Senior Manager/Associate Director Process Engineer (m/f/x) - Chicago

Mutares SE & Co. KGaA; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal and professional development

Flat hierarchies and fast decision-making

Regular team events

Job summary

Mutares SE & Co. KGaA is seeking a Lean Production Leader in Chicago to drive restructuring and turnaround projects. The role involves leading teams in operational excellence, deploying Lean methodologies, and supporting M&A assessments.

The ideal applicant has a degree in Engineering, 6+ years in the process industry, and expertise in Lean Manufacturing. The position requires business fluency in English and willingness to travel up to 4 days a week.

Join Mutares for an exciting work environment with growth opportunities and a commitment to teamwork.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in the process industry, preferably chemical.
• High expertise in operational excellence and organizational effectiveness.
• Business fluency in English and ability to communicate concisely.

Responsibilities

• Lead Lean Production in restructuring and turnaround projects.
• Deploy Turnaround Lean approach to optimize manufacturing processes.
• Engage teams and monitor execution of action plans.
• Support M&A team in due diligence with operational assessments.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Continuous Improvement

Six Sigma

Asset Management

Performance Management

Project Management

Education

Degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

Mutares SE & Co. KGaA, Munich (www.mutares.com), as a listed private equity holding company, acquires medium‑sized companies in special situations, which show significant operational improvement potential and are sold again after undergoing a repositioning and stabilization process. Mutares actively supports its portfolio companies with its own investment and operations teams and through strategic add‑on acquisitions. The focus is on companies with revenues ranging from EUR 100 million to EUR 750 million, across various industries. The aim is to achieve a clear value increase with a focus on sustainable, long‑term growth of the portfolio company.

Your Tasks

• Lead the Lean Production stream in restructuring and turnaround projects, providing clear leadership, strategic direction, and hands‑on expertise to drive Operational Excellence.

• Deploy Turnaround Lean approach for Production, define roadmaps, optimize manufacturing processes, organization, and systems to improve operational and financial performance (EBITDA & Cash).

• Engage local teams, closely monitor execution of action plans, lead breakthrough initiatives and workshops, and provide guidance and training in core process engineering and Lean methods (VSM, PFMEA / Control Plans, SPC, DOE, SMED, 5S, problem‑solving).

• Identify benchmarks, enforce operational basics, deploy best practices, and unlock synergies across all production‑related functions including Manufacturing, Quality, Maintenance, and Engineering.

• Support the M&A team in due diligence through expert operational assessments, including process flows, capacity and bottleneck analysis, and CapEx/OpEx implications for value creation roadmaps.

Your Profile

• Successfully completed a degree in Engineering or a related field with outstanding results.

• At least 6 years of experience in the process industry, preferably in the chemical sector, combined with the ability to work in a consulting environment.

• High level of expertise in asset management, process excellence, performance management, and organizational effectiveness.

• Subject matter expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, and related methodologies.

• Business fluency in English with the ability to communicate in a well‑structured and concise manner; another language is a plus.

• Willingness to travel up to 4 days per week (typically Monday – Thursday) and to work in an international environment.

What Mutares offers

• Work in a highly motivated, international, committed, and agile team that enjoys working together.

• Exciting work environment with varied challenges, strategic influence, and tasks for continuous personal and professional development.

• Flat hierarchies, fast decision‑making processes, and room for your own ideas.

• Regular team events and offsites.