Senior Continuous Improvement Engineer

Reports To: Continuous Improvement Manager

At IEM, we’re not just growing – we're thriving! Our rapid expansion means new opportunities are always on the horizon. If you’re someone who gets excited by making an impact through interesting challenges, you’ll feel right at home.

Purpose of the Position:

IEM is currently seeking a Senior Continuous Improvement Engineer for our Surrey, B.C. locations and will report to our Continuous Improvement manager. Join our transformation journey as a lean professional supporting kaizen activities, standard work documentation, and data-driven process improvement. This is a hands-on role ideal for candidates with a passion for lean manufacturing and a desire to grow in a structured CI environment.

Please note: This position requires 100% in-office presence in our Surrey offices and does not offer remote work.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead Operational Transformation

• Schedule, plan, and facilitate kaizen events: line balancing, standard work, Daily Management setup, SMED, 5S, visual management, error-proofing
• Conduct value stream mapping and process analysis; develop data-driven improvement roadmaps
• Design standard work from the ground up: work sequences, takt time, operator training, visual controls
• Establish and audit Daily Management systems; coach leaders on sustainment
• Identify systemic barriers to improvement (design gaps, training deficits, leadership behavior) and address them

Drive Root-Cause Problem Solving

• Lead systematic problem-solving using PDCA, A3, and 8D methodologies; use data to find real root causes
• Analyze production data (cycle time, downtime, quality, labor) to set priorities and measure results
• Work cross-functionally (Ops, Process Engineering, Supply Chain) to implement solutions that stick
• Track sustainability metrics; conduct post-kaizen audits and investigate deterioration

Build Capability & Culture

• Mentor E2 engineers on CI methodologies, kaizen facilitation, and systematic thinking
• Coach operations leaders and supervisors on Daily Management discipline and lean problem-solving
• Document and standardize best practices; share learnings across teams
• Develop and deliver CI training to operations, manufacturing engineering, and leadership

Measure & Sustain Impact

• Own improvement roadmap execution; track schedule, budget, and impact metrics
• Establish and monitor KPIs: productivity, quality, lead time, cost savings, safety
• Present progress in operations reviews and escalate barriers.
• Manufacturing floor presence required; spend significant time observing, coaching, facilitating.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, business, operations, or related field.
• 7–10+ years in manufacturing, operations, or continuous improvement
• Led 10+ kaizen events from concept to sustained implementation
• Proven success implementing and sustaining Daily Management systems
• Demonstrated ability to move production lines from batch toward flow

Technical Skills

• Deep understanding of Lean Manufacturing: value stream mapping, takt time, line balancing, pull systems, standard work, visual management, 5S.
• Proficiency in process improvement methodologies: PDCA, A3 problem solving, 8D, root-cause analysis (5-why), SMED.
• Data-driven mindset: comfortable analyzing production metrics, cycle time studies, bottleneck analysis, process capability.
• Experience documenting processes and creating visual standards that operators can follow.

Leadership & Mindset

• Excellent facilitation and coaching skills; you make others better at problem-solving
• Ability to work cross-functionally (Ops, ME, Supply Chain, Quality) without friction
• Can navigate disagreement and push back when people want quick fixes instead of root causes
• Strong communication: can explain complex problems clearly to frontline workers and executives
• Detail-oriented; you follow through and hold teams accountable
• Comfort in dynamic, multi-tasking environments; you prioritize and adapt as business needs change
• Energizing presence; you build trust and rapport across all levels

Core competencies

• Lean Expertise: You can run any type of kaizen; you understand how tools like SMED, 5S, standard work, and visual management connect.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with multiple departments to drive culture of continuous improvement, engagement and business results.
• Root Cause Thinking: You don't accept surface answers; you dig into data and ask "why" until you find the real problem.
• Systems View: You see connections between processes; you know that fixing one thing might break another.
• Data Fluency: You trust data over opinions; you can read a praetor chart, spot a trend, and make a recommendation.
• Facilitation: You can draw out the best ideas from a room full of people with different perspectives.
• Coaching & Development: You invest in people; your team members grow in capability under your mentorship.
• Influence Without Authority: You can move things without a formal decision; you build alignment through respect.
• Grit: Improvements are hard; you push through obstacles, learn from setbacks, and keep going.

Success Criteria

• Lead 4–6 major Kaizen initiatives/year.
• Champion Daily Management

LOCATION & LOGISTICS

• 100% on-site in Surrey, BC. No remote work.
• Manufacturing floor presence required; you'll spend significant time on the shop floor observing, coaching, facilitating.
• Occasional travel to support multi-site improvement initiatives.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Compensation ranges from $45.67 - 56.25/hr CAD