Senior Manufacturing Engineer

FlexTek; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

FlexTek in Houston, TX, seeks a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to dissect manufacturing processes, identify waste and constraints, and lead Lean-focused improvements. You will work with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, and frontline staff to map current-state processes, design future-state solutions, and drive projects through implementation and sustainment.

The ideal candidate has hands-on Lean experience in an industrial setting with proven results in throughput, OEE, and capacity

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in an engineering discipline related to manufacturing.
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, with senior experience preferred.
• Hands-on Lean experience in an industrial manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience developing and using Value Stream Maps for current-to-future state.
• Proven track record delivering measurable improvements (throughput, OEE, cost, capacity).
• Ability to work on the manufacturing floor with operators and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead Value Stream Mapping to map current-state, identify constraints, and plan future-state implementations.
• Apply Lean tools such as Kaizen, 5S/6S, standardized work, visual management, and Kanban.
• Own improvement projects from problem identification to planning, execution, and sustainment.
• Define project scope, timelines, resources, risks, and success criteria.
• Lead cross-functional teams and track milestones and results.
• Conduct time studies, work measurement, and capacity analyses.
• Analyze processes, layouts, labor utilization, and data for opportunities.
• Develop improved process flows, layouts, work cells, and standard work.
• Drive improvements in OEE, throughput, scrap, downtime, and productivity.
• Lead Kaizen events and data-driven improvement initiatives.
• Use data to verify results and identify root causes for recurring issues.
• Develop capacity models, ROI analyses, and business cases for investments.
• Support equipment, tooling, automation, and process validation.
• Document work instructions and routings.
• Support new product introduction and production readiness.
• Communicate status, risks, and financial impact to leadership.
• Coach employees to embed Lean improvements into operations.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Value Stream Mapping

Kaizen

5S/6S

Gemba

Kanban/pull systems

Takt time

Line balancing

Root cause analysis

Structured problem-solving

OEE improvement

Project management

Data-driven decision making

Cross-functional leadership

Floor leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, or related discipline

Job description

We’re looking for a Senior Manufacturing Engineer who can take a manufacturing process apart, understand where the waste and constraints are, and lead the work required to make it better.

This role will have a strong focus on Lean manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping, process optimization, and project execution. You’ll work directly with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, and frontline employees to evaluate current-state processes, develop future-state solutions, and lead improvement projects through implementation and sustainment.

We’re looking for someone who has actually used Lean tools to deliver results—not simply someone familiar with the terminology. The right person should be able to point to projects where their work improved throughput, reduced cost, eliminated waste, improved equipment utilization, reduced cycle time, or increased capacity.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Value Stream Mapping activities to understand current-state operations, identify constraints and waste, develop future-state processes, and build actionable implementation plans.
• Apply a broad range of Lean manufacturing tools, including Kaizen, 5S/6S, standardized work, visual management, Gemba, waste elimination, continuous flow, pull systems/Kanban, takt time, line balancing, root cause analysis, and structured problem-solving.
• Own improvement projects from initial problem identification and business case through planning, execution, implementation, validation, and sustainment.
• Establish project scope, objectives, timelines, deliverables, resources, risks, and measurable success criteria.
• Lead cross-functional project teams and maintain accountability for milestones, actions, and results.
• Conduct time studies, work measurement, cycle-time analysis, line balancing, staffing analysis, and capacity studies.
• Analyze manufacturing processes, layouts, labor utilization, equipment, material movement, and production data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Develop and implement improved process flows, manufacturing layouts, work cells, material flow, workstation designs, and standardized work.
• Drive measurable improvements in OEE, throughput, productivity, scrap, downtime, labor utilization, cost, quality, and capacity.
• Lead Kaizen events and other focused improvement initiatives based on operational needs and data.
• Use data to identify root causes, quantify opportunities, prioritize projects, and verify that implemented changes are delivering the expected results.
• Lead RCCA and structured problem-solving efforts for recurring manufacturing, equipment, and quality issues.
• Develop capacity models, technical recommendations, ROI analyses, and business cases supporting equipment, automation, process changes, and CAPEX investments.
• Support manufacturing equipment, tooling, automation, and process improvements through trials, testing, implementation, and validation.
• Develop and maintain work instructions, manufacturing routings, labor standards, process parameters, and engineering documentation.
• Support new product introduction, DFM, process development, and production readiness.
• Communicate project status, risks, financial impact, and results to plant and senior leadership.
• Coach and engage employees at multiple levels of the organization to help ensure Lean improvements become part of the operation rather than one-time projects.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, with more senior experience strongly preferred.
• Significant hands‑on experience applying Lean manufacturing principles and tools in an industrial manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience developing and using Value Stream Maps to move from current‑state analysis to future‑state implementation.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Lean tools such as Kaizen, 5S/6S, Gemba, standardized work, visual management, takt time, Kanban/pull systems, continuous flow, line balancing, waste elimination, and root cause analysis.
• Hands‑on experience conducting time studies, work measurement, capacity analysis, and cycle‑time analysis.
• Demonstrated project management experience, including leading cross‑functional manufacturing or industrial improvement projects from concept through implementation.
• Ability to demonstrate measurable results from previous projects—cost savings, increased throughput, reduced cycle time, improved OEE, scrap reduction, productivity gains, capacity increases, or similar operational improvements.
• Strong analytical and structured problem‑solving skills with the ability to translate data into action.
• Comfortable spending significant time on the manufacturing floor and working directly with operators, technicians, engineers, and plant leadership.

Additional Experience That Would Be Valuable

Experience with facility and plant layout optimization, cellular or single‑piece flow, major manufacturing transformations, OEE, SPC/CPK, CAPEX, automation, IQ/OQ/PQ, DFM, ISO 9001, or AS9100 would be highly valuable.

The ideal person for this role doesn't just know what a Value Stream Map or Kaizen event is. They can show where they used those tools, what they changed, how they managed the project, and what measurable result the business received.