Process Engineer at Herff Jones in Warwick, Rhode Island

Job Description:

Position Title: Process Engineer

Location: Warwick, RI

Starting Pay for position: $ 95,000 - 105,000 per year

THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN CELEBRATING STUDENT MILESTONES - HERFF JONES

Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones' products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, diplomas, frames, announcements, and Greek accessories as well as motivation and recognition programs. Since 1920, our team has worked alongside students, faculty, and staff on campuses nationwide to help build a stronger community and celebrate student milestones. Our continued success relies on hiring extraordinary talent, with a passion for making a difference and eagerness to roll up the sleeves, to help us write the story of our next 100 years.

YOUR OPPORTUNITY:

The Herff Jones Operations team, based in Warwick, RI is looking for a Manufacturing Process Engineer to join our team.

Here's How You'll Make an Impact:

Reporting to the Director of Operational Excellence, the Process Engineer is Responsible for all Engineering / Technical Services provided at the plant site. Responsible for analysis, development and implementation of ideas, processes, and equipment to positively impact operations. Items such as work force utilization, efficiency to reduce costs, reduction in cycle times, improved quality, improved workflow, capacity planning to maximize equipment / manpower / workspace are within the position's scope of responsibility.

At Herff Jones we may have been around for 100 years, but we still have the mentality of a scrappy startup. For you, that means your job may grow and change over time. But don't worry, we would never ask an employee to take on an assignment they didn't already have the right skill sets they needed to succeed. As we see it for right now, however, here are the challenges that we want you to tackle:

Specific Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the oversight of Plant-Wide Engineering, Continuous Improvement and Safety
  
  
  • Evaluate, Improve and Document Manufacturing Processes for ring & emblematic production.
  • Develop new techniques or methods to improve existing procedures and implement new methods for production.
  • Analyze workforce utilization, facilities layout and operational data such as production costs, process flow charts and production schedules to determine efficient utilization of workers and equipment.
  • Review and analyze various reports to determine causes of nonconformity with product specifications, product management, and operating/product problems to develop solutions.
  • Analyze and provide technical and operational recommendations in meeting safety, quality, service, and cost goals.
  • Direct the planning, development and implementation of new methods, technologies and procedures designed to improve operations, minimize operating costs and effect greater utilization of labor and equipment and raw materials
  • Develop and facilitate a New Product Development process with stage gates, testing and process requirements.
  • Provide continuing technical support and troubleshooting for any / all manufacturing processes.

Foster sustainable and continuous improvement process within the plant:

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  • Promote the use of data and metrics for identifying improvement opportunities:
    
    
    • Enhance and employ operational performance metrics to gage manufacturing, supply chain and distribution process improvement progress
    • Productivity Generation: Work with plant senior management to analyze spend buckets and identify areas of opportunities.
    • Track productivity performance by business unit and product category. Provide documentation of results and benefits achieved.
    • Apply data and metrics to problem solving and process improvement activities
    • Apply analytical tools to identify and eliminate waste and inefficiencies across the company
    • Utilize the stage-gate productivity process for idea generation and to increase the conversion rate of projects from ideation to launch.

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  • OSHA Requirement Planning and Reporting
  • PPE Evaluation
  • Safety Committee Governance
  • LOTO

Staff Development:

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  • Assist in the development of an Engineering Department.
  • Work with HR and plant management to develop strategies to ensure ongoing education of all employees in OpEx initiatives.
  • Share best practice methods and ideas with the plant staff and management.
  • Best practices rapidly identified, shared, and implemented through improvement project work.
  • Provide training and employee development in areas such as process improvement, problem solving, and root cause analysis

Additional:

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  • Serve as a cross-functional liaison to identify and involve appropriate subject matter experts.
  • Work throughout the plant as required, developing process engineering documentation systems and auditing procedures. Develop and analyze technical data as assigned or required.
  • Generate, maintain and adheres to project expense and capital budget. Generates product costs data for new and/or revised product costing estimates.
  • Work is split between an office environment and production facility depending on the project.
  • Assist in the development of new products.

Measurement of Performance:

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  • All department budgetary standards and requirements are met.
  • All project schedules (98.5% minimum level) are met within specified time frames established.
  • Ability to maintain all written and verbal communication with all stakeholders.
  • All standards of performance and departmental objectives as delineated by the Resident Manager are achieved.
  • Measurement of Performance is reviewed, audited, and evaluated during months of December and January and June and July of each fiscal year as part of our ongoing management review program. Measurement of performance will be determined by the reviewing manager and the endorsing manager with final oversight by top management.

What You'll Bring to the Table:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with an emphasis in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Business or similar field and five (5) years of manufacturing related work with demonstrated experience in Continuous Improvement and/or Operational Excellence.
• 5+years of experience leading team improvement efforts in business processes and/or production facilities
• 5+ years of experience in Jewelry Manufacturing, Jewelry Supply Chain or Distribution Operations.
• Six Sigma/Lean Certification- Green Belt or higher. (Preferred)
• Understanding of the relationship between improvement activities and performance measures-
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work with people at all levels of the organization
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing tools, preferred
• Ability to learn and understand materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of products
• Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems
• Ability to successfully prioritize, and manage large, complex projects, deadlines, and tasks with little supervision in both team and independent environments
• Ability to drive and lead change

Physical Demands:

• Must be able to move throughout the plant and grounds.
• Works in a normal Factory / Office setting, may physically assist with active projects.
• Must be able to endure above average stress reacting to constantly changing demands.

JOIN THE BEST TEAM ON THE FIELD IN SPORT, SPIRIT & ACHIEVEMENT

About Herff Jones:

Indianapolis-based Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones' products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, diplomas and announcements as well as motivation and recognition programs. Focused on building long-term relationships through a nationwide network of over 1,400 employees and sales partners, the professionals at Herff Jones have been helping elevate the student experience throughout the lifelong journey of education for more than 100 years. For more information about Herff Jones, please visit www.herffjones.com .

Herff Jones, Inc. and its affiliates are equal opportunity employers and maintain affirmative action plans to recruit, retain, develop, and promote qualified individuals without unlawful consideration of race, gender, gender identity, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Herff Jones strives to maintain a work environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, where associates are treated with respect and dignity.

Any employment agency, person or entity that submits a résumé into this career site or to a hiring manager does so with the understanding that the applicant's résumé will become the property of Herff Jones. Herff Jones will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.

Other details

• Job Family JF_Production
• Pay Type Salary