Continuous Improvement Engineer

Modine Austria GmbH; Leeds; On-site; GBP 35,000 - GBP 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A global leader in thermal management solutions is seeking a Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement Engineer in Leeds. The role aims at driving operational excellence, optimizing manufacturing processes, and ensuring quality. Candidates should possess strong manufacturing experience, a focus on Lean principles, and excellent analytical skills. The company offers a competitive salary, 25 days of holiday, and employee discounts among other benefits.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

1% Employee and 7% Employer pension contribution

Life Assurance policy

Employee discount scheme

Salary sacrifice schemes for cycle to work and car

Qualifications

• Strong experience in a manufacturing or production engineering role.
• Proven experience implementing Lean Manufacturing.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive operational excellence across production processes.
• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes to ensure efficiency.
• Identify improvement opportunities using Lean tools.

Skills

Manufacturing expertise

Lean manufacturing

Problem-solving skills

Analytical skills

Strong communication

Education

Degree in Manufacturing Engineering or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Job description

At Modine, we are Engineering a Cleaner, Healthier World™. Building on more than 100 years of excellence in thermal management, we provide trusted systems and solutions that improve air quality and conserve natural resources. Our Airedale by Modine brand is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative thermal management solutions for data centers, clean rooms, hospitals, universities, and other mission-critical environments.

Never heard of Airedale by Modine? In short, we cool the internet. Ever used an app to book a taxi? Ever had a video meeting? Ever bought something online? Chances are, the digital 1s and 0s you’ve created and sent are being kept cool by Airedale by Modine. We’re one of the key cogs in the global machine that keeps your digital world running smoothly.

Trusted as The Critical Cooling Specialists, Airedale by Modine has decades of experience providing efficient, flexible end-to-end cooling solutions that work smarter, not harder, to deliver more cooling for less power. With manufacturing facilities in Canada, Spain, the UK, and the U.S., we’re scaling up across the world to support an ever-growing demand for our solutions. That’s where you come in….

Position Description

The Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement Engineer is responsible for driving operational excellence across production processes. This role combines manufacturing expertise with a strong focus on continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean and the theory of constraints to optimize manufacturing performance, reduce waste, enhance product quality, and support strategic business objectives. The role also plays a key part in supporting the introduction and implementation of new capital expenditure (CapEx) projects to enhance production capability.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Engineering

• Develop, optimise, and validate manufacturing processes to ensure efficiency, quality, and safety.
• Create and maintain work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and process documentation.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) by designing production layouts, tooling, and workflows.
• Provide day‑to‑day production support, troubleshooting process issues and implementing corrective actions.
• Work on the introduction and commissioning of new capital expenditure projects, ensuring smooth integration into existing operations.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify improvement opportunities using Lean tools (e.g., Kaizen events, 5S, Value Stream Mapping).
• Lead CI projects focused on cost reduction, waste elimination, cycle time improvement, and quality enhancement.
• Train and coach teams in continuous improvement methodologies to build operational capability.
• Monitor CI performance metrics (OEE, downtime, scrap rates) and report on progress.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Collect and analyse production data to identify trends, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities.
• Create dashboards, KPIs, and reports to support decision‑making.
• Support issues resolution through collaboration with relevant teams and application of engineering judgement.

Required Education & Qualifications

Essential

• Strong experience in a manufacturing or production engineering role.
• Proven experience implementing Lean Manufacturing.
• Proficient in process mapping, workflow analysis and shop floor observations.
• Excellent problem‑solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.

Desirable

• Degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with the Theory of Constraints.
• CAD proficiency (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD).
• Experience implementing 5S, SMED, TPM, or other Lean frameworks.

Personal Attributes

• Proactive and self‑driven with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to implementing solutions.
• Ability to influence and inspire others to adopt new ways of working.
• Comfortable managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment.

Typical KPIs

• Reduction in cycle time and production costs.
• Improvement in Labour efficiency.
• Scrap and defect rate reductions.
• Number and impact of CI initiatives delivered.
• Successful delivery and integration of CapEx projects.
• Safety improvements and reduction of near‑miss incidents.

In Return We Offer

• 25 days holiday per year plus Statutory Bank Holidays and the opportunity to purchase an additional 3 days
• A 1% Employee and 7% Employer pension contribution (salary sacrifice)
• Life Assurance policy
• Employee discount scheme on various high street retailers, supermarkets, cinema tickets and holidays
• Salary sacrifice schemes: cycle to work scheme, Car Scheme