Process Improvement Engineer

Job Title: Process Improvement Engineer

Location: San Jose, CA

Education and Skills Required: BS in the field of Engineering.

Summary Uses Six Sigma, Lean, and other Operational Excellence tools and team based structured problem solving to improve quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Leads and facilitates project teams to teams to improve process capabilities, eliminate defects, and reduce manufacturing costs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Lead and support process improvement projects, deliver timely results, track improvement, and ensure control.

Participate in the project selection process, identify projects, determine benefits, recommend resources and team members.

Train others and mentor in Operational Excellence tools. Diffuse methods.

Translate best practices within and across business.

Identify organizational barriers and recommend solutions.

Sell Operational Excellence through visibility and communication of successes.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Competencies

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; designs workflows and procedures.

Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

Project Management - Develops project plans; Coordinates projects; Communicates changes and progress; Completes projects on time and budget; Manages project team activities.

Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.

Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.

Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.

Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.

Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

Delegation - Delegate’s work assignments; Matches the responsibility to the person; Gives authority to work independently; Sets expectations and monitors delegated activities; Provides recognition for results.

Leadership - Exhibit’s confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others.

Managing People - Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; Takes responsibility for subordinates' activities; Makes self-available to staff; Provides regular performance feedback; Develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth; Solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); Fosters quality focus in others; Improves processes, products and services.; Continually works to improve supervisory skills.

Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.

Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions; Aligns work with strategic goals.

Cost Consciousness - Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Contributes to profits and revenue; Conserves organizational resources.

Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; Inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values

Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; Supports organization's goals and values.

Strategic Thinking - Identifies external threats and opportunities; Adapts strategy to changing conditions.

Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.

Motivation - Sets and achieves challenging goals; Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; Measures self against standard of excellence; Takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.

Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.

Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.

Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.

Quantity - Completes work in timely manner. Safety and Security - Observes safety and security procedures; Determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; Reports potentially unsafe conditions; Uses equipment and materials properly.

Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Change’s approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.

Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.

Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals. Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

Initiative - Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; Asks for and offers help when needed.

Innovation - Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.

Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university; or one to two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts such as exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and permutations. Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems. Ability to deal with nonverbal symbolism (formulas, scientific equations, graphs, musical notes, etc.,) in its most difficult phases. Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.

Computer Skills

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft Office, Mini-tab, Statgraphics, Microsoft Excel, and WinSPC or similar applications.

Other Skills and Abilities

Design of Experiments and Six Sigma Skills.