Senior Operational Excellence Engineer

Vallourec; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision

Company-Paid Life Insurance & Short/LD

Profit Sharing

401(k) Match

Paid Vacation Time

Performance-Based Bonus Program

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Vallourec in North America seeks a Senior Operational Excellence Engineer to lead deployment of the DRIVE+ Operational Excellence Management System and advance continuous improvement across safety, quality, cost, and productivity. You will coach teams, develop KPIs, and collaborate with finance on business cases, with up to 25% travel.

This role requires engineering expertise, Lean/Six Sigma credentials, and strong leadership in cross-functional environments, enabling sustainable performance

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Lean / Six Sigma Green Belt or higher preferred.
• Experience in operations leadership, process engineering, or industrial operations.
• Strong statistical analysis, problem-solving, and project management.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Visio).
• Ability to influence and collaborate at all organizational levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead deployment, governance, auditing, and continuous improvement of the DRIVE+ system.
• Facilitate and lead CI projects focused on safety, quality, flow, cost, and people.
• Develop KPIs, analytics tools, and performance dashboards.
• Conduct value stream mapping, workflow analysis, TPM, 5S, standardization, and Six Sigma initiatives.
• Coach leaders and employees on lean principles and daily management systems.
• Partner with finance to validate project business cases and results.
• Coordinate Lean and Six Sigma training and skill development.
• Lead benchmarking and best-practice sharing across sites and Vallourec operations.
• Report improvement progress to executive leadership; travel up to 25%.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

5S

Value stream mapping

Workflow analysis

Problem solving

Project management

Statistical analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Visio

Job description

At Vallourec, we are seeking a highly qualified continuous improvement professional who is passionate about driving transformative operational performance. The Senior Operational Excellence Engineer leads deployment of the DRIVE+ Operational Excellence Management System, supports strategic lean initiatives, and helps operations teams improve safety, quality, cost, productivity, and people development across North America. The position will provide leadership to assist operating and maintenance leaders in identification, prioritization and implementation of projects, routines and system elements that improve key business indicators. They will provide expertise and support in monitoring, facilitating, leading and training all team members to work effectively within the system, including but not limited to methods such as 5S, TPM, standardization, workflow analysis, value stream mapping, maintenance excellence and Six Sigma. The Senior OpEx Engineer will track overall improvement progress and report as necessary to local up through executive management. The role will also be required to support other sites and other divisions of Vallourec Corporation as needed in the spirit of benchmarking and collaboration, which may result in up to 25% travel.

Your Role at a Glance

• Lead deployment, governance, auditing, and continuous improvement of the DRIVE+ Operational Excellence Management System
• Facilitate and lead continuous improvement projects focused on safety, quality, flow, cost, and people performance
• Develop KPIs, analytics tools, and performance dashboards to drive operational decision-making
• Conduct value stream mapping, workflow analysis, TPM, 5S, standardization, and Six Sigma initiatives
• Coach leaders and employees on lean manufacturing principles and daily management systems (MDI)
• Partner with finance teams to validate project business cases and financial results
• Coordinate Lean and Six Sigma training programs and support skill development initiatives
• Lead benchmarking and best-practice sharing across sites and global Vallourec operations
• Report improvement progress and strategic results to executive leadership
• Travel up to 25% to support regional operational excellence initiatives

What Sets You Apart

We're looking for individuals who bring the right mix of experience, mindset, and motivation:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Automation, or related discipline) required
• Master's degree preferred
• Lean / Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, TPS, or equivalent certification preferred
• Experience in operations leadership, process engineering, manufacturing, or industrial operations environments
• Demonstrated success deploying Lean, Six Sigma, TPS, or other continuous improvement methodologies
• Strong statistical analysis, problem-solving, and project management capabilities
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Visio
• Ability to influence and collaborate at all organizational levels

What Powers Your Performance

Success in this role is driven by a strong mix of personal ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We value team members who:

• Communicate clearly and constructively
• Collaborate effectively and contribute to team success
• Adapt to change with a positive, proactive mindset
• Take accountability and show initiative in work
• Demonstrate reliability and pride in performance
• Prioritize safety and act with awareness
• Embrace feedback and use it to grow
• Maintain high attention to detail
• Drive continuous improvement and challenge the status quo
• Support and develop others through shared learning

How We Support Your Success

We're committed to helping you thrive on the job and beyond. That's why we offer a collaborative culture where your ideas drive real change, and career mobility within a stable, essential industry. To support your growth and well-being, we also provide a comprehensive and competitive benefits program, including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Company-Paid Life Insurance & Short/Long-Term Disability
• Profit Sharing: Up to 4%
• 401(k): Company match 4.5% with no vesting period
• Paid Vacation Time
• Performance-Based Bonus Program
• Tuition Reimbursement

Safety isn’t negotiable, it's who we are. Every decision is guided by a commitment to protecting our people through clear expectations, continuous training, and shared accountability.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.