Job Description

Ready to take a fresh step in your career?

Our colleagues in the Continuous Improvement team are eager to team up with you to make our production processes better every day, helping everyone enjoy our delicious freshmakers and sweets!

Continuous Improvement Engineer

Location: Skarbimierz Osiedle, Poland – Gum Factory

Work arrangement: Full-time, on-site

Address: Smaków 1, 49-318 Skarbimierz, Opole Voivodeship

Team: Continuous Improvement, reporting to the L6S / Continuous Improvement Lead

Where we need you

As a Continuous Improvement Engineer, you will help us make our production processes more efficient, reduce waste, and improve performance. Working closely with production teams, team leaders, engineers, and other departments, you will learn how to identify improvement opportunities and turn ideas into practical solutions.

You will contribute to our Perfetti Performance Excellence (PPE) program, based on Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), while gaining hands-on experience with Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement tools.

This is an opportunity for someone who already has some experience in production or continuous improvement and is motivated to learn, take ownership, and grow professionally. You don't need to be an expert in every methodology from day one — we're looking for curiosity, analytical thinking, and the potential to develop.

Your core responsibilities at a glance

• Identify opportunities for improvement: Work with production teams to identify losses, understand operational challenges, and find ways to make processes more efficient.
• Support continuous improvement projects: Participate in initiatives focused on reducing waste, improving productivity, and delivering cost savings.
• Learn and apply Lean tools: Use and develop your knowledge of continuous improvement techniques such as 5S, Kaizen, Root Cause Analysis, SMED, and process standardization.
• Monitor performance: Track operational indicators, including Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and productivity, and help identify areas for improvement.
• Help implement lasting solutions: Support teams in introducing new processes and standards, checking results, and ensuring improvements are sustained.
• Contribute to PPE implementation: Help coordinate improvement activities, monitor progress, and support audits and reviews within production areas.
• Collaborate and share knowledge: Work with colleagues across production and support functions, participate in project teams, and contribute to workshops and training sessions.
• Promote safety and quality: Ensure that improvement initiatives support a safe working environment and follow applicable quality, hygiene, and environmental standards.

The ingredients of Perfetti Van Melle – is this your flavor?

We are Taste Makers in Candy! As the third-largest confectionery company in the world – and the second in Europe – we're on a journey to become the best in making candy. And we need great colleagues to make that happen.

What makes us unique:

• Empowering – Growth and development opportunities tailored to you.
• Fun – A family-like culture, team events, and yes… a candy factory!
• Innovation – Active engagement in topics like health, sustainability, and food safety.
• Dynamic – With operations in 30+ countries and exciting new acquisitions, we're constantly evolving.

The ideal recipe for our new Continuous Improvement Engineer

• Some experience in a production environment or continuous improvement — ideally at least 3 years in production or 1 year in a continuous improvement role, but we're open to candidates with relevant experience who are ready to take the next step.
• An interest in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, with an understanding of how production processes can be improved.
• Practical knowledge of improvement tools such as 5S, Kaizen, Root Cause Analysis, SMED, Value Stream Mapping, or standardization. Experience with some of these tools is an advantage; you don't need to know them all.
• A proactive, analytical mindset and the ability to look at processes, identify problems, and help find practical solutions.
• Good communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to engage colleagues and work with different teams.
• Willingness to learn and support change, including participating in projects, workshops, and training activities.
• Good working knowledge of MS Office. Experience with Power BI would be a plus.
• Communicative English skills to collaborate with colleagues across the business.
• A university degree, preferably in engineering, a technical discipline, or production management, would be an advantage.
• Willingness to work fully on-site in Skarbimierz Osiedle and commute to the factory regularly.

What we offer

• Learning and development opportunities to build your expertise in Lean manufacturing, TPM, and continuous improvement.
• Hands-on experience working on real production improvement projects and opportunities to turn your ideas into measurable results.
• Annual bonus
• Private healthcare & group insurance.
• Subsidized sports card & canteen.
• The opportunity to work with experienced colleagues and learn from teams across the business.
• Be part of a global company bringing joy through sweets!
• Great Place to Work® Certified™ – because creating joy starts with creating a great place to work. At Perfetti Van Melle, we don't just create iconic brands – we create a workplace where people thrive. We are proud to be Great Place to Work® Certified™.

Want a taste of more?

If you're curious about how production works, enjoy finding better ways of doing things, and want to build your career in continuous improvement, we'd love to meet you!

At Perfetti Van Melle, we believe the strength of our team lies in diversity. We create a workplace where everyone feels welcome, respected, and empowered to grow.

Ready to shape the future of sweets? Apply now and take your next step with Perfetti Van Melle!