Senior Process Improvement Engineer

GE Appliances•Louisville, KY

5d•Onsite

About The Position

At GE Appliances, a Haier company, we come together to make “good things, for life.” As the fastest-growing appliance company in the U.S., we’re powered by creators, thinkers and makers who believe that anything is possible and that there’s always a better way. We believe in the power of our people and in giving them the freedom to explore, discover and build good things, together. The GE Appliances philosophy, backed by three simple commitments defines the way we work, invent, create, do business, and serve our communities: we come together , we always look for a better way , and we create possibilities . Interested in joining us on our journey? Are you driven to make manufacturing better, faster, safer, and smarter? As a Senior Process Improvement Engineer, you’ll play a critical role in driving operational excellence within a production area. You’ll own equipment performance, lead continuous improvement initiatives, and partner across teams to deliver world-class results in safety, quality, delivery, and cost. This is a highly visible role for a hands-on technical leader who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and is passionate about building reliable processes and high-performing teams. Position Senior Process Improvement Engineer Location USA, Louisville, KY How You'll Create Possibilities Equipment & Process Ownership Own and optimize all equipment and tooling within your assigned production area, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operation. Lead complex troubleshooting efforts in partnership with Maintenance and Engineering to improve Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE). Develop, implement, and sustain Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Preventive Maintenance (PM) strategies to reduce downtime. Evaluate and justify equipment upgrades, tooling improvements, and capital investments that enhance performance and safety. Ensure calibration, process controls, and manufacturing standards are consistently met. Continuous Improvement Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions to eliminate waste, reduce variation, and improve throughput. Lead Kaizen events and implement Lean tools such as Poka-Yoke, standard work, and visual management . Champion the Appliance Production System , reinforcing a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Partner cross-functionally to identify, document, and share best practices across the organization. Quality & Safety Proactively identify and address quality risks, process deviations, and potential defects. Partner with Quality and Operations teams to lead defect tracking, audits, and corrective action plans. Promote a safety-first culture by ensuring compliance with PPE, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), and EHS standards. Support incident investigations, ergonomic assessments, and safety improvement initiatives. Leadership & Collaboration Provide technical leadership and mentorship to production teams, bridging hourly and salaried groups. Collaborate closely with Operations, Maintenance, and Manufacturing Engineering on long-term improvement projects. Support training and development of operators, team leaders, and maintenance personnel. Foster positive employee relations through fairness, inclusion, and open communication. New Product Introduction (NPI) Represent manufacturing during new product launches, influencing manufacturability, capacity, and process design. Coordinate equipment qualification, installation, and process validation for new models and technologies. Partner with suppliers and cross-functional teams to ensure smooth and successful production launches.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, or in pursuit of, in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Electrical) or related field OR equivalent experience.
5+ years’ 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, working effectively with both salaried and union hourly employees.
Six Sigma certification with 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) with the ability to learn new systems quickly.
Proven verbal and written communication skills, coupled with excellent interpersonal and leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

Own and optimize all equipment and tooling within your assigned production area, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operation.
Lead complex troubleshooting efforts in partnership with Maintenance and Engineering to improve Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE).
Develop, implement, and sustain Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Preventive Maintenance (PM) strategies to reduce downtime.
Evaluate and justify equipment upgrades, tooling improvements, and capital investments that enhance performance and safety.
Ensure calibration, process controls, and manufacturing standards are consistently met.
Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions to eliminate waste, reduce variation, and improve throughput.
Lead Kaizen events and implement Lean tools such as Poka-Yoke, standard work, and visual management .
Champion the Appliance Production System , reinforcing a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Partner cross-functionally to identify, document, and share best practices across the organization.
Proactively identify and address quality risks, process deviations, and potential defects.
Partner with Quality and Operations teams to lead defect tracking, audits, and corrective action plans.
Promote a safety-first culture by ensuring compliance with PPE, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), and EHS standards.
Support incident investigations, ergonomic assessments, and safety improvement initiatives.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to production teams, bridging hourly and salaried groups.
Collaborate closely with Operations, Maintenance, and Manufacturing Engineering on long-term improvement projects.
Support training and development of operators, team leaders, and maintenance personnel.
Foster positive employee relations through fairness, inclusion, and open communication.
Represent manufacturing during new product launches, influencing manufacturability, capacity, and process design.
Coordinate equipment qualification, installation, and process validation for new models and technologies.
Partner with suppliers and cross-functional teams to ensure smooth and successful production launches.