Remote Lean Engineer - Continuous Improvement Lead

Placements24; Mbombela (Nelspruit); Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance-based incentives

Health benefits

Retirement fund contributions

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 seeks an Industrial Engineer to lead lean manufacturing initiatives across its Nelspruit operations, working remotely from anywhere in South Africa. The role focuses on waste reduction, process flow, and building a culture of continuous improvement with cross‑functional teams.

The ideal candidate has 4+ years in industrial engineering, solid experience with 5S, VSM, Kaizen, TPM, Six Sigma, and a proven ability to drive Kaizen events while coaching staff and managing projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering or related field
• 4+ years in industrial engineering with strong focus on lean implementation
• Experience with lean tools: 5S, VSM, Kaizen, TPM, Six Sigma
• Proven ability to lead Kaizen events and drive process improvements
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving and project management skills
• Strong training, facilitation and coaching abilities
• Effective communication and ability to work remotely with diverse teams
• Manufacturing environment experience and SA remote work eligibility

Responsibilities

• Lead lean manufacturing initiatives across facilities (5S, Kaizen, VSM, Kanban, Poka‑Yoke)
• Conduct waste walks and facilitate Kaizen events to drive improvements
• Develop and execute VSM for key product lines to identify bottlenecks
• Train and coach employees on lean principles and tools
• Establish and monitor KPIs (lead time, inventory turns, productivity)
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams for adoption and sustainability
• Support standardized work and operational excellence programs
• Document and drive continuous improvement projects and knowledge sharing
• Promote a culture of problem‑solving and continuous improvement

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Kaizen events

Value Stream Mapping (VSM)

5S

Kanban

Poka‑Yoke

Six Sigma

Project management

Training & coaching

Analytical skills

Manufacturing experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering

Job description

Placements24 seeks an Industrial Engineer to lead lean manufacturing initiatives across its Nelspruit operations, working remotely from anywhere in South Africa. The role focuses on waste reduction, process flow, and building a culture of continuous improvement with cross‑functional teams.

The ideal candidate has 4+ years in industrial engineering, solid experience with 5S, VSM, Kaizen, TPM, Six Sigma, and a proven ability to drive Kaizen events while coaching staff and managing projects.