Graduate Process Improvement Engineer

Graduate Process Improvement Engineer / Process Support Specialist

New Mills, High Peak
Up to £33,000 per annum
Full-time, permanent and fully onsite

We are recruiting for a Graduate Process Improvement Engineer / Process Support Specialist to join a successful and established manufacturing business in New Mills.

This is an excellent opportunity for an analytical engineering, mathematics or science graduate who wants to develop a career within manufacturing and continuous improvement. Previous experience is not essential, although a manufacturing placement or exposure to production, process improvement or data analysis would be advantageous.

The role combines data analysis with practical shop-floor involvement. You will spend considerable time within the production environment, working alongside operational and engineering teams to study production lines, gather and analyse performance data, identify inefficiencies and improve and standardise processes.

Key responsibilities:

• Conduct production line studies and collect accurate process data.

• Analyse production performance and identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies and performance gaps.

• Monitor measures including throughput, downtime, OEE and quality.

• Support root-cause analysis and structured problem-solving activities.

• Create and update SOPs, work instructions and standard-work documentation.

• Audit machine and process settings against agreed standards.

• Support production and engineering teams in optimising equipment settings.

• Produce reports and visualise data to support operational decisions.

• Contribute to improvements in productivity, quality, safety and hygiene.

• Work collaboratively with production, engineering and quality teams.

About you:

• Degree-qualified in Industrial, Manufacturing, Production, Mechanical, Chemical or Process Engineering; Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Physics, Chemistry or another analytical science subject.

• Organised, analytical and data-driven.

• Numerically confident with strong attention to detail.

• Interested in manufacturing processes and production-line performance.

• Happy to spend a significant amount of time on the shop floor.

• Curious, resourceful and willing to learn.

• Confident communicating with colleagues at all levels.

• Competent in Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Knowledge of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, OEE, root-cause analysis, 5S or Kaizen would be advantageous but is not essential.

Benefits:

• Salary of up to £33,000, depending on experience.

• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.

• Annual attendance-related bonus.

• Workplace pension.

• Free onsite parking.

• Private health scheme and private GP appointments.

• 24/7 employee assistance programme.

• Occupational health support.

• Staff social club, events and reward schemes.

• Excellent development opportunity within modern manufacturing.

IMPORTANT: This position is not eligible for UK visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the unrestricted right to work in the UK and currently live within a reasonable daily commuting distance of New Mills. Applications requiring overseas relocation cannot be considered.