Senior Industrial Engineer

Yanfeng; Novi (MI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Yanfeng is seeking a Senior Industrial Engineer to drive lean manufacturing and productivity across plant operations in North America. You will lead complex improvement initiatives, develop long-term manufacturing strategies, and partner with Operations, Supply Chain, and CI teams to optimize labor, layout, and material flow.

The role requires extensive experience in labor planning, time studies, and AutoCAD-based facility layouts, with a track record of delivering measurable productivity gains.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial/Manufacturing/Mechanical/Operations Engineering or related.
• 7+ years of experience in Industrial Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience within the automotive industry desired.
• Willing to travel to customer sites and manufacturing plants.
• Extensive experience with labor planning, time studies, line balancing, and capacity analysis.
• Advanced knowledge of lean manufacturing, value stream mapping and CI.
• Experience leading complex operational improvement projects.
• AutoCAD and facility layout planning experience.
• Strong analytical skills and data interpretation.
• Experience supporting new program launches and plant expansions.
• Ability to influence teams in a matrix organization.
• Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, and PM skills.
• Travel within North American manufacturing operations; regional plant visits.

Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity performance.
• Develop and implement strategic facility flow improvements to enhance material movement, floor space utilization, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Lead value stream mapping exercises and develop future-state roadmaps with measurable improvement targets.
• Champion Kaizen events and facilitate cross-functional teams in identifying and eliminating waste.
• Establish and monitor key industrial engineering performance metrics, ensuring achievement of plant and organizational objectives.
• Serve as the site's industrial engineering expert for labor productivity, operational efficiency, and manufacturing optimization initiatives.
• Lead direct and indirect labor planning activities for new and existing programs.
• Develop labor models, staffing plans, and workforce optimization strategies using labor standards and analytical tools.
• Conduct advanced time studies, work sampling, line balancing, and labor analysis utilizing MODAPTS® or equivalent methodologies.
• Validate labor assumptions during quoting, program launches, and operational changes.
• Maintain and continuously improve labor databases, standards, and best practices across operations.
• Own facility planning and layout strategy, ensuring alignment with business growth, operational requirements, and corporate standards.
• Lead plant layout redesign projects utilizing AutoCAD and facility planning tools.
• Evaluate warehouse capacity requirements and optimize storage, supermarkets, line-side presentation, kitting, and material delivery methods.
• Develop integrated material flow solutions that support lean manufacturing principles and operational scalability.
• Identify and implement automation opportunities related to material handling, AGVs, conveyance systems, and warehouse operations.
• Lead industrial engineering support for new product launches from concept through production implementation.
• Participate in facility footprint planning and manufacturing strategy decisions.
• Develop capital expenditure requests and business cases supporting automation, equipment investments, and operational improvements.
• Provide industrial engineering leadership during equipment installation, facility expansions, and plant reconfiguration projects.
• Support AME, Operations, and Program Management teams with manufacturing readiness and capacity planning activities.
• Act as a technical mentor to Industrial Engineers, CI Engineers, and engineering interns.
• Provide direction and guidance on industrial engineering methodologies, labor standards, and lean principles.
• Lead cross-functional project teams without direct reporting authority.
• Support the development and deployment of engineering best practices across multiple facilities.
• Present improvement strategies, project status, and business results to plant and senior leadership teams.
• May be involved in helping to move heavy parts within plants; may assist line with product changes and supervise interns.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Labor planning

Time studies

Line balancing

Capacity analysis

AutoCAD

Facility layout

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Analytical skills

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Operations Engineering or related

Tools

MODAPTS

Simulation modelling

Job description

Yanfeng is a leading global automotive supplier, focusing on interior, exterior, seating, cockpit electronics, and passive safety, and is exploring new business actively. Yanfeng has more than 240 locations and approximately 57,000 employees worldwide. The technical team of 4,200 experts is in 10 R&D centers and other regional offices, with complete capabilities including engineering and software development, styling, and test validation. Focusing on smart cabin and lightweight technology, Yanfeng supports automakers to explore future mobility and provide leading cabin solutions. For more information, please visit www.yanfeng.com.

