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World's Finest® Chocolate · 4 days ago

Industrial Engineer Specialist

Chicago, IL

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

$102K/yr - $107K/yr

5+ years exp

World's Finest® Chocolate is seeking an Industrial Engineer Specialist who will play a pivotal role in transforming manufacturing operations. The role involves leading cross-functional teams to eliminate waste and drive operational excellence through Lean and Six Sigma methodologies.

Food Production

Comp. & Benefits

Responsibilities

Lead value stream improvement activities that deliver quantifiable waste reduction and productivity gains

Facilitate Kaizen events, waste walks, and focused improvement initiatives with clear ROI

Implement and sustain 5S and visual management systems across all value streams

Conduct daily Gemba walks, converting observations into prioritized action plans

Identify and eliminate the 7 wastes from daily operations

Champion RedZone (our productivity data collection system), providing technical support and troubleshooting

Partner with operations and IT to ensure data integrity drives better decision-making

Create and maintain Standard Work documentation in engaging, multimedia formats

Develop audit systems to ensure standards are trained, followed, and continuously improved

Build and maintain site loss trees and 'Loss Intelligence' dashboards that cover scrap, speed loss, micro stops, changeover loss, rework, and unplanned downtime by line and value stream

Analyze MTBF, MTTR, and failure mode Pareto charts for critical assets, and translate findings into actionable recommendations for PM content, frequency, and SMED or design changes

Conduct time and motion studies and work sampling to identify waste and to validate or reset standards

Train teams in Root Cause Analysis, 5 Why, Fishbone diagrams, and structured problem-solving

Coach leaders and frontline employees to use data, visual management, and standard work

Transform employee improvement ideas into implemented solutions—closing the loop with teams

Build a culture where continuous improvement is simply 'how we work'

Strong floor presence and credibility with operators, mechanics, and supervisors, combined with the ability to present clearly to executives

Strong facilitation and influencing skills, able to lead cross functional work without direct authority

Proactively identify and eliminate safety hazards through preventive action

Support execution of WFC's HACCP Plan and food safety objectives

Model positive safety behaviors and maintain GMP standards

Integrate safety and quality into every improvement initiative

Qualification

Lean ManufacturingContinuous ImprovementData AnalysisSix Sigma Green BeltSAPTechnical LeadershipProblem-solvingFacilitation SkillsEmotional Intelligence

Required

Education: Industrial, manufacturing, engineering, business degree or comparable hands-on manufacturing improvement experience

Leadership: 2+ years leading people or teams in operations, engineering, or CI roles

Experience: 5 to 8 years of experience in high volume manufacturing, preferably some Food and Beverage, confectionery, or CPG with high speed packaging and frequent changeovers

Technical Skills: Proven Lean or continuous improvement application in manufacturing; proficiency with Excel, dashboards, and manufacturing data systems

Core Competencies: Strong problem-solving and analytical skills; high mechanical, digital, and emotional intelligence; effective facilitation and influence across all organizational levels