Lead Continuous Improvement Engineer

Kyocera International, Inc. is hiring a Lead Continuous Improvement Engineer in our Hendersonville, NC, facility!

If you have the experience noted below and want to work with an innovative team and a great company, apply today!

Look at these PERKS and see why Kyocera is a great team to be on!

• Competitive pay, benefits, and hours
• 120 hours of vacation accrued per year to start (that's 3 weeks/year for regular 8-hour shifts!); accruals grow based on years with the company
• No cap on vacation accruals - employees can save with no limit and even cash it out
• 10 Paid Holidays per year
• Generous paid Sick time for managing the unexpected and caring for your family
• Immediate 401(k) eligibility with a company match
• Pension Program (100% paid by employer)
• Medical insurance, Dental and Vision insurance for you and your family with no waiting period
• Life, AD&D and Long-Term Disability insurance (100% employer paid)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Paid time off for volunteer activities
• Allowances towards safety shoes/glasses for Production employees
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Adoption Assistance benefit
• Various wellness benefits including reimbursement for medical massages, plus many of our locations have on-site gyms

With nearly 80,000 employees globally, Kyocera is a leading manufacturer of high-tech Ceramics which are used in a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, Medical applications, and semiconductor processing. You will find our innovative materials in everything from smartphones to space shuttles.

We have a wonderful and robust corporate culture and philosophy based on the experiences and writings of our founder, Dr. Kazuo Inamori, which you can learn more about here. Come find out why we have so many long-tenured staff (many with over 30 years of service). We are not only a great place to work, but also a great place to retire from! We strive to have a diverse workforce made up of people from all backgrounds, including minorities, women and veterans, who bring their experience to support the innovation and quality that Kyocera is known for.

PAY RANGE = $92k-$133k/year

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION
Responsible for encouraging change that drives value within the processes, products and people of the facility. Requires a keen eye for improvement opportunities and a strong ability to facilitate change. Works closely with all levels of employees, from shop floor operators to Sr. Management, to identify areas of improvement and develop strategies to address them.

REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, Materials, etc.)

- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (or greater) certification preferred.

- 8+ years' experience practicing Lean Six Sigma skills, or 8+ years' manufacturing experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality or Production Management

- 3+ years' experience in Kaizen Event leadership

- Demonstrated working knowledge in Statistical Process Control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), Lean Manufacturing and Process FMEAs preferred.

- Intermediate computer skills, to include use of MS Office Suite.

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in presentations and facilitation between employees, customers, suppliers and consultants.

- Ability to work productively with people of diverse backgrounds and experience.

- Ability to effectively influence various resources without direct line management responsibility.

- Strong organizational skills.

- Self-motivated, requiring little supervision for the successful completion of projects.

- Excellent facilitation skills, project management skills, and drive for results.

- Able to provide any required production support, work off-shifts and travel periodically.

- Eligible to work in an ITAR environment

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Cast vision for overall factory level improvements by proposing projects to management.

2. Gather and encourage employee ideas that drive task-level improvements for regular savings.

3. Seek out opportunities that influence work culture growth and employee development.

4. Emphasize Kaizen thinking through hosting monthly or bi-monthly Kaizen burst events.

5. Develop prototypes for proposed solutions using hands-on or digital tools to help conceptualize.

6. Oversee the 5S program for your local site and encourage regular 5S engagement from leaders.

7. Calculate cost savings using the HE tools provided, along with other supportive data elements.

8. Present project updates and results to the plant, management teams, and monthly MRM calls.

9. Lead workshops and demonstrations with the local Engineering and Production teams on helpful resources and tools.

10. Provide training in Lean, 5S, and Six Sigma concepts to improve the understanding of the workforce.

11. Coordinate with GM/Plant Manager/Amoeba Managers in developing improvement goals and plans.

12. Drive site to site connection for project success sharing and best practices for a unified FC.

13. Attend Sonkin meetings in order to find scrap and rework opportunities for improvement.

14. Regularly walk the entire factory floor for new ideas, 5S conditions, and building relationships.

15. Champion the collection of ideas and filter for cost saving Kaizen projects.

16. Coordinate with the local EHS team on safety improvements and audit findings.

Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, talk or hear; frequently required to reach with hands and arms; and occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and distance vision.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
The following work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to work near moving mechanical parts; the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The above statements are intended to describe the work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. The duties and responsibilities of this position are subject to change and other duties may be assigned or removed at any time. This position may require exposure to information subject to US Export Control regulations, i.e.: the International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be US persons within the meaning of US regulations.

Kyocera International, Inc. values diversity in its workforce, and is proud to be an AAP/EEO employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.

If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact Kyocera International, Inc. Human Resources team directly.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.