The Senior Industrial Engineer serves as a subject matter expert in industrial engineering, lean manufacturing, labor optimization, facility planning, and material flow strategy. This position is responsible for leading complex operational improvement initiatives, developing long-term manufacturing strategies, and driving sustainable productivity improvements across plant operations. The Senior Industrial Engineer partners with Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing Engineering, Program Management, and Continuous Improvement teams to optimize labor utilization, facility layouts, capacity planning, and operational performance while supporting the successful launch of new business and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Responsibilities

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Lead large-scale lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity performance.
• Develop and implement strategic facility flow improvements to enhance material movement, floor space utilization, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Lead value stream mapping exercises and develop future-state roadmaps with measurable improvement targets.
• Champion Kaizen events and facilitate cross-functional teams in identifying and eliminating waste.
• Establish and monitor key industrial engineering performance metrics, ensuring achievement of plant and organizational objectives.
• Serve as the site\'s industrial engineering expert for labor productivity, operational efficiency, and manufacturing optimization initiatives.

Labor Planning & Productivity Management

• Lead direct and indirect labor planning activities for new and existing programs.
• Develop labor models, staffing plans, and workforce optimization strategies using labor standards and analytical tools.
• Conduct advanced time studies, work sampling, line balancing, and labor analysis utilizing MODAPTS® or equivalent methodologies.
• Validate labor assumptions during quoting, program launches, and operational changes.
• Maintain and continuously improve labor databases, standards, and best practices across operations.

Facility Layout & Material Flow

• Own facility planning and layout strategy, ensuring alignment with business growth, operational requirements, and corporate standards.
• Lead plant layout redesign projects utilizing AutoCAD and facility planning tools.
• Evaluate warehouse capacity requirements and optimize storage, supermarkets, line-side presentation, kitting, and material delivery methods.
• Develop integrated material flow solutions that support lean manufacturing principles and operational scalability.
• Identify and implement automation opportunities related to material handling, AGVs, conveyance systems, and warehouse operations.

Program Launch & Capital Projects

• Lead industrial engineering support for new product launches from concept through production implementation.
• Participate in facility footprint planning and manufacturing strategy decisions.
• Develop capital expenditure requests and business cases supporting automation, equipment investments, and operational improvements.
• Provide industrial engineering leadership during equipment installation, facility expansions, and plant reconfiguration projects.
• Support AME, Operations, and Program Management teams with manufacturing readiness and capacity planning activities.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a technical mentor to Industrial Engineers, CI Engineers, and engineering interns.
• Provide direction and guidance on industrial engineering methodologies, labor standards, and lean principles.
• Lead cross-functional project teams without direct reporting authority.
• Support the development and deployment of engineering best practices across multiple facilities.
• Present improvement strategies, project status, and business results to plant and senior leadership teams.

Additional responsibilities

• May be involved in helping to move heavy parts within plants
• May assist line with product changes to meet specifications.
• May have Yanfeng interns assigned to them for supervisory development and project coordination.

Qualifications

• Bachelors of Science Degree in Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Operations Engineering or related.
• 7+ Years of Experience in Industrial Engineering.
• 5+ Years of Experience within the automotive industry desired.
• Must be able and willing to travel and work at customer sites, including industrial manufacturing plants which might require climbing, lifting, or working in confined spaces.
• Extensive experience with labor planning, time studies, line balancing, and capacity analysis.
• Advanced knowledge of lean manufacturing principles, value stream mapping, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex operational improvement projects.
• Advanced AutoCAD and facility layout planning experience.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret operational and financial data.
• Experience supporting new program launches and manufacturing expansions.
• Ability to influence teams and drive results in a matrix organization.
• Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, and project management skills.
• Ability to travel as required within North American manufacturing operations.
• Flexible work with regional plant visits as required.

Preferred qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt Certification.
• MODAPTS® Certification.
• APICS / ASCM Certification.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.
• Experience with simulation modelling, automation systems, AGVs, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
• Multi-site manufacturing support experience.