Improvement Engineer - Poromerics

Are you looking to power the next leap in the exciting world of advanced electronics? Do you want to help solve problems that drive success in the rapidly evolving technology and connectivity landscape? Then bring your problem-solving, passion, and creativity to help us power the next leap in electronics.

At Qnity, we’re more than a global leader in materials and solutions for advanced electronics and high-tech industries – we’re a tight-knit team that is motivated by new possibilities, and always up for a challenge. All our dedicated teams contribute to making cutting-edge technology possible. We value forward-thinking challengers, boundary-pushers, and diverse perspectives across all our departments, because we know we play a critical role in the world enabling faster progress for all. Learn how you can start or jumpstart your career with us.

Position Summary/Overview

Improvement Engineers serve as a vital resource for Operations by applying technical and organizational skills to drive the plant level continuous improvement program targeted at delivering maximum value from the assets, while continuously improving process safety and production efficiency.  Improvement Engineers generate tremendous value through their technical and financial knowledge, skills and abilities:
 

Influential Leadership:

• Possess strong sense of ownership and are accountable for the success and failure of continuous improvement efforts and for the economic return on those activities.
• Demonstrate courageous leadership by coaching, asking questions, and intervening when needed.   Challenge status quo and past norms to drive the plant continuous improvement programs.
• Actively participate in plant and/or business safety programs as appropriate.  Demonstrate positive influential behaviors through active plant engagement and excellent use of management systems.
• Exhibit the professionalism and behaviors expected in the plant similar to the Production Leader.  Their actions or lack of actions affect the culture from a positive or negative perspective.
• Adheres strongly to the MOC process in their organization to ensure that reviews are completed thoroughly, risks are adequately assessed, and personnel are properly trained prior to implementing changes in the production facility.
   

Business Owner Mindset/Financial Acumen:  

• Learn and apply continuous improvement, value creation, and financial acumen skills to accelerate profitability and low cost service of the facility.
• Understand the customer’s unmet needs and ensure the PSTP includes continuous improvement activities to close any customer gaps on product quality, product mix or reliability.
• Know the margins generated from the plant’s production slate and prioritize continuous improvement activities to maximize total margin.
• Continuously work to identify opportunities to improve the plant’s cost position and EBITDA generation.  Ensure the Plant Specific Technology Plan has a balance of activities that overall will deliver positive ROC for the facility.
• Sets up metrics and management systems to ensure activities deliver the results they were chartered to deliver.  Treats missed expectations of a charter as an unplanned event and the root causes within the control of the facility are identified and eliminated.
• Leverages successes beyond the facility through the site and technology center to maximize value of local innovations.

Position Responsibilities:

• Build respect and trust of the operations team because of their great process technology knowledge and continuous improvement skill set (i.e. Six Sigma, LEAN, IPS, Advanced Process Control & Optimization programs).
• Drive knowledge exchange with technology experts (plant resources, Technology Center, Engineering Solutions, internal consultant groups, sister plants, local external experts) to increase awareness of potential improvement opportunities for the technology.
•  Partner with the experts to develop and implement a Plant Specific Technology Plan that delivers positive year-over-year ROC (return on capital) and non-capital continuous improvement while meeting the plant level EH&S improvement goals. 
• Champion process safety activities and act as a resource for relevant process safety concerns such as Cardinal Rules, SIS/LOPA, Safety System Impairment, Reactive Chemicals, etc.
• Partner with plant operation and maintenance personnel to identify and track performance indicators to be used in identification of technology gaps and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Support the facility root cause investigation process by serving as a team member or facilitator for incidents related to process technology.
• Lead and support plant continuous improvement activities aligned to the PSTP and also support the capital plan for the facility.  This includes leading continuous improvement activities for the facility and may include serving in specific GPM related roles of project manager or manufacturing representative.
• Champions the “next unplanned event” exercise for the plant and ensures potential solutions are captured in the appropriate prioritization system.
• Serves as the implementation arm of the technology center. This includes serving as the local focal point for Most Effective Technology (MET) implementation, and LOPA / LPP follow-up. Accountable to the Technology Improvement Leaders for delivery of improvements. 
• Participate in the “on call” program for plant immediate response and advising similar to other day support roles.
   

Preferred Qualifications:

• Six Sigma GBPL or BB certification highly advantageous
• Demonstration and validate expertise of both the technology and the continuous improvement process, including:
  • Fundamental principles (mass balance, energy balance, process parameters, governing equations)   
  • Technology and process safety knowledge
  • Knowledge of key continuous improvement systems (Six Sigma, LEAN,  IPS)
  • Financial Acumen
• Process Engineering or Manufacturing focused role(s) in previous experience

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (or equivalent collegiate education in STEM field).

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Qnity is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit our Accessibility Page for Contact Information.

Qnity offers a comprehensive pay and benefits package. To learn more visit the Compensation and Benefits page.

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