Continuous Improvement Engineer

Ingredion Incorporated; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 84,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Benefits & Wellness

Career growth & tuition reimbursement

Recognition program

Employee discounts

Job summary

Ingredion Incorporated in Cedar Rapids seeks a Continuous Improvement Engineer to lead CI/IPS initiatives, support process optimization, and sustain management systems at the unit level.

You will drive KPI baselines, implement digital OEE, and coach teams in Kaizen and RCA activities to enhance safety, quality, and efficiency throughout the facility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, or Manufacturing engineering.
• Experience in Process/Industrial Engineering.
• Trained in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing Practices, and SPC.
• Green Belt/Black Belt certification desired.
• Demonstrated knowledge of engineering and unit operations relevant to the corn wet milling industry, such as basic chemistry, heat and mass balances, mechanics and physical/chemical separation and energy management.
• Strong knowledge of digital systems including OEE, KPI reporting.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft tools such as PowerApps, PowerBI, and Power Automate preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support the CI/IPS management system implementation and related activities with sustainable tools like dashboards and OEE.
• Deliver Management System training on CI/IPS concepts, tools, and deliverables.
• Establish baseline KPIs and support target setting with unit leadership.
• Maintain an improvement plan/portfolio across Safety, Quality, Service, and Cost Reduction.
• Support cost reduction and productivity targets with Lean tools (PDCA, Kaizen).
• Bridge the plant and IT teams for process improvements and data flow.
• Participate in regional Manufacturing Excellence and CI meetings.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Problem solving

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, or Manufacturing engineering

Tools

PowerApps

PowerBI

Power Automate

Job description

Continuous Improvement Engineer

Location: Cedar Rapids

Reports to: Continuous Improvement Manager

Workplace type: Onsite – Manufacturing Facility

As a Continuous Improvement Engineer, you will be responsible for leading the continuous improvement process, providing technical support, including process studies, problem-solving, and process optimization Lead the implementation, sustainability, and improvements of the Ingredion Performance System (IPS) at the unit level.

What you will do:

• Support the implementation of the CI/IPS management system and other CI/IPS related activities, while ensuring the sustainability of Management System tools, like routine dashboards, OEE measurement, and other routine indicators.
• Deliver Management System training that includes concepts, tools, and deliverables to achieve awareness and facilitate CI/IPS adoption and cultural change.
• Help establish a baseline of main KPI’s and support the unit leadership team during target setting according to regional, financial, and functional goals.
• Maintain an improvement plan/project portfolio (Safety, Quality, Service, Cost Reduction, etc.) through gap analysis to recommend and implement process improvements to drive unit target achievement and organizational effectiveness.
• Support diverse cost reduction, productivity enhancement, Quality and Safety/Sustainability improvement targets for the plant (PDCA, LSS, Kaizen, and other CI Tools).
• Act as a liaison between the manufacturing plant and the production technology (IT) team.
• Participate in regional and local Manufacturing Excellence and CI team meetings to identify new practices to support the plant's success.
• Evaluate new technologies and ideas and seek approval for new concepts to improve the efficiency and capability of the process, the safety of the facility, and product quality.
• Help drive implementation of the digital OEE system and reporting for the unit.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, Ideation workshops, RCA studies, and other CI activities that support plant performance enhancement.
• Leverage analytical and problem-solving skills to support plant management in the identification of key success drivers and execution of improvement objectives.
• Lead/act as a change agent to achieve continuous improvement and a performance-focused culture, through collaboration with all business and functional units in the region to ensure alignment of improvement initiatives.
• Work collaboratively with the Plant leaders to multiply knowledge in CI methodologies and act as a change agent of the culture.
• Support employee training in the proper application of Continuous Improvement and IPS concepts.
• Coach and mentor plant teams/ individuals to ensure successful completion of IPS implementation and CI activities.
• Support preparation of skill matrix deployment as part of Management System – People.

What you will bring:

Mandatory requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, or Manufacturing engineering
• Experience in Process/Industrial Engineering
• Trained in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing Practices, and SPC.
• Green Belt/Black Belt certification desired
• Demonstrated knowledge of engineering and unit operations relevant to the corn wet milling industry, such as basic chemistry, heat and mass balances, mechanics and physical/chemical separation and energy management.
• Strong knowledge of digital systems including OEE, integrated action tracking, and KPI reporting.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft tools such as PowerApps, PowerBI, and Power Automate preferred

Desirable requirements:

• Experience working in and supporting lean management systems
• Green Belt certification desired but not required
• Prefer 1-3 years of continuous improvement experience
• Experience implementing OEE, electronic paperwork, or other digital process improvement solutions

Who you are:

• Demonstrated self-starter with strong leadership skills and a high degree of integrity.
• Utilization of data and facts to articulate the need for change and build commitment from others.
• Organization, prioritization, and decision-making.
• Communicate effectively.
• Ethics and corporate values.
• Result-driven with urgency.
• Deliver our strategy.
• Proactive, innovative, and strong will to succeed.
• High discipline in routine execution.

Why Join Ingredion?

• Total Rewards Package – Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success
• Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support – Health, long-term savings, and resources for physical, mental, and emotional well-being
• Career Growth – Learning, training, and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement
• Employee Recognition Program – A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally
• Employee Discount Program – Provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services and travel.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Ingredion seeks to provide a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability—mental or physical—marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability resulting from military service, or any other classification protected by law (“protected classifications”). We are committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs. Ingredion uses AI-enabled tools to support parts of the recruitment process, including resume screening and interview scheduling. These tools help match candidate skills to job requirements and streamline communication. All AI-assisted decisions are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team to ensure fairness and compliance with applicable laws. By applying, you acknowledge that AI may be used to support your application journey.

Relocation Available: Yes, Within Country

Pay Range: $84,400.00-$112,533.33 Annual

This pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data and applicable bargaining agreement (if any).

Incentive Compensation: As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Ingredion Annual Incentive Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus.

Benefits: Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental and vision coverage as well as a 401(k) plan with an competitive company match.

Ingredion is a leading global, plant-based ingredients solutions company. We make sweeteners, starches, nutrition ingredients and biomaterials that are used by customers in everyday products from foods and beverages to paper and pharmaceuticals. At Ingredion, we embrace possibilities and inspire each other to think big. Together, we are reimagining how we can make life better through our differentiated ingredients and innovative solutions. We share an inspiring purpose — to make life better, for our colleagues, our customers, our communities, and the world. We belong to a culture of bold innovators, of people who believe that their skills, creativity, and passion can deliver solutions that can enhance people’s lives. We create what's next, transforming our imagination into innovation. We have a welcoming and collaborative environment to build and grow a career in a multinational company. Here, everyone can be their authentic selves and be part of a community of talented and caring people, interacting with professionals around the world, made up of varied backgrounds, cultures and industries. We are encouraged to think differently and innovate through collaboration and experimentation. We are constantly imagining new ways to bring value to our customers, through new ingredients, solutions, and ways of working.