Lead Sourcing & Industrialization Engineer

About the role:

Are you an experienced engineer with a knack for turning product concepts into successful mass productions? Loop Earplugs is on the lookout for a Lead Sourcing & Industrialization Engineer to join our dynamic Operations Team. In this lead role, you will play a crucial part in connecting our Product Engineering and Operations teams, ensuring smooth transitions from concept to reality.

You’re not just a cog in the machine; you’re the maestro orchestrating the symphony of technological brilliance. Your playground includes cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and processes, and your task is to take them to new heights for all of the 15 or more products we are going to launch this year.

As part of the operations team you’ll report to Alice, our Sourcing & Industrialization Manager. Your international project management experience in third-party manufacturing has been invaluable to bring our fantastic concepts to working mass production lines in China. You’ll be able to travel to Asia and other regions when necessary to visit suppliers – roughly three times a year. You’re going to have a big impact on how efficient our product development is, from budget to speed-to-market and you are going to work closely together with our sourcing team to select the right suppliers who allow us to create high quality, cost effective products.

About the operations team:

Meet the vibrant and dynamic crew at Loop Earplugs! Our operations team is a force to be reckoned with, consisting of 15 (and counting!) go-getters, each bringing their unique flair to the table. We’re the backbone of our company, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently for our customers, fellow Loopers and external partners.

We’re split into five supercharged subteams:

• Sourcing & Industrialisation Team: These folks are the maestros of making things happen! They’re the puppet masters behind the scenes, orchestrating the manufacturing of our awesome products and securing the best deals in town.
• Supply Chain Squad: Think of them as the conductors of a symphony. They harmonize the entire sales & operations planning process to keep our operations in perfect rhythm.
• Logistics & Warehouse Wizards: With a dash of magic, a sprinkle of logistics fairy dust and lots of talent and skill, this team ensures our products reach our customers in a flash. They’re the real-life superheroes making sure our deliveries are on point!
• Quality Crusaders: These champions are all about ensuring top-notch quality. They handle everything from quality assurance to quality control and make sure our products are certified perfection.
• Project Management Pros: When it comes to major projects that span across departments, these folks are the captains of the ship. They navigate through challenges and steer us towards success on those grand adventures.

So, whether we’re brewing up manufacturing magic, orchestrating seamless supply chains, delivering products with style, ensuring top-quality goods, or taking on epic cross-department projects, our operations team is the heartbeat of Loop Earplugs, making work feel like play every day!"

What you’ll do:

Project Management for Industrialization:

• Coordinate and manage project timelines, resources, and deliverables to ensure successful and timely execution.

Design for Manufacturability:

• Collaborate with the engineering and design teams to optimize product designs for efficient and cost-effective manufacturing processes by analyzing product specifications and provide recommendations for design improvements, particularly in relation to injection molding and other manufacturing techniques.

Cost Quality Optimization:

• Drive cost optimization initiatives throughout the product lifecycle, working closely with suppliers and internal teams to identify areas for improvement.

Supplier sourcing and scouting:

• Support the scouting of potential new suppliers, technologies, and materials that align with Loop’s product roadmap and quality standards to ensure that we remain at the forefront of innovation and cost efficiency.
• Collaborate with the engineering and design teams to explore new possibilities for improving product performance, cost optimization, and sustainability.

How you’ll do it:

• Degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering or a related field.
• You’ve been around the engineering block more times than you can count, and you’ve got the battle scars
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to easily see the bigger picture while also being detail-focused, ensuring meticulous attention to quality and performance.
• Proactive mindset and the ability to take initiative, anticipating challenges and actively seeking solutions.
• Flexible thinking to navigate and thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Excellent verbal communication skills, assertive and capable of effectively conveying ideas and managing relationships with stakeholders at various levels, particularly on the commercial side.
• You’ll need to work in our Antwerp office on a regular basis. Our product development team is based there, so it makes sense :-)
• Good English is a must-have, please. And if you can speak Chinese? That’s a very nice-to-have.

So what does Lead mean at Loop?

Do you consider yourself an expert and you just want to get your hands dirty and coach the new kids on the block, great this is the job for you!

Do you consider yourself and expert but you want to also manage a small team of fun and ambitious engineers Great than this is also the job for you!

At Loop we can work in different ways and regardless of which track you choose, expert vs manager you will be valued at what you contribute and not if and how many people report to you!