Continuous Improvement Engineer

Airedale by Modine; Rawdon; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading thermal management solutions provider in the UK is seeking a Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement Engineer to drive operational excellence across production processes. The role requires strong manufacturing expertise combined with Lean methodologies to optimize performance and reduce waste. Responsibilities include developing processes, leading continuous improvement projects, and analyzing production data. The successful candidate will possess strong communication skills and a degree in engineering, along with experience in adapting best practices in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus Statutory Bank Holidays

Employer pension contribution

Employee discount scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Strong experience in a manufacturing or production engineering role.
• Proven experience implementing Lean Manufacturing.
• Proficient in process mapping, workflow analysis and shop floor observations.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimise, and validate manufacturing processes.
• Lead CI projects focused on cost reduction and quality enhancement.
• Collect and analyse production data to identify trends.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Process Mapping

Communication

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Degree in Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Job description

At Modine, we are Engineering a Cleaner, Healthier World™. Building on more than 100 years of excellence in thermal management, we provide trusted systems and solutions that improve air quality and conserve natural resources. Our Airedale by Modine brand is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative thermal management solutions for data centres, clean rooms, hospitals, universities, and other mission-critical environments.

Trusted as The Critical Cooling Specialists, Airedale by Modine has decades of experience providing efficient, flexible end-to-end cooling solutions that work smarter, not harder, to deliver more cooling for less power. With manufacturing facilities in Canada, Spain, the UK, and the U.S., we’re scaling up across the world to support an ever-growing demand for our solutions. That’s where you come in…

Role Description

The Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement Engineer is responsible for driving operational excellence across production processes. This role combines manufacturing expertise with a strong focus on continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean and the theory of constraints to optimize manufacturing performance, reduce waste, enhance product quality, and support strategic business objectives. The role also plays a key part in supporting the introduction and implementation of new capital expenditure (CapEx) projects to enhance production capability.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Engineering

• Develop, optimise, and validate manufacturing processes to ensure efficiency, quality, and safety.
• Create and maintain work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and process documentation.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) by designing production layouts, tooling, and workflows.
• Work on the introduction and commissioning of new capital expenditure projects, ensuring smooth integration into existing operations.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify improvement opportunities using Lean tools (e.g., Kaizen events, 5S, Value Stream Mapping).
• Lead CI projects focused on cost reduction, waste elimination, cycle time improvement, and quality enhancement.
• Train and coach teams in continuous improvement methodologies to build operational capability.
• Monitor CI performance metrics (OEE, downtime, scrap rates) and report on progress.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Collect and analyse production data to identify trends, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
• Create dashboards, KPIs, and reports to support decision‑making.

Essential

• Strong experience in a manufacturing or production engineering role.
• Proven experience implementing Lean Manufacturing.
• Proficient in process mapping, workflow analysis and shop floor observations.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.

Desirable

• Degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• CAD proficiency (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD).
• Experience implementing 5S, SMED, TPM, or other Lean frameworks.

Personal Attributes

• Proactive and self‑driven with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to implementing solutions.
• Ability to influence and inspire others to adopt new ways of working.
• Comfortable managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment.

Typical KPIs

• Reduction in cycle time and production costs.
• Improvement in Labour efficiency.
• Scrap and defect rate reductions.
• Number and impact of CI initiatives delivered.
• Successful delivery and integration of CapEx projects.

In Return We Offer

• 25 days holiday per year plus Statutory Bank Holidays and the opportunity to purchase an additional 3 days.
• A 1% Employee and 7% Employer pension contribution (salary sacrifice).
• Employee discount scheme on various high street retailers, supermarkets, cinema tickets and holidays.
• Salary sacrifice schemes: cycle to work scheme, Car Scheme.