Job Description
What to Expect The primary responsibilities of the Process Engineer, Production Planning are to eliminate waste in the production planning process and drive long-term improvements in demand forecasting, execution efficiency, and system capability. In addition, the Process Engineer will work with cross-functional teams to develop, introduce, and sustain optimized planning workflows, including value stream mapping for the end-to-end process, which encompasses demand generation, execution, sequencing, and ERP system integration. The Process Engineer will be responsible for creating and optimizing tools to enable this, leveraging current industry resources and AI technologies. They will lead review boards and audit various information signals for the internal execution system. They will also liaise with equipment engineering, process engineering, systems engineering, and data analytics to streamline information flow. They will interface with design, test, manufacturing, and quality teams to solve problems, improve planning manufacturability, and implement continuous improvement. They will sustain planning processes with cost reductions and efficiency improvements. In addition, the Process Engineer will work with quality and analytics teams to compile and evaluate data to determine appropriate limits and variables for process or system specifications. What You'll Do Develop expertise in production planning processes. Optimize value stream mapping and planning layouts to enhance demand flow, system integration, and efficiency while conducting process analysis, PFMEA, sequencing balancing, and capacity modeling/simulation Participate in the transition of planning strategies from initial forecasting to full-scale execution. Initiate and drive strategies to rapidly ramp the accuracy and throughput of newly launched production plans to meet full capacity, with a focus on maintaining the highest safety standards and customer demand throughout the ramp duration Champion continuous improvement projects (CIP) to maximize planning yield, capacity, and capability. Perform process/quality baseline studies, PFMEAs, and root cause analysis to proactively identify and address planning/execution issues Be responsible for diagnosing issues found during the demand generation and sequencing process and driving corrective action back to the source, including but not limited to SIE/SQE, resulting in root cause identification and elimination. Utilize structured problem-solving techniques such as DMAIC, Ishikawa, Five Whys (5W), and Eight Disciplines (8D) to optimize key production planning outcomes As a process planning owner, be responsible for interfacing with various cross-functional teams to drive both short-term and long-term outcomes—such as production, maintenance, design engineering, quality, and manufacturing. Synthesize, collate, and analyze data from ERP and factory data systems to identify and eliminate bottlenecks and reduce operational costs Use a range of data collection, visualization, and analysis tools to achieve this goal. Enable data-driven operational and financial decisions through insights into planning and process performance, including integration of factory data systems and use of software such as MySQL, Python, R, JMP, Minitab, Tableau, and Ignition Utilize a range of optimization and experimentation techniques to validate new demand signals, new planning processes, and to challenge existing limitations on high-volume production sequences Develop and implement process/quality control strategies for production planning, including poka-yokes, testing, tooling, ERP/sequencing-tailored inspections, and maintaining planning instructions, routings, and associated processes Develop, mentor, and train sustaining technicians and production controllers; assist in the training of operators as needed. Manage activities for process sustaining technicians to support day-to-day coverage of production planning, including developing and documenting appropriate rework procedures What You'll Bring 2-3 years of experience in production environments, with a proven track record in resolving complex issues on fast-paced, high-volume production lines. High-speed manufacturing experience preferred. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to thrive under pressure, optimize processes, and ensure operational efficiency in dynamic manufacturing settings Degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience Relevant certifications (e.g., APICS, Six Sigma, or data analysis tools like SQL/Python) are a plus but not mandatory Strong problem-solving abilities, familiarity with lean manufacturing principles, and experience using data-driven approaches to troubleshoot and improve production wo