Senior Industrial Engineer

HuFriedyGroup; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 118,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

HuFriedyGroup, a leading dental instrument manufacturer in Northbrook, IL, seeks a Senior Industrial Engineer to lead strategic initiatives across manufacturing, assembly, and distribution. You will optimize processes, implement automation, and drive continuous improvement using Lean methodologies and data analysis.

You will develop labor standards, time studies, and capacity models while collaborating with cross-functional teams to reduce waste, increase throughput, and improve safety and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering or a related field is required.
• Master's degree preferred for advanced optimization roles.
• Minimum 7–10 years in Industrial Engineering within distribution or supply chain operations.
• Proven experience leading Lean, Six Sigma, and capital equipment initiatives.
• Experience with labor standards, time studies, capacity planning, and workflow optimization.
• Experience designing facility layouts, warehouse optimization, and automation projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex industrial engineering projects to improve productivity, capacity, quality, safety, and cost.
• Analyze data, trends, and labor performance to identify opportunities and support decisions.
• Develop labor standards, conduct time studies, and establish standard work.
• Lead Lean initiatives such as Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, and Six Sigma projects.
• Design and optimize facility layouts, material flow, and storage systems.
• Identify and justify automation and capital equipment improvements with ROI analyses.
• Collaborate with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Facilities.
• Develop future-state manufacturing and distribution processes to support growth.
• Create dashboards and reporting tools to monitor performance and drive improvements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Value Stream Mapping

5S

Continuous Improvement

Analytical Thinking

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Excel

Power BI

SQL

Minitab

Python

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Full-Time Exempt Employee Northbrook, IL, US

21 days ago Requisition ID: 1487

Salary Range: $118,000.00 To $130,000.00 Annually

Join Our Team at HuFriedyGroup – Innovating Excellence in Dental Instrument Manufacturing

HuFriedyGroup is a leading manufacturer of dental instruments and infection prevention products. Our 10,000-plus products, hand-crafted by highly skilled artisans, are known for their precision, performance, longevity, reliability, and quality. To help dental professionals be The Best in Practice, HuFriedyGroup provides a unique combination of world class products, value-added services, clinical education, and dental community platforms that result in superior clinician performance and enhanced safety for dental professionals and their patients. Working at HuFriedyGroup is so much more than a job, as every employee has a part in driving and supporting the organization’s inspirational vision to be a global force in advancing dental performance through Best-In-Practice dentistry that improves lives around the world.

Position Summary

The Senior Industrial Engineer leads strategic initiatives that improve safety, quality, productivity, and operational performance across manufacturing, assembly, and distribution operations. This role partners with cross-functional teams to optimize processes, implement automation, and drive continuous improvement that supports business growth. Using engineering principles, data analysis, and Lean methodologies, the Senior Industrial Engineer identifies opportunities to reduce waste, increase efficiency, improve capacity, and enhance the employee and customer experience. This position serves as a technical leader who helps build a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead complex industrial engineering projects that improve productivity, capacity, quality, safety, and cost performance across manufacturing, assembly, and distribution operations.
• Analyze operational data, production trends, labor performance, and process variability using statistical methods to identify improvement opportunities and support data-driven decision making.
• Develop labor standards, conduct time studies, perform capacity modeling, and establish standard work to optimize workforce utilization and operational efficiency.
• Lead Value Stream Mapping events, Lean Six Sigma projects, Kaizen events, and other continuous improvement initiatives to eliminate waste, improve flow, reduce lead times, and increase throughput.
• Design and optimize facility layouts, material flow, warehouse operations, manufacturing cells, and storage systems to maximize space utilization, ergonomics, and operational effectiveness.
• Identify, justify, and lead implementation of automation solutions, material handling improvements, and capital equipment projects, including financial analysis, project management, commissioning, and post-implementation validation.
• Partner with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Facilities to investigate key performance gaps, perform root cause analysis, and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
• Develop future-state manufacturing and distribution processes that support business growth, new product introductions, capacity expansion, and changing operational requirements.
• Develop dashboards, performance metrics, and reporting tools to monitor operational performance, communicate improvement opportunities, mentor engineering and operations teams, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering or a related engineering discipline required.
• Master's degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 7–10 years of Industrial Engineering experience in distribution, or supply chain operations.
• Experience leading process improvement initiatives, Lean projects, and capital equipment implementations.
• Experience developing labor standards, conducting time studies, capacity planning, and workflow optimization.
• Experience with facility layout design, warehouse optimization, material flow, and automation projects.
• Experience preparing business cases, return-on-investment analyses, and capital expenditure justifications.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and mentoring engineering or operations teams.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping, 5S, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes, warehouse operations, automation, and material handling systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with experience using Microsoft Excel, Power BI, SQL, Minitab, Python, or similar analytical tools.
• Strong project management, organizational, and time management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while driving measurable operational improvements

Equal Employment Opportunity & Accessibility Statement HuFriedyGroup is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability status, genetics, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. If you require reasonable accommodations to apply for a position, participate in the recruitment process, or perform essential job functions, please contact us at 773-868-5534. We are committed to supporting you throughout your journey with HuFriedyGroup!