Job Description

**Dexter **is actively hiring a Industrial Engineer – Continuous Improvement. This is a strategic and hands-on role supporting multiple manufacturing sites across our axle, brake, suspension, and chassis product lines in Indiana. This role is critical to sustaining Dexter’s reputation as the leading manufacturer of trailer axles and mobility solutions in North America.

The Regional (across our IN plants) Industrial Engineer partners with plant managers, engineering teams, and frontline supervisors to drive measurable gains in safety, quality, delivery, and cost (SQDC). With a balance of technical expertise and leadership influence, the role advances Dexter’s continuous improvement culture by aligning Lean and Six Sigma practices with Dexter’s values: Execute with Determination, Connect with People, and Do the Right Thing.

First and Foremost we are looking for someone who can lead continuous improvement projects and can also provide time studies for Fremont. The ideal candidate for this role MUST have demonstrated experience in time studies and preferably in a union environment.

Scope of Responsibility

Key Responsibilities

Process & Technical Expertise

• Lead **continuous improvement projects **across assigned plants (welding, machining, stamping, axle/brake assembly).
• Conduct **value stream mapping, time studies, and process flow analysis **to optimize throughput, takt time, and resource allocation.
• Design and implement**ergonomic workstations and assembly lines **to improve operator safety, efficiency, and quality.
• Develop and maintain **labor standards, capacity models, and production forecasts **to support planning and scheduling accuracy.
• Optimize **material flow, internal logistics, and line-side delivery systems **to reduce handling, downtime, and waste.
• Implement **visual management systems **(kanban, Andon, production boards) to improve shop floor communication and accountability.
• Lead **root cause analysis and structured problem-solving (8D, A3, FMEA) **to drive permanent solutions to production challenges.
• Partner with welding engineers to advance robotic welding automation, weld sequence optimization, and fixture/tooling design.
• Support **automation and technology integration **(PLC-controlled systems, robotics, smart manufacturing, IoT-enabled equipment).
• Apply **statistical process control (SPC) **and advanced data analytics to monitor quality and process performance.
• Collaborate with Maintenance/Engineering teams on **Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) **to improve equipment uptime and reliability.
• Work with New Product Engineering to integrate **Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) **into new axle and suspension designs.
• Identify and implement **cost reduction initiatives **in direct labor, indirect labor, scrap, rework, and utilities.
• Standardize best practices across regions, ensuring sustainability and replication of improvements.

Leadership & Influence

• Act as a regional CI coach and trainer, mentoring plant engineers and supervisors.

• Facilitate Kaizen workshops and problem-solving events.

• Track and report **KPIs (OEE, scrap, safety, cost savings) **across the region

• Qualifications

  • Education: Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).

  • Experience: 7–10+ years in manufacturing (axle, chassis, suspension, automotive/trailer components preferred).

  • Technical Skills:- - Lean Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt preferred). - Welding knowledge (manual/robotic, MIG, TIG, resistance). - Time studies, labor standards, and plant layout design. - ERP/MES (Oracle, Plex, SAP) and data analytics.

  • Dexter Fit: Collaborative, safety-first, hands-on problem solver who thrives in a multi-site manufacturing environment.

  Competencies

  • Customer Focus – aligns CI work with Dexter’s product reliability and customer commitments.
  • Collaboration – effective across plants, union environments, and functional teams.
  • Operational Excellence – uses Lean/Six Sigma to drive sustainable results.
  • Communication – able to translate CI strategy from plant floor to executive level.
  • Change Leadership – drives adoption of CI culture in established operations.

  For more information about Dexter, go to our web site at www.dextergroup.com

  Apply now to join an industry leader and make a difference in what we do for the customers we serve!

You should be proficient in:

• Time Study Analysis
• Continuous Improvement
• Kaizen