Sustainability & Energy Optimization Lead

Potential with Quanex; Owatonna (MN); On-site; USD 121,000 - 148,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

401K Match w/ 2-year vesting period

Bonus Potential

Medical, Dental & Vision Plans

Paid Time Off & Holidays

Tuition Assistance

Wellness/Fitness Resources

Training/Development

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Dynamic Culture & People

Job summary

Quanex seeks an Operational Decarbonization Manager to lead energy kaizen initiatives across manufacturing sites in Minnesota, Ohio, and beyond. The role focuses on reducing energy use, waste, and water, collaborating with plant leaders to apply Lean and continuous improvement methodologies to achieve meaningful sustainability gains.

This position requires travel across North America to support programs at 40 locations, with future expansion to UK, Italy and Germany as programs mature.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, energy or related field preferred.
• 5+ years in manufacturing, with sustainability or energy management focus.
• Experience in energy savings audits / treasure hunts (air, HVAC, lighting, motors).
• Lean Six Sigma certified or equivalent energy efficiency qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead energy kaizen events to reduce energy and carbon footprint.
• Partner with plant managers to implement energy efficiency projects.
• Develop and deploy sustainability tools and best practices.
• Track project budgets, timelines and financial impact.
• Provide data-driven insights for continuous improvement.

Skills

Energy management

Lean Six Sigma

Project management

Data-driven decision making

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Energy auditing tools

Job description

Quanex seeks an Operational Decarbonization Manager to lead energy kaizen initiatives across manufacturing sites in Minnesota, Ohio, and beyond. The role focuses on reducing energy use, waste, and water, collaborating with plant leaders to apply Lean and continuous improvement methodologies to achieve meaningful sustainability gains.

This position requires travel across North America to support programs at 40 locations, with future expansion to UK, Italy and Germany as programs mature.