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 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:

Facilitate Kaizen Events & Projects

• Lead and co-lead kaizen events on assigned production lines: standard work design, line balancing, Daily Management setup, visual controls, 5S, SMED, error-proofing
• Plan kaizen events with the CI Manager/E3 engineer; facilitate problem-solving sessions with cross-functional teams
• Conduct basic value stream mapping and process analysis to identify improvement opportunities on your assigned area
• Develop and implement standard work: work sequences, takt time calculations, operator job aids, visual standards
• Track project progress; report status, blockers, and results weekly

Analyze Data & Find Root Causes

• Conduct time studies and bottleneck analysis to identify where work is unbalanced or adding no value
• Make data-driven recommendations; test ideas before rolling out full implementations
• Present findings clearly to leadership team.

Implement & Sustain Changes

• Work with operations teams to implement standard work and visual controls on your assigned line
• Set up Daily Management huddles (if not already in place); support the team in running consistent, disciplined meetings
• Audit standard work compliance and Daily Management discipline; identify barriers to adoption
• Coach operators and supervisors on how to follow standards and escalate problems quickly
• Support the E3 engineer in sustaining improvements; investigate why changes sometimes fall apart

Build Capability & Support the Team

• Train operations on systematic problem-solving methods (PDCA, root cause thinking) during your projects
• Coach supervisors and operators on lean principles: visual management, flow thinking, waste elimination
• Support the E3 engineer on larger, multi-line improvement initiatives; learn how to think strategically about problems
• Document standard work and best practices clearly so others can follow them
• Participate in plant-wide improvement initiatives and best-practice sharing

Qualifications:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field (or equivalent demonstrated experience)
• 3–5 years in manufacturing or operations environment
• Co-led or led 3+ kaizen events or improvement projects; hands-on experience with standard work or line balancing preferred
• Demonstrated success implementing and sustaining changes in manufacturing environments
• Comfort working on the production floor with operators and supervisors

Technical Skills

• Solid understanding of Lean Manufacturing fundamentals: value stream mapping, takt time, line balancing, pull systems, standard work, visual management, 5S
• Knowledge of process improvement methodologies: PDCA, A3 problem solving, root-cause analysis (5-why)
• Comfortable with production data and basic analysis: can pull cycle times, read pareto charts, spot bottlenecks
• Understanding of Daily Management basics: how huddles work, what metrics matter, how to track and close action items
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and basic data visualization; comfortable creating charts and dashboards

Collaboration & Communication

• Strong communication: can explain problems and solutions clearly to frontline workers and engineers
• Collaborative mindset; you work well with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain
• No-blame focus: you approach problems by improving the process, not blaming people
• Detail-oriented: you document clearly, follow through on commitments, and notice when standards aren't being met
• Coachable: you take feedback well and want to learn from your E3 engineer and senior leaders

Mindset

• Passion for continuous improvement; you believe small improvements add up to big results
• Curiosity: you ask good questions and dig deeper when something doesn't add up
• Adaptability: you're comfortable in a dynamic manufacturing environment with changing priorities
• Resilience: you stay focused when improvements take longer than expected or don't work the first time

Core Competencies

• Lean Fundamentals: You understand takt time, line balance, standard work, visual controls, and how they fit together
• Problem-Solving: You use data to find problems, not guesses; you understand root cause vs. symptoms.
• Project Execution: You follow through; you track progress, hit timelines, and communicate status clearly.
• Data Fluency: You're comfortable with spreadsheets, basic statistics, and using data to make decisions.
• Collaboration: You work well across functions; you listen to ops and engineering perspectives and find common ground.
• Teaching & Coaching: You can explain lean concepts to people with different experience levels; you make others better.
• Attention to Detail: You notice when standards slip; you care about consistency and documentation.
• Resilience: You're okay with things not working perfectly the first time; you learn and adapt.

Success metrics (year 1)

• Lead or co-lead 6–8 kaizen events/improvement projects on your assigned line(s); each delivers measurable results
• Standard work compliance on your area: 85%+ — operators understand and follow the sequences and timing
• Daily Management adoption: 95%+ — your assigned line runs consistent huddles, tracks metrics, closes action items
• Analyze and present at least 3 data-driven improvement opportunities using time studies, bottleneck analysis, or process mapping
• Train operations to run basic problem-solving; they can use PDCA thinking on small improvements
• Deliver measurable results from your improvement projects: reduced cycle time, better line balance, lower defects, improved on-time delivery
• Be ready to support larger initiatives led by your E3 engineer; demonstrate capability to scale to more complex projects

LOCATION & LOGISTICS

• 100% on-site in Surrey, BC. No remote work.
• Manufacturing floor presence required; you'll spend significant time observing, working with operators, and facilitating improvements.
• Travel to support multi-site best-practice sharing or kaizen events.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Compensation ranges from $38.94 - 46.63/hr CAD