Principal CI Engineer

CIRCOR International, Inc.; Warren (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

CIRCOR International, Inc. in Warren, MA is seeking a seasoned Continuous Improvement leader to drive operational alignment across Integrated Program Teams, develop standard processes, SOPs, and control plans.

You will champion lean tools (5S, Kanban, PFMEA, MSA, SMED, TPM) to optimize manufacturing performance, establish standard work, reduce cycle times, and mentor teams to embed lean thinking.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business (Master’s preferred).
• 8+ years of experience in Operations, Industrial Engineering, Lean/CI, or Materials/Planning roles.
• Proven success leading CI initiatives.
• Expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and statistical analysis tools.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills with a collaborative mindset.
• Ability to influence at all levels of the organization and manage cross-functional projects.
• Must be a US citizen.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute Continuous Improvement initiatives to drive synergy and operational alignment.
• Develop and implement standard processes with robust SOPs and control plans.
• Champion lean tools and techniques to optimize manufacturing performance.
• Establish and govern standard work for manufacturing, materials flow, and shop execution.
• Drive initiatives to reduce cycle times, improve efficiency, and enhance capacity planning.
• Support materials and inventory management transformation through PFEP, RACI, and reverse scheduling.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Planning, Quality, and Engineering to align CI goals.
• Utilize data-driven decision making and Six Sigma principles to drive measurable improvements.
• Build and sustain a culture of continuous improvement by mentoring teams.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Data-driven decision making

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

ERP systems (IFS)

Job description

• Lead and execute Continuous Improvement initiatives, in support of Integrated Program Teams, to drive synergy and operational alignment.
• Develop and implement standard processes, including core / non-core activities, with robust SOPs and control plans.
• Champion lean tools and techniques (5S, SIPOC, PFMEA, MSA, SMED, TPM, Kanban, Line Balancing, VRK) to optimize manufacturing performance.
• Establish and govern standard work for manufacturing, materials flow, and shop execution.
• Drive initiatives to reduce cycle times, improve efficiency, and enhance labor/machine capacity planning.
• Support materials and inventory management transformation through PFEP, RACI, and reverse scheduling (line-back logistics).
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Planning, Quality, and Engineering to ensure alignment with CI goals.
• Utilize data-driven decision making, statistical tools, and six sigma principles to drive measurable improvements.
• Build and sustain a culture of continuous improvement by mentoring teams and embedding lean thinking across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and execute Continuous Improvement initiatives, in support of Integrated Program Teams, to drive synergy and operational alignment.
• Develop and implement standard processes, including core / non-core activities, with robust SOPs and control plans.
• Champion lean tools and techniques (5S, SIPOC, PFMEA, MSA, SMED, TPM, Kanban, Line Balancing, VRK) to optimize manufacturing performance.
• Establish and govern standard work for manufacturing, materials flow, and shop execution.
• Drive initiatives to reduce cycle times, improve efficiency, and enhance labor/machine capacity planning.
• Support materials and inventory management transformation through PFEP, RACI, and reverse scheduling (line-back logistics).
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Planning, Quality, and Engineering to ensure alignment with CI goals.
• Utilize data-driven decision making, statistical tools, and six sigma principles to drive measurable improvements.
• Build and sustain a culture of continuous improvement by mentoring teams and embedding lean thinking across the organization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 8+ years of experience in Operations, Industrial Engineering, Lean/CI, or Materials/Planning roles.
• Proven success leading CI initiatives.
• Expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and statistical analysis tools.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills with a collaborative mindset.
• Ability to influence at all levels of the organization and manage cross-functional projects.
• Must be a US citizen.

Preferred Qualifications

• Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent certification.
• Experience with SIOP (Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning).
• Advanced knowledge of constraint management, SWIP, and strategic buffering.
• Strong working knowledge of ERP systems (IFS preferred) and manufacturing execution systems.
• Demonstrated experience in capacity planning, inventory control, and material flow design.