On-Site Engineering Tech – Labor Standards & CI

UniFirst Careers; Owensboro (KY); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K with Company Match

Profit Sharing

Health Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

Tuition Reimbursement

30% Employee Discount

Employee Referral Bonuses

Job summary

UniFirst is seeking an Engineering Technician to support operational excellence in Owensboro, KY. This on-site role partners with Production, Accounting, and Engineering to identify inefficiencies, improve cost performance, and optimize workflows in a high-volume environment.

Responsibilities include developing engineered labor standards, validating them with time studies, maintaining labor data, supporting incentive pay, and driving Lean initiatives such as 5S, CAD-based space planning, and

Qualifications

• 0–2 years of experience in industrial/process engineering, labor standards, or manufacturing/distribution environments.
• Experience with stopwatch time studies, standard data systems, and performance rating methods.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; Excel modeling and pivot tables preferred.
• Familiar with Lean Manufacturing, ergonomics, safety regulations, and 5S methodology.

Responsibilities

• Assist with development and maintenance of engineered labor standards using time studies and process observations.
• Validate standards through work sampling, spot pace rating, and statistical analysis.
• Maintain labor data in Labor Management Systems and ensure accurate reflection of process changes.
• Support incentive pay accuracy by validating standards and assisting in calibration of productivity expectations.
• Provide training, documentation, and guidance to Distribution Center managers on labor standards and LMS reporting.
• Collaborate with Production and Engineering teams to assess current manufacturing and distribution practices.
• Design, redesign, and optimize layouts, workflows, and tools to enhance throughput, ergonomics, and space utilization.
• Assist with space and capacity analysis using CAD tools and layout modeling.
• Perform value stream mapping, root cause analysis, and time studies to identify and eliminate waste.
• Document standard work and partner with operations to implement improvements that align with Lean Manufacturing and Safety principles.
• Support CI projects in coordination with front-line leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Analyze production data for trends, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
• Assist Accounting in understanding cost variances related to labor, throughput, and material usage.
• Recommend and justify process changes with measurable savings in cost, time, or resources.
• Support cost-reduction initiatives by optimizing labor, materials, and process design.
• Develop clear documentation of procedures, methods, and training materials in partnership with Operations, Training, and HR.
• Maintain and distribute updated SOPs, labor metrics, and individual performance reports.
• Serve as a technical resource for onboarding, training, and reinforcing best practices in engineered standards and workflow design.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Data analysis

5S methodology

Ergonomics

Labor standards

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Engineering Technology, or related field

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

UniFirst is seeking an Engineering Technician to support operational excellence in Owensboro, KY. This on-site role partners with Production, Accounting, and Engineering to identify inefficiencies, improve cost performance, and optimize workflows in a high-volume environment.

Responsibilities include developing engineered labor standards, validating them with time studies, maintaining labor data, supporting incentive pay, and driving Lean initiatives such as 5S, CAD-based space planning, and