Plantwide Lean & Continuous Improvement Leader

Piston Group & Piston Automotive LLC; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Detroit Thermal Systems is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to lead plant-wide CI initiatives focused on SQDCP—safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people. The role will standardize IE processes and develop Manufacturing Engineers to build IE capability over time.

The position requires building Lean systems, coaching teams in Kaizen and problem solving, and partnering across Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to sustain improvements and ensure process readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, or related field.
• Minimum 7+ years of experience in manufacturing, with strong emphasis on Continuous Improvement and Industrial Engineering.
• Demonstrated experience deploying Lean manufacturing systems and structured problem‑solving methodologies.
• Experience developing and implementing Industrial Engineering standards and processes.
• Proven ability to train, coach, and develop technical teams.
• Strong analytical and data‑driven decision‑making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead plant-wide continuous improvement aligned to CI/Lean Strategy to improve SQDCP performance targets.
• Drive implementation and sustainment of Lean manufacturing systems, including daily management, standard work, and waste elimination.
• Identify and eliminate operational losses using data and root cause analysis.
• Coach and lead cross-functional teams in Kaizen events and improvement projects.
• Establish KPI management systems and routine reporting of progress and impact.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Materials to drive performance improvements.

Skills

CI leadership

Lean

Kaizen events

Problem solving

Data analytics

Team leadership

Standard work

Line balancing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering

Job description

Detroit Thermal Systems is seeking a Continuous Improvement Manager to lead plant-wide CI initiatives focused on SQDCP—safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people. The role will standardize IE processes and develop Manufacturing Engineers to build IE capability over time.

The position requires building Lean systems, coaching teams in Kaizen and problem solving, and partnering across Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to sustain improvements and ensure process readiness.