Process Improvement Intern Engineer

Polycorp; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Polycorp, a local manufacturer in San Jose, CA, seeks a Manufacturing Process Engineer to develop, optimize, and support production processes with a focus on safety, quality, and cost efficiency. You will lead cross-functional teams and implement standardized methods across the facility.

You will work with Engineering, Quality, Production, and Supply Chain to ensure best-practice process design, costing, and continuous improvement through Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, Manufacturing, or related field).
• 3-5+ years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering.
• Experience with costing, BOM management, or ERP systems preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma Green to Black Belt preferred (not required).

Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and optimize manufacturing processes, work instructions, and SOPs.
• Improve equipment layout, tooling, and workflow for efficiency.
• Lead root cause analysis using DMAIC, 5 Why, and other structured problem-solving tools.
• Conduct time studies, capacity analysis, and production line balancing.
• Create, update, and audit Bills of Materials (BOMs) and routings.
• Perform cost analysis on labor, materials, scrap, and overhead.
• Support new product introductions through costing and process definition.
• Collaborate with Finance and Supply Chain to evaluate cost-saving opportunities.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Facilitate cross-functional teams to reduce defects, enhance throughput, and eliminate waste. Track CI results and implement control plans for long-term sustainability.
• Train employees on Lean, 5S, and problem-solving tools.
• Improve process capability and reduce variation in manufacturing.
• Support CAPA investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Monitor KPIs such as scrap, yield, and uptime and develop improvement actions.
• Partner with Engineering on ECOs and manufacturability reviews.
• Work with Maintenance on equipment upgrades and process reliability.
• Assist Supply Chain in addressing vendor and material quality issues.

Skills

Process optimization

Root cause analysis

Six Sigma

DOE

SPC

Training & coaching

Cross-functional collaboration

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Minitab

Job description

Come join our team today! Polycorp is a local manufacturer in San Jose, CA, specializing in designing and manufacturing engineered elastomeric solutions for energy and aerospace industries. Joining the team means you will come alongside a tenured and experienced team to help enhance our safety culture on the site, and be an integral part of our company goal: to protect people, processes and the planet – with precision and purpose.

Position Summary:

The Manufacturing Process Engineer is responsible for developing, improving, and supporting manufacturing processes to ensure safety, quality, cost efficiency, and operational excellence. This role manages process design, costing, and Bill of Materials (BOM) accuracy while leading continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, reduce waste, and promote standardization across the facility. The position partners closely with Production, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain teams to ensure optimal product flow and cost-effective manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities:

Process Engineering & Manufacturing Support

• Develop, document, and optimize manufacturing processes, work instructions, and SOPs.
• Improve equipment layout, tooling, and workflow for efficiency.
• Lead root cause analysis using DMAIC, 5 Why, and other structured problem-solving tools.
• Conduct time studies, capacity analysis, and production line balancing.

Costing, BOM Management & Product Configuration

• Create, update, and audit Bills of Materials (BOMs) and routings.
• Perform cost analysis on labor, materials, scrap, and overhead.
• Support new product introductions through costing and process definition.
• Collaborate with Finance and Supply Chain to evaluate cost-saving opportunities.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Facilitate cross-functional teams to reduce defects, enhance throughput, and eliminate waste. Track CI results and implement control plans for long-term sustainability.
• Train employees on Lean, 5S, and problem-solving tools.

Quality & Compliance

• Improve process capability and reduce variation in manufacturing.
• Support CAPA investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Monitor KPIs such as scrap, yield, and uptime and develop improvement actions.

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Support

• Partner with Engineering on ECOs and manufacturability reviews.
• Work with Maintenance on equipment upgrades and process reliability.
• Assist Supply Chain in addressing vendor and material quality issues.

Qualifications:

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, Manufacturing, or related field).

Experience

3-5+ years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering.

Experience with costing, BOM management, or ERP systems preferred.

Certifications

Lean Six Sigma Green to Black Belt preferred (not required).

Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and statistical software (e.g., MiniTab).
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, DOE, SPC, and problem-solving methodologies.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Process Engineering & Optimization
• Root Cause Analysis & Problem Solving
• BOM & Cost Analysis
• Training & Coaching

Physical Requirements:

The role primarily operates in a plant environment with frequent interaction in production areas. It requires the ability to walk, stand, lift up to 50 pounds, and safely navigate manufacturing environments while wearing required PPE.