How to hire a lean manufacturing engineer

How to hire a lean manufacturing engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lean manufacturing engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a lean manufacturing engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lean manufacturing engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a lean manufacturing engineer do?

Post a lean manufacturing engineer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The lean manufacturing engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A lean manufacturing engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lean manufacturing engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents lean manufacturing engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Lean Manufacturing Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Lean Manufacturing Engineer		$28-46
   Process Improvement Engineer	A process improvement engineer specializes in conducting research and analysis to develop new strategies and ideas to improve the processes in a manufacturing plant or a similar setting. They prioritize efficiency and profitability... Show more	$29-52
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Kaizen Events
   • Process Improvement
   • Sigma
   • Kanban
   • PDCA
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Lean Principles
   • Takt
   • FMEA
   • Value Stream Maps
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Shop Floor
   • Toyota

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead several independent, cross-functional projects and improve manufacturing quality, reduce cost, ensure environment are supported and FDA compliant.
   • Develop the Kanban system base upon customer demand to reduce inventory, overproduction and increase cycle times.
   • Update and clarify processes as needed to ensure they conform to ISO, GMP and FDA standards.
   • Support implementation infrastructure of Kanban system to the production floor.
   • Compile and update documentation require by OSHA and ISO certification.
   • Champion ergonomics evaluation team, assess manufacturing projects for ergonomic risk and generate solutions to resolve or mitigate risk exposure.

   More lean manufacturing engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lean manufacturing engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A lean manufacturing engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a lean manufacturing engineer in Hawaii may be lower than in California, and an entry-level lean manufacturing engineer usually earns less than a senior-level lean manufacturing engineer. Additionally, a lean manufacturing engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average lean manufacturing engineer salary

   $75,994yearly

   $36.54 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lean manufacturing engineer salary

   $59,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average lean manufacturing engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$94,544	$45
   2	Virginia	$86,608	$42
   3	Massachusetts	$83,394	$40
   4	Texas	$82,680	$40
   5	New Jersey	$82,151	$40
   6	Colorado	$80,679	$39
   7	Illinois	$80,171	$39
   8	Minnesota	$76,443	$37
   9	North Carolina	$75,428	$36
   10	Georgia	$71,637	$34
   11	Wisconsin	$70,579	$34
   12	Michigan	$70,362	$34
   13	Ohio	$69,230	$33
   14	Missouri	$64,781	$31
   15	Iowa	$64,007	$31

   Average lean manufacturing engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Stryker	$101,300	$48.70	27
   2	Weatherford International	$98,211	$47.22	2
   3	Hospira	$97,743	$46.99
   4	General Electric	$97,008	$46.64	205
   5	Magna International	$94,534	$45.45	43
   6	Wabtec Corporation	$94,475	$45.42	5
   7	Safran	$94,029	$45.21	46
   8	BorgWarner	$92,490	$44.47	9
   9	Corning Incorporated	$92,379	$44.41	71
   10	Crown Equipment	$92,290	$44.37	19
   11	Solectron Corp	$89,157	$42.86	25
   12	Goodman Manufacturing	$87,927	$42.27	2
   13	Parker Hannifin	$87,567	$42.10	46
   14	Stanley Black & Decker	$87,505	$42.07	17
   15	Bosch USA	$87,417	$42.03	16
   16	Thorlabs	$85,667	$41.19	3
   17	LeMaitre	$83,108	$39.96
   18	Turner Construction	$81,265	$39.07	15
   19	Capgemini	$81,056	$38.97	24
   20	Cummins	$80,569	$38.74	14

4. Writing a lean manufacturing engineer job description

   A good lean manufacturing engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a lean manufacturing engineer job description:

   Lean manufacturing engineer job description example

   The primary role of the Lean Manufacturing Engineer is to utilize Lean Manufacturing Techniques and 6-Sigma principles to document current processes, develop improvements to increase safety, quality, utilization, and decrease cost of manufacturing. The Lean Manufacturing Engineer will assist with estimating manufacturing costs by determining time standards and making recommendations for process improvements of new or existing product lines. This role requires a leader/coach to conduct Continuous Improvement Meetings to facilitate group discussions, document ideas, and create action plans to achieve measureable results.
   BASIC FUNCTION:
   
   * Provides engineering support performing a variety of duties,
   * Writes standard operating procedures to ascertain the best sequence of operations or work flow, testing, calibrating and adjusting equipment.
   * Uses verbal and written instructions, drawing, diagrams, and schematic to accomplish tasks.
   * Evaluates and improves manufacturing methods, utilizing knowledge of product design, materials, fabrication processes, tooling and production equipment capabilities, assembly methods, and quality control standards.
   * Works with other engineers in planning work force utilization, space requirements, workflow, and workspace for maximum efficiency.
   * Applies statistical methods to estimate future manufacturing requirements. 4-year Bachelor's degree in industrial technology or engineering experience preferred.
   
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
   
   * Establish and develop systems which reinforce and encourage data-based decisions to drive value stream enhancement and continuous improvement. Works across the organization to ensure consistent approach, format, data integrity, and decision processes are deployed and in use throughout the facility
   * Develop and implement through direct team leadership, continuous improvement initiatives resulting in productivity improvements through deployment of methodologies such as SMED, POKE-A-YOKE, KAN BAN, KAIZEN, PULL SYSTEM and others as appropriate.
   * Create/measure/maintain process for production business unit work centers on Lean Principles' and link it to employee's everyday work
   * Act as a champion and leader in the development, implementation and sustaining of various continuous improvement projects and initiatives
   * Follows all safety guidelines including utilization of proper PPE
   * Demonstrates positive relations, leadership and teamwork as established in the Stevens Production System.
   * Keeps work area clean and organized to insure safety and environmental compliance
   * Lead problem solving activities in manufacturing operations to quickly identify and permanently resolve quality and productivity issues
   * Performs audits related to the Quality Management System, design and manufacturing processes
   
   MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
   
   * 4-year bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with 2 years' experience preferred
   * Extensive knowledge of AutoCAD, mechanical and architectural drafting, and
   * Ability to establish a respectful and trustworthy relationship with all Stevens' associates, customers, and suppliers to facilitate Continuous Improvement.
   * Have a working knowledge of the ERP Systems and the BOMs and Production Routings that populate these systems.
   * Ability to lead cross-functional teams to teach/coach Continuous Improvement concepts across the company.
   * Creative in problem solving and innovative approaches to resolve complex problems
   * Microsoft Office skills such as PowerPoint, Project, Excel and Word
   * Must be viewed credibly as either an informal leader or a positive influencer of change
   * Must be a self-motivated learner and possess a strong work ethic
   * Ability to mentor team members and facilitate change from a position of influencer while energizing and motivating teams
   
   Stevens Industries, Inc. is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right lean manufacturing engineer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with lean manufacturing engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit lean manufacturing engineers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lean manufacturing engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit lean manufacturing engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with lean manufacturing engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lean manufacturing engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect lean manufacturing engineer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new lean manufacturing engineer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a lean manufacturing engineer?