VITAL Continuous Improvement Engineer

The CI Engineer partners closely with operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, safety, finance, and other functions to identify improvement opportunities, analyze data, facilitate problem solving, support kaizen activity, and help sustain standard work. This position plays a key role in building continuous improvement capability across the site by coaching teams, supporting daily management routines, and ensuring improvements are measured, adopted, and sustained by process owners.

Core Responsibilities:

Continuous Improvement Execution

• Support the identification, analysis, prioritization, and execution of CI projects that improve operational and financial performance.
• Apply Lean tools and structured problem-solving methods to reduce waste, improve flow, increase process stability, and improve customer outcomes.

VITAL Operating System Support

• Support the CI Manager in deploying and sustaining VITAL Operating System standards, tools, routines, and visual management practices across the site.
• Help maintain alignment to enterprise CI standards by applying common tools, templates, metrics, and standard work.

Project Support & Implementation

• Lead or support improvement projects from scoping through implementation, validation, and sustainment.
• Develop project plans, track actions, monitor benefits, and escalate barriers to the CI Manager or appropriate site leaders.

Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis

• Facilitate and support root cause analysis using tools such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, A3 thinking, process mapping, value stream mapping, and data analysis.
• Partner with teams to develop corrective actions, verify effectiveness, and prevent recurrence of problems.

Data, Metrics & Performance Tracking

• Collect, analyze, and interpret operational data to identify trends, quantify opportunities, and validate improvement results.
• Support development and maintenance of KPIs, dashboards, tier board metrics, and project benefit tracking.

Training, Coaching & Capability Building

• Support training on foundational CI tools, Lean practices, standard work, visual management, and structured problem solving.
• Facilitate kaizen events, workshops, rapid improvement activities, and team-based problem-solving sessions.

Standard Work & Sustainment

• Support creation, deployment, and sustainment of standard work, process documentation, control plans, and visual standards.
• Conduct follow-up reviews, audits, and gemba observations to confirm improvements are sustained and adopted by process owners.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with operations, engineering, quality, supply chain, safety, finance, and other functions to implement practical solutions that improve site performance.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement by engaging employees, encouraging data-driven decision making, and challenging the status quo constructively.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 1-3 years of experience in continuous improvement, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, operations, quality, or a related technical role.
• Hands-on experience applying Lean, Kaizen, 5S/6S, standard work, visual management, root cause analysis, and structured problem-solving tools preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to support or lead improvement projects that deliver measurable results in safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, or customer satisfaction.
• Strong analytical and numerical capability, with experience collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting operational data.
• Ability to work effectively on the shop floor and partner with cross-functional teams to implement practical, sustainable improvements.
• Strong communication, facilitation, interpersonal, and influencing skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools; experience with data visualization, ERP/MRP systems, or statistical analysis tools is a plus.
• Lean, Six Sigma Green Belt, or similar continuous improvement certification preferred, but not required.
• Experience in aerospace, precision manufacturing, or other regulated/high-reliability manufacturing environments is preferred.

Education Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business, or a related technical discipline preferred.

To be considered for the above position, please visit our website www.barnesaero.com, click on careers, search for the job posting in which you are interested and submit your resume online.

At Barnes Aerospace, career development is a shared responsibility in which all employees are encouraged to develop, improve, and enhance their skills and professional growth to support our business objectives.

This job position may include access to controlled information or technology subject to U.S. export control laws. If an applicant does not meet the definition of a "U.S. Person" (which includes U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, and those granted U.S. asylum or refugee status), the Company may be required to obtain an export control license. If the position for which you applied involves access to controlled information or technology subject to U.S. export control laws, then any offer is also contingent on verification of appropriate documentation for the Company to assess whether an export license will be required to employ you in that role, and if it is determined that an export license is required, the offer is also contingent on the Company's determination, in its sole discretion, whether a license application and ongoing administration is prudent under the project's contract parameters and whether an export license can be successfully obtained before you can start in that role. Export license applications may take several weeks to be processed.