Staff Engineer, Continuous Improvement & Quality

Work Mode: Onsite

Location: Onsite - Casa Grande, AZ

Opportunity

We are growing! Kohler has begun construction on a new 1 million-square-foot manufacturing facility on 200 acres in the industrial corridor of Casa Grande, AZ. We are looking for passionate talent to join our leadership team. This role will be based at our Casa Grande facility once it is open. The role will be hybrid (some remote/some onsite) leading up to the opening but will work fully onsite when the facility is open. Some travel may be required during the construction and start-up phases of the facility.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary with annual merit increases and bonus potential

• Wide array of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, wellness incentives, and maternity/parental leave

• 401k savings plan

• Company-funded pension plan with vesting after 5 years of service

• Career advancement opportunities, tuition reimbursement, and employee discounts

• Company-paid relocation package

• Willing to sponsor and take over sponsorship of employment Visas

• Nearly 300 days of sunshine every year and absolutely no snow!

What We’re Looking For:

As a Continuous Improvement (CI) Engineer, you will focus on the implementation of the lean roadmap for Kohler’s Casa Grande manufacturing facility, daily manufacturing support relative to quality decisions, quality standards, process troubleshooting and on-the-job quality related training. In this role, you will support, maintain, and improve the plant’s quality system and quality performance using various problem-solving tools and continuous improvement methods. Advanced Product Quality Planning, and the implementation of the Kohler Quality Management System. This position will also supervise a small team of Quality Technicians.

You will accomplish this by leading cross functional teams to enhance customer value and reduce waste using proven tools for process improvement. As the CI Engineer, you will be expected to have a strong bias toward action.

Specific Responsibilities

• Develop, lead, and drive the Continuous Improvement strategy for your area of responsibility by applying Lean Manufacturing tools (5S, SMED, Error Proofing, Flow, Pull, TPM, VSM, Kaizen, Problem Solving, Visual Management, etc.) to achieve or exceed the facility’s goals for efficiency and cost

• Conduct research & development on new manufacturing processes and procedures to improve cost, quality, and productivity

• Embrace troubleshooting of production systems and manufacturing operations

• Implement, verify, and prove out all new and revised processes

• Support the existing manufacturing processes and objectives through scrap, efficiency, downtime, and cost reduction efforts

• Communicate and interact effectively through written & oral presentations at all levels of the organization including collaboration with counterparts in the Global Faucets, Metal, & Vikrell (FMV) organization for best practice and knowledge sharing

• Perform data collection activities to establish baselines and confirm results of actions; establish procedures where necessary

• Initiate and coordinate self-directed process improvement plans based on Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost metrics

• Drive key measurements for the organization that are measurable to a strategic goal; monitor the results to ensure continuous improvements are maintained to sustain long-term benefits

• Drive the adoption of best practices that are developed across the division

• Establish and maintain relationships with the leadership team and process owners to align objectives and remove obstacles for process improvement

• Support and maintain CI tracking tools that include reporting for the facility, train internal project leaders on effective use of the tools

• Regularly and continuously participate in training to maintain competency on all applicable processes, policies, and procedures

• Support daily review, disposition, and containment of nonconforming products

• Lead plant quality customer communication and customer concern response

• Schedule and conduct frequent audits of finished products; provide results reporting, monitor trends, and initiate corrective actions as required to improve performance to stated goals

• Manage supplier quality issues, Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) activities, and other tasks as required

• Ensure that all direct reports are adequately trained in the necessary process procedures to accomplish assignments effectively

• Administer plant rules and handle appropriate discipline for direct reports

• Coach and lead daily meetings to foster a team environment

• Your Leadership Responsibilities:

• Must have a passion to bring lean concepts to an organization and have fun doing it

• Consistently display a passion and enthusiasm for continuous learning and development of new skills and knowledge

• Lead and coach the Continuous Improvement teams, as necessary, including the facilitation of Kaizen events

• Facilitate training and development of Lean skills for associates and team leads; support leaders to enhance skill sets

Skills/Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline from an ABET accredited engineering program

• Five or more years of relative work experience in a manufacturing environment

• Demonstrated experience of continuous improvement project implementation

• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office, Visio, and Minitab

• Green Belt or Black Belt certification is a plus

• Previous experience as a trainer or educator within an organization is a plus

• Previous experience with Power BI is a plus

• Some travel will be required for the purposes of training, ongoing development, and business exposure

#LI-SW!

#LI-Onsite

We will consider applicants requiring sponsorship for this opportunity.

The salary range for this position is $98,900 - $125,600. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate’s experience, their education, and the work location. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision & 401k.

Why Choose Kohler?

We empower each associate to #BecomeMoreAtKohler with a competitive total rewards package to support your health and wellbeing, access to career growth and development opportunities, a diverse and inclusive workplace, and a strong culture of innovation. With more than 30,000 bold leaders across the globe, we’re driving meaningful change in our mission to help people live gracious, healthy, and sustainable lives.

About Us

It is Kohler’s policy to recruit, hire, and promote qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran. If, as an individual with a disability, you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact kohlerjobs@kohler.com . Kohler Co. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.