What are the responsibilities and job description for the Continuous Improvement Engineer position at Clemens Food Group?
Location: Tyrone, PA
Travel: 10–15%
About Clemens Food Group
For more than 130 years, Clemens Food Group has been guided by a simple principle: do the right thing. As a family-owned, fully integrated food manufacturing company, we operate across the entire supply chain—from raising livestock to delivering finished products. We combine tradition with innovation to produce quality food while building a culture where people are empowered to grow, contribute, and succeed.
Position Overview
As a Continuous Improvement Engineer, you will drive operational excellence initiatives focused on throughput, yield, labor efficiency, and cost improvement within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. This role connects industrial engineering, process optimization, and continuous improvement execution while partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Reliability, Supply Chain, and R&D teams.
You will spend significant time on the plant floor identifying performance gaps, leading structured problem solving, implementing sustainable process improvements, and supporting the adoption of the Clemens Operating System (COS), including standard work, metrics, and daily management practices.
This is a 24/7 production facility. Team members may be required to provide multi-shift and weekend support on an as-needed basis.
Key Responsibilities
Continuous Improvement & Project Execution (60%)
Clemens Food Group offers a competitive total rewards package designed to support employees and their families, including:
It is the policy of Clemens Food Group to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. All employees are subject to a pre-employment screening process including a background check and drug screen. In addition, we will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing the application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to your recruiter.
Agency Statement
Clemens Food Group does not accept unsolicited resumes from search or staffing firms. All resumes submitted by search or staffing firms to any employee at Clemens Food Group via email, the Internet, or directly without a valid written search agreement for this role, and without having been asked to participate in this by Talent Acquisition, will be deemed the sole property of Clemens Food Group, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired. Firms not authorized to submit candidates will not be eligible for any fee or ownership claim.
Travel: 10–15%
About Clemens Food Group
For more than 130 years, Clemens Food Group has been guided by a simple principle: do the right thing. As a family-owned, fully integrated food manufacturing company, we operate across the entire supply chain—from raising livestock to delivering finished products. We combine tradition with innovation to produce quality food while building a culture where people are empowered to grow, contribute, and succeed.
Position Overview
As a Continuous Improvement Engineer, you will drive operational excellence initiatives focused on throughput, yield, labor efficiency, and cost improvement within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. This role connects industrial engineering, process optimization, and continuous improvement execution while partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Reliability, Supply Chain, and R&D teams.
You will spend significant time on the plant floor identifying performance gaps, leading structured problem solving, implementing sustainable process improvements, and supporting the adoption of the Clemens Operating System (COS), including standard work, metrics, and daily management practices.
This is a 24/7 production facility. Team members may be required to provide multi-shift and weekend support on an as-needed basis.
Key Responsibilities
Continuous Improvement & Project Execution (60%)
- Drive process improvements across production operations to reduce cost and improve plant performance
- Build and manage a pipeline of improvement opportunities and drive execution to realized results
- Lead initiatives focused on throughput improvement, yield optimization, labor efficiency, and operational stability
- Identify and eliminate process bottlenecks using data analysis, root cause analysis, and structured problem-solving methodologies
- Lead cross-functional improvement efforts with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Reliability, Supply Chain, and R&D
- Support planning, analysis, and execution of capital and process improvement initiatives
- Support rollout and adoption of the Clemens Operating System (COS), including standard work, escalation processes, metrics, and daily management practices
- Apply Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, SPC, and Six Sigma tools to drive measurable operational improvements
- Perform OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) analysis to optimize production performance
- Develop and maintain labor standards using time studies, line balancing, and work measurement techniques
- Analyze production performance gaps using operational data and root cause analysis
- Maintain and audit SAP/ERP and MES system data related to labor, yield, and material standards
- Track, analyze, and report key operational performance metrics
- Support new product launches, plant trials, and commercialization activities in partnership with R&D teams
- Develop SOPs, standard work, and training materials aligned to COS expectations
- Support process design, costing, and implementation activities for operational initiatives
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field required
- 5 years of experience in manufacturing, industrial engineering, continuous improvement, or process optimization
- Experience in food manufacturing or high-speed production environments preferred
- Demonstrated success leading Lean or continuous improvement initiatives in a production environment
- Hands-on experience with labor optimization, time studies, process improvement, and operational problem solving
- Experience with SAP/ERP systems, MES platforms, and production performance analytics
- Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, SPC, Six Sigma, and root cause analysis methodologies
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making skills
- Ability to engage frontline teams, build operational partnerships, and drive accountability through disciplined execution
Clemens Food Group offers a competitive total rewards package designed to support employees and their families, including:
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 401(k) with company match and retirement planning support
- Paid time off and holidays
- Career development and growth opportunities
- Employee wellness and support programs
It is the policy of Clemens Food Group to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. All employees are subject to a pre-employment screening process including a background check and drug screen. In addition, we will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing the application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to your recruiter.
Agency Statement
Clemens Food Group does not accept unsolicited resumes from search or staffing firms. All resumes submitted by search or staffing firms to any employee at Clemens Food Group via email, the Internet, or directly without a valid written search agreement for this role, and without having been asked to participate in this by Talent Acquisition, will be deemed the sole property of Clemens Food Group, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired. Firms not authorized to submit candidates will not be eligible for any fee or ownership claim.