Continuous Improvement Engineer

About Us:

At Tomball Controls, we specialize in manufacturing custom fuel tanks, custom sound attenuated enclosures, and access platforms for emergency power generators.

We are proud to serve clients across various industries, providing them with high-quality power packaging solutions to meet their specific requirements. With years of experience among our team members and a commitment to excellence, we have built a reputation for delivering reliable, durable products on time and within budget.

Job Description:

The Continuous Improvement (CI) Engineer drives Lean manufacturing, Kaizen-based improvements, process optimization, and NPI readiness within a metal-mechanical manufacturing environment for datacenter enclosures. This role focuses on enhancing safety quality, delivery, and cost through structured Kaizen events, process capability improvements, and strong cross-functional collaboration.  

 Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and facilitate Kaizen events (rapid improvement workshops) across fabrication, welding, machining, painting, assembly, and test operations.
• Deploy Lean tools such as 5S, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), SMED, TPM, Standard Work, Visual Management, and Kanban, establish and sustain Daily Management Systems, tier meetings, and visual KPI boards.
• Partner closely with NPI Engineering for enclosures, tanks platforms and structural components; support First Article Inspection (FAI) for NPIs. 
• Conduct time studies, line balancing, ergonomic assessments, and optimize factory layouts.
• Support and lead PFMEA, Control Plans, process flow diagrams, and implement poka-yoke (error-proofing) solutions.
• Drive cultural adoption of continuous improvement and actively engage employees in Kaizen activities.
• Collaborate with Process Engineering to enhance process stability, capability, and repeatability. 
• Analyze scrap, rework and defects; lead root-cause analysis using 5-Why, Fishbone, PDCA and DMAIC methodologies. 
• Create and release routings, validate BOMs, define tooling requirements, and develop work instructions for new products. 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Process Engineering (or equivalent).
• 5+ years’ experience in Continuous Improvement / Lean Manufacturing, including Kaizen leadership within a manufacturing environment; experience in Metal-mechanical or enclosure manufacturing.
• Proven ability to support New Product Introduction (NPI) launches (strongly preferred).
• Lean certification (Lean Practitioner, Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent) preferred.
• Proficiency with process engineering tools such as PFMEA, Control Plans, Process Flow Diagrams (PFD), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), 8D problem-solving, and Statistical Process Control (SPC).
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., Epicor, SAP, Oracle) and PLM tools.
• Skilled in time studies, takt time calculations, and line balancing.
• Hands-on, Gemba-driven problem solver with a strong shop-floor presence. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) / Advanced Manufacturing Engineering activities.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Strong data analysis skills using tools such as Excel, Power BI, or similar.
• Proven ability to drive change and lead cross-functional teams effectively.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and committed to safety.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout production facilities. 
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds as needed.
• Frequent exposure to outdoor elements.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled

Tomball Controls is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Tomball Controls is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based upon job-related reasons regardless of an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.