What does a lean manufacturing engineer do?
Lean manufacturing engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for executing the lean manufacturing method, a process that reduces waste in a manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity. These engineers must utilize lean tools and train all plant personnel about using these tools to identify wastes and reduce costs. They must lead the process improvement teams to initiate activities that eliminate waste in all aspects of the operation. Lean manufacturing engineers must also perform cost or benefit analysts to determine the return of investment (ROI) of capital expenditures and project initiatives.
Lean manufacturing engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real lean manufacturing engineer resumes:
- 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.
- Provide engineering evaluation reports and first article for new products, including the DFM report.
- Develop programs in VBA aim at automatically printing process parameters and part numbers at regular intervals during production.
Lean manufacturing engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Lean Manufacturing Engineers are proficient in Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen Events, and Process Improvement. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Leadership skills, and Time-management skills.
We break down the percentage of Lean Manufacturing Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Lean Manufacturing, 15%
Provided coaching and guidance to assembly process supervisors during the implementation of Theory of Constraints, Lean Manufacturing/Six-Sigma philosophy.
- Kaizen Events, 7%
Participated directly and indirectly in all KAIZEN events.
- Process Improvement, 6%
Led process improvement teams to identify and implement back office system improvements.
- Sigma, 5%
Promoted Six Sigma within organization on increasing certification base and leveraged our team for upcoming project proposals on a monthly basis
- Kanban, 5%
Supported implementation infrastructure of Kanban system to the production floor.
- PDCA, 4%
Led Root Cause Problem Solving (Fishbone, 5-Why, PDCA, FMEA, and SWOT) analysis.
Most lean manufacturing engineers use their skills in "lean manufacturing," "kaizen events," and "process improvement" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential lean manufacturing engineer responsibilities here:
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what lean manufacturing engineers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to lean manufacturing engineer responsibilities because "in designing facilities for manufacturing and processes for providing services, these engineers deal with several issues at once, from workers’ safety to quality assurance." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical lean manufacturing engineer tasks: "conflict resolution process mapping failure modes and effects analysis visual work instructions for cnc lathe"
Creativity. Another crucial skill for a lean manufacturing engineer to carry out their responsibilities is "creativity." A big part of what lean manufacturing engineers relies on this skill, since "industrial engineers use creativity and ingenuity to design new production processes in many kinds of settings in order to reduce the use of material resources, time, or labor while accomplishing the same goal." How this skill relates to lean manufacturing engineer duties can be seen in an example from a lean manufacturing engineer resume snippet: "set up the product/process that met takt time and helped to reduce the floor inventory. "
Listening skills. Lastly, "listening skills" is an important element of what a lean manufacturing engineer does. Lean manufacturing engineer responsibilities require this skill because "these engineers often operate in teams, but they also must solicit feedback from customers, vendors, and production staff." This resume example highlights how lean manufacturing engineer duties rely on this skill: "communicated plans, actions and results to the team through a visual management system. "
The three companies that hire the most lean manufacturing engineers are:
- Faurecia Interior Systems Inc4 lean manufacturing engineers jobs
- Jabil2 lean manufacturing engineers jobs
- Polaris2 lean manufacturing engineers jobs
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Compare different lean manufacturing engineers
Lean manufacturing engineer vs. 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. Most of the time, engineers participate in a series of meetings where they coordinate with fellow engineers to determine opportunities for product growth and development. Moreover, a process improvement engineer is also responsible for crafting new policies and regulations, upgrading systems, and developing new practices to ensure product quality and customer satisfaction.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between lean manufacturing engineers and process improvement engineer. For instance, lean manufacturing engineer responsibilities require skills such as "pdca," "lean principles," "takt," and "value stream maps." Whereas a process improvement engineer is skilled in "project management," "healthcare," "data analysis," and "performance improvement." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Process improvement engineers earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $89,829. On the other hand, lean manufacturing engineers are paid more in the finance industry with an average salary of $89,732.process improvement engineers tend to reach similar levels of education than lean manufacturing engineers. In fact, process improvement engineers are 3.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.8% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Lean manufacturing engineer vs. 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. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real lean manufacturing engineer resumes. While lean manufacturing engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "lean manufacturing," "kaizen events," "process improvement," and "sigma," engineers use skills like "python," "cloud," "c++," and "c #."
On average, engineers earn a higher salary than lean manufacturing engineers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, engineers earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $97,672. Whereas lean manufacturing engineers have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $89,732.In general, engineers achieve similar levels of education than lean manufacturing engineers. They're 0.6% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for lean manufacturing engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Jerry Leth
VP/General Manager, MANA
Lean manufacturing engineer vs. Process engineer
A Process Engineer is responsible for coming up with innovative ways to process particular raw materials into different kinds of products. They can also modify various existing machines or maintain their quality by monitoring its functions and conducting tests and examinations. A Process Engineer must do numerous analyses and research to gather data that would help determine possible improvements or decisions to uphold. Furthermore, A Process Engineer also has the task of procuring and installing new equipment, collecting and interpreting data, assessing risks, and ensuring that tasks are done safely.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, lean manufacturing engineers are more likely to have skills like "kaizen events," "kanban," "pdca," and "lean principles." But a process engineer is more likely to have skills like "project management," "data analysis," "technical support," and "statistical analysis."
Process engineers earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $87,797. Lean manufacturing engineers earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $89,732.When it comes to education, process engineers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to lean manufacturing engineers. In fact, they're 1.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Lean manufacturing engineer vs. Product development engineer
A Product Development Engineer is responsible for creating and testing new product designs. They collaborate with market researchers to evaluate market needs, existing competition, and potential costs.
Types of lean manufacturing engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
