Continuous Improvement Engineer
$85k - $95k USD
fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based nutrition company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and dairy products to nourish consumers.
With over $3B in annual retail sales, fairlife’s portfolio of delicious, lactose-free, real dairy products includes: fairlife® ultra-filtered milk; Core Power® High Protein Shakes, a sports nutrition drink to support post-workout recovery; fairlife® nutrition plan™, a nutrition shake to support the journey to better health.
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola company, fairlife, LLC has been recognized by both Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry leading innovation.
To learn more about fairlife and its complete line of products, please visit fairlife.com.
job purpose: The Continuous Improvement (CI) Engineer reports to the CI Manager and plays a critical role in supporting and implementing CI initiatives to improve production performance, reduce waste, lower costs, while also enhancing safety and quality process across the dairy bottling manufacturing facility. Leveraging their experience in the beverage manufacturing environment while fostering a collaborative working culture with the other CI members and departments will be crucial to success.
This role is a hands-on, floor-focused contributor who supports operational excellence efforts through direct engagement with manufacturing teams and processes.
responsibilities:
- Implement Lean tools and processes across the organization in support of the Operational Excellence framework including Visual Daily Management, 6S, Leader Standard Work, Kaizen, Root Cause Analysis, Process Mapping, etc.
- Develop and drive key actions on the Op-Ex Lean roadmap for the site, supporting site objectives and CI priorities.
- Drive cultural change through on-going teaching and coaching across all levels of the organization on the use of lean tools and principles to drive continuous improvement.
- Lead complex problem-solving efforts across the organization.
- Coach and support problem solving using a wide range of tools including Just-Do-IT, A3, Kaizen, Pareto, DMAIC, 8D, etc.
- Lead the deployment and maintenance of key standard work initiatives including Centerlines (CL), Clean-Inspect-Lubricate (CIL), Preventative Maintenance (PM), etc.
- Analyze manufacturing processes to identify improvement opportunities related to waste reduction, efficiency, quality, and safety using tools such as Value Stream Mapping (VSM), time studies, and basic line balancing.
- Support improvements in key manufacturing performance indicators such as OEE, throughput, yield, and downtime reduction.
- Support CI projects from problem identification through implementation and sustainment, including action tracking and follow-up.
- Assist in developing and documenting standard work and best practices to ensure improvements are sustained over time.
- Collect and analyze operational data to support KPI tracking and performance reviews.
- Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and EHS to support effective implementation of improvement actions.
skills/qualifications required:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations Management, or another technical field.
- 2–5 years of experience in a manufacturing or operations environment with exposure to continuous improvement activities.
- Extensive experience with Lean tools and principles including: Visual Daily Management, 6S, Leader Standard Work, Kaizen, Root Cause Analysis, Process Mapping, etc.
- Strong problem-solving experience using a variety of tools to identify root causes and develop corrective and preventative actions.
- Strong analytical and team-based problem-solving skills. Experience in data analysis for driving improvements.
- Capable of leading and developing Lean / Continuous Improvement processes.
- Ability to coach, mentor, and/or train across all levels of the organization.
- Goal-oriented and self-driven with high levels of personal accountability and discipline for team, company, and personal growth.
- Experience with various methods of managing and tracking improvement projects with cross-functional teams.
- Ability to handle ambiguity and work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
How fairlife Nourishes You
At fairlife, we believe in better — and that includes how we support our people. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits and wellbeing resources designed to support you physically, emotionally, socially, and financially, both in and out of work.
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Supplemental health plans (hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance)
- Paid Time Off to recharge and support work-life balance
- Paid parental leave & adoption assistance (up to $10,000)
- Parental support & family care benefits, including childcare resources and lactation support
- 401(k) to support retirement planning with up to 9% in employer match
- Wellness reimbursement (up to $500 for qualified wellbeing expenses)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for emotional wellbeing and work-life support
- Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability
- Employer HSA funding (for HDHP participants)
- Tuition reimbursement (up to $10,000) and student loan repayment ($200/month)
- Learning & development programs to unlock your full potential
- Rewards & recognition, matching gifts, free product, and Business Resource Groups
fairlife’s nour!sh program is designed to meet you where you are — supporting your individual wellbeing journey while enabling you to do your best work every day.
position location: 100% On-Site based in Coopersville, MI (No Remote or Hybrid Option)
reports to: Continuous Improvement Manager
travel requirements: 0-10%
exempt/nonexempt: Exempt
*Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.
Base pay range:
$85,000—$95,000 USD
fairlife, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. All qualified applicants and employees will be given equal opportunity. Selection decisions are based on job-related factors.
In addition to its nondiscrimination commitment, the Company will also provide reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the Company. If you have a disability and would like to request accommodation in order to apply for a position with us, please email careers@fairlife.com.
For Recruitment Agencies
At fairlife, we manage the majority of our hiring internally through our dedicated Talent Acquisition team, which is actively engaged in direct candidate sourcing. Most of our roles are filled through applications submitted via our careers site or through direct outreach by our team.
As our recruitment is primarily handled in-house, we work only occasionally with external agencies, and only those on our existing, pre-approved vendor list. At this time, we are not reviewing or expanding that list.
Unsolicited resumes or submissions from external agencies not authorized by our Talent Acquisition team will be considered direct candidate applications. As such, fairlife will not assume responsibility for any placement fees associated with these submissions.