Continuous Improvement Engineer

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a Continuous Improvement Engineer – Operational Excellence to help build and implement our Business Operational System.

This is a hands-on role for an Industrial Engineer who enjoys working directly with people and processes. The successful candidate will spend significant time in the operation, working with supervisors and frontline employees to improve processes, establish standards, solve problems, implement Lean practices, and develop a culture of continuous improvement.

This is not simply a time-and-motion analyst position. We are looking for someone who can help build the capabilities, management routines, and operating standards that will drive sustainable Operational Excellence.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the implementation of the Business Operational System and its Operational Excellence pillars.
• Analyze operational processes to identify waste, bottlenecks, productivity losses, and improvement opportunities.
• Develop and implement Standard Work, process documentation, visual management, and daily management practices.
• Lead and facilitate Lean and Continuous Improvement initiatives, including 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, PDCA, A3, 5 Why, and root cause analysis.
• Conduct time studies, productivity analysis, capacity analysis, and labor/workforce balancing when appropriate.
• Facilitate structured problem solving and help teams eliminate root causes rather than repeatedly addressing symptoms.
• Establish and monitor operational KPIs related to productivity, labor efficiency, cycle time, quality, service, and cost.
• Work with supervisors and frontline employees to implement and sustain improvements.
• Train and coach employees and leaders in Lean tools, problem solving, standard work, and continuous improvement.
• Support process improvements and operational readiness during high-volume periods, including Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
• Quantify and track the operational and financial impact of improvement initiatives.
• Promote a culture in which leaders and employees actively participate in improving how work is performed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Logistics, or a related field.
• 2–5 years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Lean, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Logistics, Warehousing, or related operations.
• Hands-on experience applying Lean or Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Knowledge of Standard Work, 5S, process mapping, time studies, root cause analysis, PDCA, and problem solving.
• Strong analytical skills and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience developing and tracking operational KPIs.
• Ability to train, coach, and influence frontline employees and supervisors.
• Fluent English and Spanish, written and spoken.
• Experience in logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, food, perishables, agriculture, or other time-sensitive operations is a plus.
• Lean Six Sigma certification or experience with TPM or other Operational Excellence systems is highly desirable.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

We are looking for a hands-on, analytical, and people-oriented Industrial Engineer who is comfortable working on the floor, observing processes, analyzing data, solving problems, and teaching others.

The ideal candidate can:

Observe → Analyze → Standardize → Improve → Teach → Sustain

You should be comfortable influencing without formal authority and working collaboratively with employees at all levels of the organization.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Based in Miami, Florida.
• Significant time working directly in warehouse and logistics operations.
• Ability to work in cold-chain environments with temperatures near 35°F.
• Ability to work under pressure in a highly time-sensitive operation.
• Additional hours may be required during peak seasonal periods.

HOW SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED

Success in this role will be measured by the ability to:

• Help implement and sustain the Business Operational System.
• Improve productivity and labor efficiency.
• Reduce waste, cycle time, errors, and rework.
• Establish and sustain standardized processes.
• Develop employees and supervisors in Lean and problem solving.
• Deliver measurable improvements in Safety, Quality, Service, Productivity, and Cost.
• Build internal capability for continuous improvement and Operational Excellence.

DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT & OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE ENGINEER

Reports to: Operations Manager | Location: Miami, Florida | Department: Operations / Operational Excellence
Work Environment: Logistics and cold-chain operations | Language: Bilingual – English and Spanish
Employment Type: Full-time | Compensation: USD $24.00/hour + company incentives

1. POSITION PURPOSE

The Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence Engineer will support the development, implementation, and sustainability of the Business Operational System, driving a culture of operational discipline, continuous improvement, standardization, problem solving, and employee engagement across the operation.

This position will work directly with supervisors, team leaders, and frontline employees to identify performance gaps, analyze processes, establish standards, implement Lean and Continuous Improvement practices, and develop the capabilities required to sustain improvements.

The successful candidate will not simply analyze operations or conduct time studies. The individual will be expected to go to the workplace, understand how the work is actually performed, engage employees, identify root causes, facilitate solutions, implement improvements, and verify that results are sustained.

The position will play a key role in building the foundations of Operational Excellence, with particular emphasis on: Safety, Daily Management, Strategic Deployment, Standard Work, Visual Management, Continuous Improvement, Problem Solving, and Productivity and labor effectiveness.

2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Operational Excellence System Implementation

Support the Operations Manager and leadership team in implementing and sustaining the Business Operational System.

• Translate the Operational Excellence strategy into practical routines and standards at the workplace.
• Support the implementation of the Operational Excellence pillars.
• Establish and sustain daily management routines and performance reviews.
• Develop and implement visual management systems.
• Support the definition and deployment of operational KPIs.
• Facilitate structured performance discussions at the appropriate management levels.
• Identify gaps between expected and actual performance and coordinate improvement actions.
• Help establish a consistent problem-solving culture across the operation.
• Track implementation of Operational Excellence initiatives and ensure actions are completed.
• Build internal capability so that supervisors and frontline teams increasingly own and lead improvement activities.

