Continuous Improvement Engineer

Continuous Improvement Engineer - Bellville, Cape Town - Salary - Market-related, commensurate with experience and qualifications

Are you passionate about driving operational excellence and reducing downtime? Our client, a leading manufacturing and engineering company based in Bellville, is seeking a highly analytical and solutions-driven Continuous Improvement Engineer to join their dynamic technical team.

About the Role:

This is a high-impact role where you will lead structured root cause analyses, optimize maintenance systems, and design machine and process improvements that enhance production efficiency. You will collaborate across departments, take ownership of critical engineering projects, and help shape the future of manufacturing excellence in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Root Cause Elimination & Downtime Reduction

• Identify high-frequency breakdowns via production and maintenance data.

• Lead structured root cause analyses (5-Why, FTA) and develop technical improvement proposals.

• Design machine/process modifications and oversee the execution of corrective action plans.

2. Maintenance Process Optimization 

• Enhance CMMS and manual systems to improve uptime and support ERP integration.
• Standardize maintenance workflows and documentation (job cards, logs, schedules).

• Implement proactive maintenance strategies across departments.

3. Machine Design & Engineering Solutions

• Drive the development of reliable, maintainable machinery enhancements.

• Align improvement concepts with R&D, production, and drafting departments.

• Validate and commission technical changes, ensuring performance gains.

4. Project Execution & Commissioning

• Draft project proposals, scopes, and timelines with risk analysis.

• Manage budgets, execution, and successful commissioning of projects.

• Ensure project tracking via dashboards and visual systems.

5. Reporting & Governance

• Maintain corrective action dashboards and submit weekly updates.

• Engage senior stakeholders on progress, risks, and prioritization.

• Ensure all documentation and technical specs are current and compliant.

Requirements:

• Relevant Engineering Degree or Diploma (Mechanical/Industrial preferred).
• 5 to 7 years in a Continuous Improvement, Reliability, or Maintenance Engineering role.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in root cause analysis and process improvement.

• Proficiency with CMMS systems, CAD tools, and Microsoft Office Suite.

• Hands-on project management and commissioning experience is a plus.

• Solid understanding of production environments and engineering governance.

• Proficiency in both English and Afrikaans is essential

Ideal Candidate:

You're a critical thinker with a passion for solving complex technical problems. You thrive on collaboration, take initiative, and enjoy seeing the measurable impact of your improvements on machine availability and performance.