Production Improvement Engineer
6 - 10 years
Auburn Hills, MI
Full-time
Onsite
2 months ago
About the role
Are you looking to work for a company that provides an innovative work environment, and your voice is heard? We are looking for a Production Improvement Engineer that is based in Auburn Hills. This role will require the Engineer to be onsite.
Who we are:
LER TechForce is an industry leader in embedded controls, software, functional safety, and engineering talent. For over 20 years LER has been working with customers across North America. Follow us at: LER TechForce on LinkedIn.
What you will be doing:
What you'll need to be successful:
Essential:
Preferred:
What you'll get:
Who we are:
LER TechForce is an industry leader in embedded controls, software, functional safety, and engineering talent. For over 20 years LER has been working with customers across North America. Follow us at: LER TechForce on LinkedIn.
What you will be doing:
- Drive operational excellence initiatives across the manufacturing floor with a strong focus on material flow, plant layout optimization, 5S implementation, visual management, floor striping, labor efficiency, and First Pass Yield (FPY) improvements.
- Work cross-functionally with Production, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Supply Chain teams to improve throughput, reduce waste, optimize space utilization, and increase overall manufacturing performance.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, and productivity.
- Drive Lean Manufacturing principles throughout the operation, including waste reduction and process standardization.
- Facilitate Kaizen events and structured problem-solving activities.
- Support operational KPI improvements including FPY, downtime reduction, labor efficiency, and throughput.
- Analyze and improve material flow throughout manufacturing and warehouse operations.
- Design and implement optimized plant layouts to improve efficiency, reduce travel distance, and improve ergonomics.
- Support production line balancing and workstation optimization.
- Develop visual factory concepts to improve organization and operational visibility.
- Lead facility-wide 5S initiatives and sustainment activities.
- Develop visual management systems including signage, shadow boards, labeling, and production controls.
- Coordinate floor striping projects to improve safety, material movement, forklift traffic flow, and work area organization.
- Conduct regular 5S and workplace organization audits.
- Perform time studies and labor analysis across manufacturing operations.
- Develop standard work and labor standards.
- Identify bottlenecks and opportunities for cycle time reduction.
- Support staffing models and capacity planning initiatives.
- Drive initiatives focused on improving First Pass Yield and reducing rework/scrap.
- Work closely with Quality and Production teams to identify root causes of defects and process variation.
- Support implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
- Utilize data analysis to monitor and improve production quality metrics.
- Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Planning, Warehouse, and Quality teams to support operational priorities.
- Assist with new production line setups, equipment moves, and workflow optimization.
- Support facility improvement projects and operational expansion activities.
- Participate in GEMBA walks and SPQDC board reviews.
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tracked in this role include: First Pass Yield (FPY), Labor Efficiency, Time Study Completion and Standardization, 5S Audit Scores, Material Flow Improvements, Reduction in Travel Distance/Waste, Productivity Improvements, Internal Scrap Reduction, Downtime Reduction, and On-Time Project Completion.
- Work primarily in a manufacturing floor environment with frequent interaction across operations.
- Hands-on involvement in production improvement activities, layout changes, and facility optimization projects.
- Ability to lift, walk production areas, and support implementation activities as needed.
What you'll need to be successful:
Essential:
- 3+ years of manufacturing or continuous improvement experience in a production environment.
- Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Experience performing time studies, workflow analysis, and plant layout optimization.
- Experience with visual factory systems and material flow improvements.
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel and manufacturing data analysis.
Preferred:
- Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field preferred.
- ERP system experience preferred (Plex experience is a plus).
- Experience in electronics manufacturing or regulated manufacturing environments preferred.
- Lean/Six Sigma certification preferred.
- Knowledge of First Pass Yield (FPY), OEE, labor efficiency, and manufacturing KPIs.
- Ability to read production layouts and develop workflow improvements.
- Strong communication and leadership skills.
- Hands-on, team-oriented approach with strong floor presence.
What you'll get:
- Full benefits: medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA
- 401K with a match and immediate vesting
- Short-term and Long-term disability, life insurance and other optional benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee Discounts
- Ongoing professional development opportunities including Technical Training and Leadership Development
- The opportunity to work on industry leading projects