The engineer is expected to become a catalyst for the system, not a replacement for operational leadership.

B. Continuous Improvement and Lean Implementation

Lead and facilitate continuous improvement activities using Lean and other appropriate improvement methodologies.

• Identify opportunities to eliminate waste, improve flow, reduce variation, and increase productivity.
• Apply Lean principles to logistics and warehouse operations.
• Facilitate Kaizen and focused improvement activities.
• Use tools such as: 5S, Standard Work, Visual Management, Value Stream Mapping, Process Mapping, Spaghetti Diagrams, Time and Motion Studies, Workload and Capacity Analysis, Line/Workforce Balancing, Root Cause Analysis, 5 Why, Fishbone/Ishikawa, PDCA, A3 Problem Solving, Pareto Analysis, and basic statistical analysis.
• Identify and eliminate non-value-added activities.
• Reduce waiting, unnecessary movement, transportation, overprocessing, rework, and other forms of operational waste.
• Evaluate and improve layouts, material flow, information flow, and work methods.
• Quantify the financial and operational impact of improvements.

C. Process Standardization and Standard Work

• Observe and document current processes and work methods.
• Develop process maps, flow diagrams, and standard work documentation.
• Establish standard operating procedures and work instructions.
• Define the best known method for performing critical activities.
• Establish standard cycle times and productivity expectations when appropriate.
• Identify and close gaps between documented standards and actual work practices.
• Work with supervisors and operators to ensure standards are practical, understood, and followed.
• Establish mechanisms to audit and sustain standards.
• Support the development of training materials based on standardized work.
• Continuously improve standards as better methods are identified.

Objective: create stable, repeatable, and measurable processes that provide a foundation for continuous improvement.

D. Problem Solving and Root Cause Analysis

• Identify recurring and significant operational problems.
• Facilitate cross-functional problem-solving teams.
• Define problems using facts and data; separate symptoms from root causes.
• Apply structured root cause analysis methodologies.
• Develop corrective and preventive actions; implement countermeasures and verify effectiveness.
• Establish follow-up mechanisms to prevent recurrence.
• Coach supervisors and employees in practical problem-solving techniques.
• Build organizational capability in PDCA and A3 thinking.

E. Productivity, Time Studies, and Labor Effectiveness

• Conduct time and motion studies when appropriate.
• Establish standard times and performance expectations.
• Analyze productivity by process, activity, team, and shift.
• Identify labor losses and productivity gaps.
• Support workforce planning and labor balancing based on demand.
• Evaluate labor requirements during normal operations and seasonal peaks.
• Identify opportunities to reduce labor cost per unit while protecting safety, quality, service, and cold-chain requirements.
• Analyze process bottlenecks and constraints.
• Validate the financial impact of productivity improvements.

F. Data Analysis and Performance Management

• Develop and maintain operational performance indicators.
• Analyze productivity, efficiency, quality, service, labor, and process performance.
• Develop dashboards and visual performance boards as needed.
• Monitor actual performance versus standards and targets.
• Conduct Pareto analysis to prioritize improvement opportunities.
• Use Excel and other analytical tools to convert data into actionable insights.

Performance indicators may include: FBE per labor hour, cost per FBE, cycle time, labor productivity, process efficiency, on-time shipment performance, rework and error rates, process adherence, capacity utilization, productivity versus standard, and improvement project benefits.

G. Training and Capability Development

• Train employees and supervisors in Lean fundamentals and problem-solving methods.
• Coach supervisors and team leaders in daily management and continuous improvement.
• Facilitate problem-solving workshops and Kaizen events.
• Develop simple and practical training materials.
• Reinforce the application of Lean tools through hands-on coaching.

Goal: progressively develop internal improvement capability, reducing dependence on external support and creating sustainable ownership within the team.

H. Visual Management and Daily Management

• Implement visual performance management at the workplace.
• Develop performance boards and visual indicators.
• Define appropriate daily KPIs for each operational area.
• Support daily team meetings and tiered management routines.
• Establish escalation mechanisms for abnormal conditions.
• Help leaders move from reactive management toward proactive performance management.

I. Safety, Quality, and Cold-Chain Performance

• Incorporate safety considerations into all process improvement activities.
• Identify unsafe conditions and opportunities for risk reduction.
• Ensure productivity improvements do not compromise safety, quality, or cold-chain integrity.
• Support process improvements that reduce quality defects, errors, rework, and product damage.

