NPI & CI Engineer (New Product Introduction & Continuous Improvement)

Demant; Valbonne, Vallauris; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Demant Polska is seeking a NPI & CI Engineer based in Valbonne, France. This role focuses on leading industrial projects for new product introductions and driving continuous improvement across operations.

The ideal candidate will have a B.Sc. or M.Sc. degree in engineering, 3-5 years of experience in manufacturing environments, and be fluent in both French and English. This position offers the opportunity to develop operational excellence frameworks and optimize strategies across departments.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience as a Lean Manufacturing Manager and/or Project Manager.
• Experience in regulated industries is an asset.
• Fluency in French and English (spoken and written).

Responsibilities

• Regulate design transfer activities for new products.
• Implement actions aimed at productivity and quality improvements.
• Measure baseline performance through diagnostic methodology.

Skills

Lean manufacturing tools

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Interpersonal skills

Education

B.Sc. or M.Sc. in engineering

Job description

At Oticon/ITSA Medical, we develop, produce, and market bone-anchored hearing systems.

Our site in Vallauris (Sophia Antipolis), in the south of France, specializes in the production of active implantable Class III medical devices and will soon manage the worldwide distribution of the company’s full product portfolio. The site also hosts an R&D team and the French sales organization.

We are looking for an NPI & CI Engineer (New Product Introduction & Continuous Improvement) to support us in leading industrial projects and driving continuous improvement across our operations.

Reporting to the Operations Department, the role is built around two complementary strategic pillars: new product introductions and continual improvement initiatives across manufacturing, distribution, engineering, maintenance, and purchasing.

Main Tasks

Part 1: New Product Introduction (NPI) & Change Management

• Regulate the design transfer activities and coordinate operations during the introduction of new products.
• Coordinate manufacturing setup and ramp‑up tasks to launch new products.
• Collaborate in project planning and execution from early concept to development model.
• Participate in the change control process from request to production release, ensuring cross‑site coordination.
• Ensure compliance with medical, regulatory, and internal quality requirements.

Part 2: Operational Excellence

• Design and deploy Oticon Medical’s Operational Excellence framework, measuring baseline performance through diagnostic methodology.
• Support and coach managers to identify opportunities, estimate gains, and develop an annual performance roadmap.
• Provide hands‑on support on the floor to implement actions aimed at productivity, service, quality, and cost improvements.
• Apply Lean office methodology to optimize strategies and processes in other functions.
• Act as a Lean ambassador and trainer to develop operational excellence competencies across the company.

Key Relationships

• Hierarchical Management: None (no supervised teams).
• Internal: Manufacturing, distribution, purchasing, engineering, etc.
• External: Partners, subcontractors, and corporate support teams.

Authorities

• Accountable for all Operations activities within product development projects.
• Responsible for the timing, content, and quality of design transfer activities.
• Approve and sign off on documents, change requests, and related workflows.
• Escalate issues to project or functional managers as needed.

Profile

Education & Experience

• B.Sc. or M.Sc. in engineering, business engineering, or a similar technical background.
• 3 to 5 years of experience as a Lean Manufacturing Manager and/or Project Manager in manufacturing and engineering environments.
• Experience in material management, production planning, purchasing, or distribution of complex products in regulated industries is an asset.
• Knowledge of quality standards for medical devices is a plus.
• Fluency in French and English (spoken and written).

Technical & Behavioral Skills

• Proficiency in Lean manufacturing tools (line balancing, problem solving, QRQC, spaghetti diagrams, etc.).
• Ability to facilitate complex problem resolution with cross‑functional teams.
• Hands‑on, proactive, action‑oriented mindset with strong stakeholder management.
• Strong interpersonal skills; capable of coaching managers and operators while prioritizing tasks effectively.