Production Engineer, Carbon Steel

Do you have a solid base in manufacturing and product development methodologies? Would you like a position where you work in a truly international environment? Then this might be a chance for you!

One brand, many companies, and many, many people – that’s us in a nutshell. Spread all over the world, we have a passion for home furnishing and an inspiring shared vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. This, together with our straightforward business idea, shared values, and a culture based on the spirit of togetherness, guides us in everything we do.

To offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low, that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. To meet the needs of our customers we have a unique business model and value chain. It includes product development, design, supply, manufacture and sales. And of course, it starts and ends with our customers.

Job Description

You will work in a small, 3-member micro-team with a Business Developer who negotiates prices and takes care of the overall commercial relation with the supplier and a Supply Planner who handles logistics. As part of the annual action plan, you will be responsible for the constant improvement of the quality of IKEA products as well as the production process and workflow through tools such as 5S, Lean, and machine capacity utilization. All with the aim of reducing production inefficiencies, in terms of sustainability and business ethics. You will perform in the following:

• Developing relationships with suppliers – the micro-team regularly travels to the field in order to understand and solve issues firsthand, we see production from the ground up, help with the implementation of action plans, and cooperate in audit processes.
• Data analytics – this will be a primary function.
• Operation – helping suppliers with entering up-to-date product documents into the system to secure compliance, resolving claims from A to Z, regular communication with suppliers (emails, calls), meetings with management and the team.

Your tasks will also include:

• Being accountable for quality performance at suppliers.
• Perform product audits and production risk assessments.
• Secure full compliance of IKEA quality requirements.
• Secure production process control.
• Work with continuous improvement.
• Develop suppliers according to IKEA Supplier Operating Standard.
• Being an IKEA ambassador towards external partners.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role, the following competencies are important for you:

• Proven experience in Quality & Compliance / Production environment, good knowledge of materials properties, production processes and technologies, as well as a scientific or technical background (materials engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering…) or equivalent experience.
• The ability to think out-of-the-box and critically in the constant search for ways to improve our products.
• Analytical thinking, which you will use in analyzing processes from the beginning of product implementation, to data evaluation and finding improvements, cost savings, better design or quality.
• Patience and good communication to help you find common ground with suppliers of different nationalities and to meet IKEA’s business demands, as well as preferred experience in suppliers management within quality/technical roles in multinational companies.
• The ability to manage time well, to balance between the factory floor and office work.

Additional Information

This position will be based in Assago (Milano). Travelling is a part of the assignment since our Engineers work closely with our suppliers. The selection process will take place continuously, so please send in your application in English latest 18th April 2025.