer

GE Appliances, a Haier company•Camden, SC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

GE Appliances’ Camden plant is seeking a Senior Process Improvement Engineer to drive operational excellence within a production area. The role owns equipment performance, leads continuous improvement initiatives, and ensures high standards in safety, quality, delivery, and cost. It serves as a technical and leadership resource for production, partnering with cross-functional teams to optimize processes, improve equipment reliability, and promote continuous improvement. The engineer owns equipment and tooling, leads troubleshooting and equipment improvement, develops maintenance plans, and evaluates upgrades and capital projects. The position also leads root cause analysis and lean initiatives, supports quality and safety, provides technical leadership and training, and represents manufacturing during new product introductions. The role is based at the Camden plant in Camden, South Carolina. Working conditions include both office and manufacturing environments, and work may involve lifting materials and products up to 25 pounds. Safety equipment is required in the manufacturing environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, or currently pursuing a degree, in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or Electrical) or a related field, or equivalent experience.
At least 5 years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, or Quality support roles.
Flexibility to adjust working hours to support production demands, including early starts, extended shifts, or occasional weekend work.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams in a high-volume manufacturing environment, including working with salaried and union hourly employees.
Six Sigma certification and strong knowledge of Lean, DMAIC, and other improvement methodologies.
Technical expertise in manufacturing processes such as thermoforming, extrusion, metal fabrication, and automated equipment operations.
Hands-on experience with PLC controls, robotics (including Fanuc and end-of-arm tooling), servo systems, and preventive maintenance of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems.
Experience applying Lean Manufacturing principles, standard work, and time studies to improve safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and optimize high-volume manufacturing equipment and material flow.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and ability to learn new systems quickly.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

Own and optimize equipment and tooling in the assigned production area, ensuring reliable operation and compliance with specifications.
Lead troubleshooting with maintenance and engineering teams to improve Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE).
Develop and maintain Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Preventive Maintenance (PM) plans to maximize uptime and reduce unplanned downtime.
Evaluate, recommend, and justify equipment or tooling upgrades and capital projects to improve performance and safety.
Ensure calibration and process control compliance in assigned manufacturing areas.
Lead root cause analysis and problem-solving to eliminate waste, reduce variation, and improve throughput.
Facilitate Kaizen events, implement Poka-Yoke and other lean methodologies, and drive standard work implementation.
Promote Appliance Production System principles and a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
Collaborate across functions to identify, document, and share best practices.
Proactively identify and address potential defects and process deviations to maintain process and product quality.
Partner with Quality and Operations teams on defect tracking, corrective actions, and process audits.
Promote safety compliance with PPE, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), and environmental health and safety (EHS) standards.
Support and lead accident investigations, ergonomic assessments, and safety improvements.
Provide technical leadership to production teams and foster collaboration between hourly and salaried employees.
Partner with Operations, Maintenance, and Manufacturing Engineering on long-term equipment and process improvement projects.
Support training and development for team leaders, operators, and maintenance staff on processes, standards, and performance expectations.
Promote fairness, inclusion, and open communication to contribute to positive employee relations.
Represent manufacturing during new product launches and provide feedback on manufacturability, capacity, and process design.
Coordinate equipment qualification, installation, and process validation for new models or technologies.
Partner with vendors and cross-functional teams to integrate new products into production.