Industrial Engineering & Operational Excellence Specialist

We are seeking hands-on Manufacturing Engineers to act as on-the-ground transformation agents across EMEA plants. The role combines Industrial Engineering, shopfloor Kaizen, Lean Operating System deployment, practical digitization and targeted automation to unlock capacity, stabilize ramp-ups and deliver validated business benefits. Success means implemented countermeasures, sustained standards and measurable KPI improvement at the Gemba.

Why this role matters

• Shape, not maintain: build systems, standards and capabilities from the ground up across a rapidly scaling manufacturing network.
• Work close to the action: spend most of the time on the factory floor with operators, supervisors, engineers and plant leadership.
• Deliver visible business impact: unlock capacity, stabilize ramp-ups, reduce waste, improve flow and translate improvements into Finance-validated benefits.
• Accelerate the future of operations by connecting Lean, data, MES, automation, material flow and daily management into one practical transformation agenda.

Key responsibilities

Digitization & data-driven operations

• Assess current digital maturity and support site-specific digitization roadmaps linked to operations priorities and business-critical gaps.
• Implement or support MES, digital work instructions, real-time production dashboards, digital standard work and paperless quality systems.
• Enable IoT sensors, machine connectivity, data acquisition and clear data ownership to improve shopfloor visibility and decision-making.
• Establish practical data definitions, governance and daily-use routines so digital tools become part of execution, not just reporting.

Automation & CapEx delivery

• Identify and prioritize automation opportunities using structured ROI, NPV and IRR analysis, including 12% discount-rate assumptions where required.
• Support concepts, specifications, commissioning and handover for robotics, cobots, automated material handling, fixtures, test automation and vision systems.
• Manage or support automation CapEx work from idea through validation, operator training, handover and post-launch stabilization.
• Capture lessons learned and help build automation standards and playbooks that can be replicated across the EMEA network.

Industrial Engineering, Lean & Operational Excellence

• Lead time studies, work measurement, line balancing, takt/capacity calculations, labour optimization, layout and material-flow improvements.
• Lead shopfloor Kaizen events: identify opportunities at Gemba, define scope, run workshops, implement countermeasures and ensure sustainment.
• Translate OPS priorities - capacity increase, cost-out, lead time, delivery, quality losses and productivity - into clear charters with targets, timing and owners.
• Deploy foundational Lean systems: 5S, standard work, visual management, Tier meetings, leader standard work, VSM, DMS and problem-solving routines.
• Apply A3, 8D, PDCA, DMAIC, 5-Why, fishbone and Pareto methods to eliminate waste and prevent recurrence.
• Ramp-up, stabilization & production readiness
• Support new and existing assembly, sub-assembly and test-line ramp-ups through readiness checks, bottleneck removal and daily performance control.
• Create standard work, SOPs, training material, operator certification logic and clear ownership for new or transformed processes.
• Drive rapid issue resolution during new product, transfer, greenfield or acquisition-related ramp-ups and ensure stable handover to plant teams.

Benefits realization, coaching & change management

• Own benefits from baseline to validation: quantify gains, document assumptions and lead Finance sign-off for savings, capacity and productivity impact.
• Coach engineers, supervisors, team leaders and operators in new ways of working so improvements remain owned and sustained by the site.
• Influence without formal authority, overcome resistance constructively and provide clear A3/project updates to plant and EMEA leadership.

What success looks like - first 12 months

• Industrial Engineering and digital maturity assessment completed for assigned plants, with prioritized roadmap approved.

• Multiple Kaizen or flow-improvement events delivered with validated capacity, productivity, cost, quality or lead-time benefits.

• Foundational Lean Operating System elements deployed and sustained: Tier meetings, visual management, standard work and practical problem solving.

• At least 1-2 digital or automation pilots delivered or fully business-cased, meeting agreed ROI/NPV/IRR thresholds.

• Measurable improvement in at least three KPIs: productivity/VCM, capacity, quality, delivery, safety, inventory accuracy, cost-out or lead time.

Why join us

• Build from the ground up - not maintain the status quo.

• Direct impact on a rapidly scaling EMEA manufacturing network and a multi-billion-dollar growth story.

• Autonomy to design, implement and sustain practical solutions close to the factory floor.

• Exposure to senior leadership and cross-functional collaboration across 10 plants.

• Career growth as today's engineers become tomorrow's operations leaders.

Required qualifications and experience

• Bachelor degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or related technical field.

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operational Excellence, Lean or manufacturing process improvement.

• Proven delivery of measurable improvements in capacity, productivity, cost, lead time, quality losses, safety or ramp-up performance.

• Strong Lean foundation: standard work, line balancing, visual management, 5S, VSM, Kaizen and problem solving at Gemba.

• Experience with at least two of: MES/digital work instructions, dashboards, automation/robotics, data acquisition, capacity modelling, Lean transformation or DMS.

• Hands-on mindset; fluent English and willingness to travel across EMEA.

Preferred profile

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, Lean Leader certification or equivalent proven track record.

• Experience in multi-site transformation, consulting, automotive/TPS, high-mix/high-volume, greenfield, turnaround or acquisition integration environments.

• Familiarity with PLC/SCADA interfaces, industrial networking, digital twin, simulation, advanced analytics, TPM or dashboard platforms.

• Financial acumen to translate operational gains into validated benefits and partner with Finance for sign-off.

• Credible shopfloor leader: data-driven, pragmatic, able to coach people and make new standards stick.

Who will thrive in this role

• A credible shopfloor leader who can move quickly from strategy to Gemba execution.

• A problem solver who is data-driven but pragmatic, and who values implemented results over presentations.

• A coach who can bring plant teams along, create ownership and make new standards stick.

• A high-accountability professional who can work across functions and plants without waiting for perfect conditions.

Initial deployment focus

• Work initially across 2-3 assigned plants, partnering with Plant, AME, ME, Automation, Quality, Supply Chain and Finance teams.

• Prioritize high-impact opportunities linked to capacity unlock, flow improvement, labour productivity, digital maturity, ramp-up risk and cost-out.

• Create repeatable standards, playbooks and training content so improvements can scale across the EMEA manufacturing network.

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