Senior Industrial Engineering Manager

Job Title: Senior Industrial Engineering Manager

Industry: Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) / Contract Manufacturing Location: Penang, Malaysia Reporting To: Plant Engineering Director

Position Summary

The Senior Industrial Engineering Manager will direct and optimize manufacturing efficiency, shop-floor layout, capacity planning, and workforce utilization across high-volume SMT (Surface Mount Technology) and box-build assembly lines. You will lead a team of industrial engineers to drive operational excellence, reduce cycle times, lower manufacturing costs, and support rapid new product introductions (NPI)

Key Responsibilities

1. Factory Optimization & Line Balancing

Design and optimize factory layouts, material flow (lean logistics), and ergonomic workstations to maximize throughput.

Lead line balancing, bottleneck analysis, and cycle-time reduction activities across SMT, PCBA, and final assembly lines.

Implement automated material handling and Industry 4.0/smart manufacturing solutions where applicable.

2. Capacity Planning & Resource Modeling

Oversee comprehensive capacity modeling for equipment, space, and direct/indirect labor to support customer demand and new business bidding.

Partner with program management and operations to evaluate production ramp readiness and capital expenditure (CAPEX) requirements

3. Labor Standards & Cost Reduction

Establish and maintain accurate labor standards, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and time studies.

Drive continuous improvement projects using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to eliminate waste, improve OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), and reduce direct labor costs.

Establish IE metrics, dashboards, and data governance frameworks to track daily/weekly operational KPIs.

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration & NPI Support

Collaborate with Quality, Process Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, and Finance to resolve manufacturing bottlenecks and achieve plant targets.

Provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) feedback during early product development and NPI phases.

5. Leadership & Team Development

Mentor, manage, and develop a high-performing team of Industrial Engineers and technicians.

Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous problem-solving

Job Requirements

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline. A Master's degree or Lean Six Sigma Black/Green Belt is an advantage.

Experience: Minimum 10 years of progressive industrial engineering experience within a high-volume manufacturing environment, with at least 3 to 5 years in a leadership/management capacity.

Domain Knowledge: Strong background in EMS, PCBA, SMT, or electronics contract manufacturing.

Technical Skills:

o Advanced expertise in capacity planning, labor modeling, and line balancing.

o Proficiency with tools like AutoCAD, MES, ERP systems (e.g., SAP/Oracle), and advanced data visualization software (Tableau/PowerBI).

o Deep practical understanding of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and Kaizen.

Soft Skills: Excellent stakeholder management, analytical capabilities, and strong communication skills in English.