Continuous Improvement Engineer

Mars; West Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 79,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars is seeking a Continuous Improvement Engineer to own 24-hour accountability for a Production Area, driving operational excellence and the FMOS/RT implementation. The role requires a manufacturing engineering background with 3–5+ years in food, beverage, or CPG manufacturing and strong Lean knowledge.

You will coach associates, lead improvement teams, and champion safety and quality standards. Ideal candidates have Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher and excellent analytical and communication

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, or related) preferred.
• 3–5+ years of experience in food, beverage, or CPG manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Leads Daily Area Value Stream connection point meetings.
• Conducts detailed analysis on performance data and integrates into FMOS.
• Drives loss elimination and develops 90-day action plans to address losses.
• Leads Autonomous Maintenance process improvement teams focused on downtime reduction.
• Supports Pillar activities with analytics and developing standards.
• Coaches Production Leaders in team performance and skills development.
• Provides direction to Continuous Improvement Specialists including evaluations.
• Supports Commission, Validation, Startup activities for capital projects.
• Champions MSE AM deployment in their area.
• Champions Safety and Quality standards and objectives for their area.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Continuous Improvement

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, or related) preferred

Job description

Job Description: The Continuous Improvement (CI) Engineer has 24-hour, multiple shift accountability for the process results of a Production Area. The CI Engineer is a critical member of the FMOS / RT implementation and is the resource for technology management of the primary manufacturing systems for the department. The Process Engineer shares responsibility with the Production Leader for driving operational excellence and continuous improvement efforts by establishing work standards and providing coaching and feedback to associates. He/she will support Daily Direction Setting by systematically improving the integrity of Line Event Data Systems and documenting critical operation standards to help eliminate unplanned and reduce planned downtime on equipment. What are we looking for? Owns all Daily Management Systems (DMS) execution and leads the Changeover (CO), Centerlines (CL), Clean, Inspect, and Lubricate (CIL), and Anomaly Handling (AH) DMS

Job Description: The Continuous Improvement (CI) Engineer has 24-hour, multiple shift accountability for the process results of a Production Area. The CI Engineer is a critical member of the FMOS / RT implementation and is the resource for technology management of the primary manufacturing systems for the department. The Process Engineer shares responsibility with the Production Leader for driving operational excellence and continuous improvement efforts by establishing work standards and providing coaching and feedback to associates. He/she will support Daily Direction Setting by systematically improving the integrity of Line Event Data Systems and documenting critical operation standards to help eliminate unplanned and reduce planned downtime on equipment. What are we looking for? Owns all Daily Management Systems (DMS) execution and leads the Changeover (CO), Centerlines (CL), Clean, Inspect, and Lubricate (CIL), and Anomaly Handling (AH) DMS

What are we looking for?

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, or related) preferred
• 3–5+ years of experience in food, beverage, or CPG manufacturing
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies
• Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher
• Familiarity with metric & quality management systems
• Experience in high-speed processing or packaging environments

Work Environment

• Frequent presence on the manufacturing floor, minimum 70% floor
• Compliance with food safety, hygiene, and PPE requirements
• Ability to stand, walk, and occasionally lift in a production environment

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Leads Daily Area Value Stream connection point meetings
• Conducts detailed analysis on performance data and integrates into Factory Mars Operating System (FMOS)
• Drives loss elimination for assigned area to include Line Loss Analysis and development of 90-day action plans to address losses and build associate capability
• Leads Autonomous Maintenance (AM) process improvement teams focused on the reduction of downtime and loss elimination
• Supports and coaches Pillar activities within the Value Stream by providing analytics and developing standards
• Assists Production Leaders in managing the performance of their teams through coaching and skills development
• Provide overall direction to Continuous Improvement Specialists including development and performance evaluations
• Support Commission, Validation, Startup (CVS) activities for capital projects
• Champions MSE AM deployment in their area
• Champions all Safety and Quality standards and objectives for their area

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting: USD 79,280.00 - USD 109,010.00