Sr. Continuous Improvement Engineer

Ingredion • Bedford Park, IL

254d • $98,800 - $131,733

About The Position

Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you've experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet's food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you're just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create. As a Sr. Continuous Improvement Engineer, you will be part of a great team of Operations Excellence/Continuous Improvement and responsible for leading the continuous improvement process, providing technical support, including process studies, problem-solving, and process optimization. Lead the implementation, sustainability, and improvements of the unit level's Ingredion Performance System (IPS).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, or Manufacturing engineering.
• Experience in Process/Industrial Engineering.
• Experience with problem-solving tools and projects.
• Trained in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing Practices, and SPC.
• Green Belt certification desired.
• Demonstrated engineering and unit operations knowledge, such as basic chemistry, heat and mass balances, mechanics, and physical/chemical separation and energy management.
• Knowledge of the corn wet milling industry experience is a plus.
• Strong knowledge of digital systems, including OEE, integrated action tracking, and KPI reporting.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft tools such as PowerApps, Power BI, and Power Automate is preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Experience implementing lean management systems.
• Green Belt certification is desired but not required.
• Prefer at least 3 years of continuous improvement experience.
• Experience implementing OEE, electronic paperwork, or other digital process improvement solutions.

Responsibilities

• Serves as an organizational transformation agent for the channel IPS/CI implementation.
• Lead the implementation of the CI/IPS management system and other CI/IPS-related activities, while assuring the sustainability of Management System tools, like routine dashboards, OEE measurement, and other routine indicators.
• Drive and support cost reduction initiatives, productivity enhancement, and quality to deliver the Cost Savings target for the area.
• Help establish a baseline of main KPIs and support the unit leadership team during the target setting according to regional, financial, and functional goals.
• Create an improvement plan/project portfolio (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost) through gap analysis to recommend process improvements to drive Plant target achievement and organizational effectiveness.
• Lead and facilitate Continuous Improvement problem-solving projects (PDCA, Kaizen, SMED, LSS) that support plant performance enhancement at all dimensions.
• Participate in regional and local Manufacturing Excellence and CI team regional meetings to identify new practices for the plant's success.
• Evaluate new technologies and ideas and seek approval for new concepts to improve the efficiency and capability of the process, the safety of the facility, and improve product quality.
• Leverage analytical and problem-solving activities to support plant management in the identification of key success drivers and the execution of improvement objectives.
• Deliver Management System training that includes concepts, tools, and deliverables to achieve awareness and facilitate CI/IPS adoption and cultural change.
• Lead/act like a change agent to achieve continuous improvement and a focused culture.
• Work collaboratively with the Plant leaders.
• Support employee training in the proper application of Continuous Improvement and IPS concepts.
• Coach and mentor teams/ individuals to ensure the successful completion of IPS implementation and CI activities.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision coverage.
• 401(k) plan with a competitive company match.
• Incentive Compensation as part of the total compensation package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Food Manufacturing
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree