CI Engineer

Lewis Machine & Tool Co • Eldridge, IA

1d

About The Position

LMT Defense needs your help moving our company forward in the firearm industry. If you are looking for a position that is fast paced, with competitive benefits, flexible work schedules, and a thriving work environment that has plenty of opportunities for advancement, LMT Defense is the perfect company for you. Below are the preferred skills, duties, and responsibilities you will have performing as our Continuous Improvement Engineer.

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Continuous Improvement Engineer designs, develops, implements, and continuously improves manufacturing and assembly processes for precision components and assemblies. The role is accountable for driving measurable improvements in first-pass yield, throughput, and cost by applying Lean manufacturing principles, structured problem solving, and robust process controls.

This position partners Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Design Engineering to ensure manufacturing processes meet defense/aerospace expectations for configuration control, traceability, inspection planning, and documentation (e.g., controlled work instructions, routers, and verification records).

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in a Manufacturing Engineering role
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical requirements to production teams and stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing (5S, standard work, Kaizen, visual management, waste elimination, line balancing, takt-time concepts).
• Proficiency in structured problem solving (A3, 8D, DMAIC) including root cause analysis using 5-Why, fishbone, and fault-tree approaches.
• Ability to develop and sustain standardized work and training plans that improve repeatability, reduce variation, and support cross-training.
• Knowledge of defense/aerospace manufacturing requirements such as configuration management, product/lot traceability, and documentation control.
• Understanding of inspection planning and quality tools (control plans, PFMEA, gage R&R, SPC, capability studies, and mistake-proofing/Poka-Yoke).
• Computer literacy enabling interpretation of CAD work and effective use of ERP/MRP, Power BI, Visio, and related production support software.
• Strong project management skills: scoping, risk identification, scheduling, budget tracking, stakeholder management, and execution to milestones.
• Ability to simultaneously support Operations and Engineering initiatives, prioritize effectively, and work with minimal supervision while collaborating cross-functionally.
• Ability to identify cost savings opportunities, quantify benefits, and build implementation plans that deliver sustainable results
• Full physical capability to sit, stand, walk, climb, reach, bend, and maneuver around equipment and job stations.

Nice To Haves

• 2+ years of experience supporting production operations in a defense/aerospace, machining, or assembly environment
• Experience with regulated quality systems (e.g., AS9100/ISO 9001) and customer-driven compliance requirements
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification or demonstrated application of Lean tools in production setting
• Experience with First Article Inspection (FAI), process validation, and capability analysis (e.g., SPC)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level