J. Seasonal and High-Demand Operations

• Analyze historical operational performance during Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
• Identify capacity constraints and bottlenecks; support labor and workload planning.
• Develop standard work and visual management practices to support high-volume operations.
• Conduct post-season reviews and convert lessons learned into standardized practices for future peaks.

3. KEY DELIVERABLES (First 12–18 Months)

Operational Excellence System: Support implementation of the Business Operational System; establish foundational Lean and CI routines; support deployment of daily and visual management.

Standardization: Critical operational processes documented and standardized; standard work developed for key processes; clear productivity standards established where appropriate.

Problem Solving: Structured problem-solving process implemented; supervisors and team leaders trained in basic methodologies; recurring operational problems systematically addressed.

Productivity: Key productivity losses identified and prioritized; labor productivity opportunities quantified; improvement initiatives implemented with measurable results.

Capability Development: Employees and leaders trained in Lean fundamentals; supervisors progressively capable of leading daily management and improvement activities; internal CI capability established.

Sustainability: Improvement results tracked and validated; standards audited and sustained; successful improvements replicated across relevant processes.

4. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Logistics, or a related field.
• Lean Six Sigma certification is desirable.
• Additional training or certification in Lean Manufacturing, CI, TPM, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence is highly desirable.

Experience

• 2–5 years in Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, Lean Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Logistics, Warehousing, or related operational environments.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience implementing process improvements.
• Experience conducting process analysis, time studies, standard work development, and structured problem solving.
• Experience training or coaching frontline employees and supervisors is strongly preferred.
• Experience in logistics, warehousing, food, perishables, agriculture, flowers, or other time-sensitive operations is desirable.

Technical Skills – Required

• Lean Manufacturing / Continuous Improvement principles
• Process mapping and analysis; Standard Work
• Time and Motion Studies; Root Cause Analysis and Problem Solving
• KPI development and performance analysis
• Advanced Microsoft Excel; data analysis and visualization
• Basic project management

Technical Skills – Preferred

• Lean Six Sigma; Value Stream Mapping; A3 Problem Solving; PDCA; Kaizen facilitation; 5S; Visual Management
• Daily Management Systems; Workforce and capacity analysis
• Power BI or similar data visualization tools
• Experience with WMS or logistics management systems
• Familiarity with TPM or other structured Operational Excellence systems
• Practical application of AI and digital tools to improve analysis and productivity

5. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Fluent English and Spanish, both written and spoken, are required. Bilingual capability is essential due to the multicultural nature of the workforce and the need to facilitate training, problem solving, and implementation across the operation.

6. CORE COMPETENCIES

• Continuous Improvement Mindset - Curiosity and a strong desire to understand how processes work and how they can be improved.
• Gemba Orientation - Comfortable working directly in the operation, observing processes, and engaging employees.
• Analytical Thinking - Able to translate operational data into meaningful insights and actionable decisions.
• Problem-Solving Ability - Uses structured thinking and facts to identify root causes and develop sustainable solutions.
• Influencing Without Authority - Able to build credibility and influence without relying on formal authority.
• Coaching and Facilitation - Able to teach, coach, facilitate, and develop others.
• Results Orientation - Focused on measurable improvements in safety, quality, service, productivity, cost, and employee engagement.
• Change Leadership - Able to help employees adopt new ways of working and sustain behavioral and process changes.
• Communication - Able to communicate complex concepts simply and practically in both English and Spanish.
• Ownership and Initiative - Self-directed and proactive; takes responsibility from analysis through implementation and sustainment.

7. WORKING CONDITIONS

• Primary work location: operational facilities in Miami, Florida.
• Significant time working directly in the operational environment.
• Ability to work in cold-chain environments with temperatures near 35°F.
• Ability to stand, walk, and observe operations for extended periods.
• Ability to work under pressure in a highly time-sensitive logistics environment.
• Standard schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; one Saturday every two weeks, 8:00 AM–1:00 PM.
• Additional extended hours may be required during peak seasonal periods, particularly Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
• One-hour daily lunch break.

8. SUCCESS MEASURES

Success will be evaluated not only by the number of time studies or improvement projects completed, but by the ability to build a sustainable Operational Excellence system and develop internal capability.

• Implementation progress of the Business Operational System.
• Number and quality of standardized critical processes.
• Sustained productivity improvements.
• Reduction in process cycle times and operational waste.
• Reduction in rework and errors.
• Improvement in on-time shipment performance.
• Improvement in productivity per labor hour.
• Number and impact of implemented improvement initiatives.
• Sustainability of implemented improvements.
• Number of supervisors and employees trained in Lean and problem solving.
• Increased participation of frontline employees in improvement activities.
• Development of supervisors capable of independently managing daily performance and leading improvement activities.

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Continuous improvement, lean manufacturing: 2 years (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)
• Spanish (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Doral, FL 33122 (Required)

Work Location: In person