Continuous Improvement Engineer

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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

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