Senior Lean Manufacturing Engineer – Automotive Startup

Slate Auto LLC; Warsaw (KY); On-site; USD 96,000 - 144,000; Full time

Job summary

Slate is seeking an experienced Industrial Engineer, Lean Manufacturing to join our team in the United States. The ideal candidate will drive continuous improvement, optimize processes, reduce waste, and support new product launches while ensuring safety, quality, and cost targets.

You will lead SPS development, apply Lean tools, perform time studies, line balancing, and collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Production and Supply Chain to align manufacturing strategies.

Qualifications

• 8+ years related experience with Bachelor's degree, 6 years with Master's degree, 3 years with PhD or equivalent experience preferably in an automotive and/or manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record in Lean Manufacturing implementation, process optimization, and plant launch activities.
• Certification in Lean Manufacturing is required.
• Six Sigma Green Belt is preferred.
• Proven track record of delivering sustainable cost savings and process improvements.
• Ability to align maps with KPI dashboards for tracking.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize Slate Production System (SPS).
• Analyze, design, and improve manufacturing processes to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance quality.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing tools (Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Kaizen, Standard Work, Kanban) to streamline operations.
• Conduct time studies, line balancing, and capacity analysis to optimize labor and equipment utilization.
• Lead or support continuous improvement projects focused on cost reduction, productivity, and quality enhancements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Engineering, Quality, Production, Supply Chain) to ensure alignment on manufacturing strategies.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) and launch readiness activities, including process flow design, workstation setup, PFMEA, and control plans.
• Documentation & Reporting Monitor and report KPI performance, developing dashboards and action plans for improvement.
• Process Improvement Leadership Provide training and mentoring to operators and team members on Lean practices and continuous improvement culture.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Root cause analysis

Problem solving

Kaizen

Value Stream Mapping

5S

Kanban

Leadership / training

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

PhD or equivalent

Tools

VISIO

Minitab

Microsoft Office

Job description

Slate is seeking an experienced Industrial Engineer, Lean Manufacturing to join our team in the United States. The ideal candidate will drive continuous improvement, optimize processes, reduce waste, and support new product launches while ensuring safety, quality, and cost targets.

You will lead SPS development, apply Lean tools, perform time studies, line balancing, and collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Production and Supply Chain to align manufacturing strategies.