Industrial Engineer

Grimco; Owensville (AR); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Grimco is seeking an entry‑level Industrial Engineer I to support US Manufacturing Operations from the Owensville, MO site. You will establish foundational IE systems, perform time studies, map processes, and build capacity models to improve productivity and flow.

You will work with operators, supervisors, and management to identify Kaizen opportunities, document standard work, and validate improvements on the factory floor. Travel to Owensville, MO is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• 0–2 years of relevant manufacturing experience; internships/co-op experience encouraged.
• Foundational knowledge of work measurement, Time & Motion Studies, cycle time, takt time, throughput, bottleneck analysis, and line balancing.
• Basic knowledge of statistics, variation, SPC, and Six Sigma concepts.
• Basic knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, waste identification, Kaizen, Standard Work, and Value Stream Mapping.
• Understanding of WIP, manufacturing flow, material handling, and basic capacity analysis.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and ability to organize, analyze, and communicate operational data.
• Ability and willingness to spend significant time on the manufacturing floor and travel frequently to Owensville, MO.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with frontline employees and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Conduct Time & Motion Studies, work sampling, cycle-time analysis, and labor-content studies across manufacturing processes.
• Develop Standard Work, process maps, capacity models, staffing models, and documented operating methods.
• Analyze WIP, material flow, batch sizes, travel distance, handling, bottlenecks, and opportunities to reduce non-value-added activity.
• Support Value Stream Mapping and identify opportunities for improved flow, line balancing, material presentation, and point-of-use design.
• Lead and document practical Kaizen activities focused on low-cost, high-impact process improvements.
• Establish measurable baselines before recommending automation or CAPEX solutions and support post-implementation validation.
• Apply basic statistical methods, SPC concepts, and Six Sigma problem-solving tools to manufacturing improvement projects.
• Support development of visual management and short-interval performance metrics such as Target vs. Actual vs. Gap.
• Work directly with operators, supervisors, Plant Management, Maintenance, Quality, and other functions to validate observations and implement improvements.
• Travel frequently to Owensville, MO, particularly during the initial diagnostic and implementation phases, and support other US manufacturing operations as required.
• Prepare concise technical analyses and recommendations for the Director, US Manufacturing Operations.

Skills

Time & Motion Studies

Work measurement

Cycle time analysis

Takt time

Throughput analysis

Bottleneck analysis

Line balancing

Excel

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering or related

Tools

Power BI

Job description

Company Description

Grimco is a family-owned, $1.5 billion revenue leader in sign supply distribution with manufacturing operations across North America, the UK, Europe, and Canada. Our commitment to innovation and operational excellence drives our mission to deliver cutting-edge solutions to the sign industry.
Work Authorization: Candidates must be authorized to work in the
United States. Grimco does not provide employment visa
sponsorship (e.g., H-1B, O-1, TN) and will not do so in the future
for this position.

Job Description

The Industrial Engineer I will support US Manufacturing Operations by establishing foundational Industrial Engineering systems, work measurement, capacity analysis, material flow, and continuous improvement methods. The role will initially focus heavily on the Owensville manufacturing operation, where the engineer will perform on-site studies and develop fact-based recommendations to improve productivity, flow, labor utilization, WIP, and process capability. The position is based at the Sunset Hills corporate office and reports directly to the Director, US Manufacturing Operations.

• Conduct Time & Motion Studies, work sampling, cycle-time analysis, and labor-content studies across manufacturing processes.
• Develop Standard Work, process maps, capacity models, staffing models, and documented operating methods.
• Analyze WIP, material flow, batch sizes, travel distance, handling, bottlenecks, and opportunities to reduce non-value-added activity.
• Support Value Stream Mapping and identify opportunities for improved flow, line balancing, material presentation, and point-of-use design.
• Lead and document practical Kaizen activities focused on low-cost, high-impact process improvements.
• Establish measurable baselines before recommending automation or CAPEX solutions and support post-implementation validation.
• Apply basic statistical methods, SPC concepts, and Six Sigma problem-solving tools to manufacturing improvement projects.
• Support development of visual management and short-interval performance metrics such as Target vs. Actual vs. Gap.
• Work directly with operators, supervisors, Plant Management, Maintenance, Quality, and other functions to validate observations and implement improvements.
• Travel frequently to Owensville, MO, particularly during the initial diagnostic and implementation phases, and support other US manufacturing operations as required.
• Prepare concise technical analyses and recommendations for the Director, US Manufacturing Operations.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• 0–2 years of relevant manufacturing experience; strong recent graduates with meaningful internship/co-op experience are encouraged to apply.
• Foundational knowledge of work measurement, Time & Motion Studies, cycle time, takt time, throughput, bottleneck analysis, and line balancing.
• Basic knowledge of statistics, variation, SPC, and Six Sigma concepts.
• Basic knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, waste identification, Kaizen, Standard Work, and Value Stream Mapping.
• Understanding of WIP, manufacturing flow, material handling, and basic capacity analysis.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and ability to organize, analyze, and communicate operational data.
• Ability and willingness to spend significant time on the manufacturing floor and travel frequently to Owensville, MO.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with frontline employees and leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Internship, co-op, or project experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Exposure to DMAIC, A3 problem solving, root-cause analysis, or structured continuous improvement.
• Lean or Six Sigma training/certification; Green Belt is preferred but not required.
• Experience with Power BI, data visualization, or similar analytical tools.
• Exposure to fixture/jig design, process layout, ergonomics, or Design for Manufacturing concepts.
• Experience conducting academic or industrial work-measurement studies.

Additional Information

This position is intended to build Industrial Engineering capability within US Manufacturing Operations rather than serve as a single-site support role. The initial priority will be establishing an Industrial Engineering baseline at the Owensville operation through process mapping, work measurement, Standard Work, capacity modeling, WIP/flow analysis, and validation of quick-win opportunities. The engineer may subsequently support similar studies and improvement initiatives across other US manufacturing operations.

Physical Requirements

Ability to work in manufacturing environments for extended periods; walk and stand on production floors; observe and measure manual and machine processes; use standard work-measurement equipment; comply with required PPE and safety rules; and travel by vehicle and/or air as business needs require. Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable law.