Material Flow & Production Line Setup Engineer (51312)
Gradian Thermal Solutions · Maple Grove Office - Maple Grove, MN 55369; Dayton Office - Dayton, MN 55369
About The Role
DescriptionGradian is an engineering-led, full-line thermal solutions partner serving data center and other mission-critical, commercial, and industrial markets. Headquartered in Maple Grove, MN, with additional facilities across North America, we design and manufacture liquid cooling systems, air handling equipment, heat rejection units, and modular, factory-assembled thermal management solutions.
Gradian was founded through the unification of four complementary, established brands: MAS HVAC, Daedex, DeepCoolAI, and EcoChillers. Together, we act as a single-source provider, deploying cooling technologies as scalable systems optimized for efficiency, spatial constraints, and overall performance. With a vertically integrated engineering and manufacturing model, we pair rapid design turnaround with precision fabrication, so customers can move faster on complex projects where reliability, timeline, and quality all matter.
Why work here
At Gradian, you'll work alongside others who get genuinely fired up by complex problems, see your work go from first sketch to job site in weeks, not years, and know that while we're developing the technologies critical for AI infrastructure to scale, our culture remains people-first by design.
It is core to our identity that we operate as one team — driving to win together, energizing others, and building lasting relationships that make the work fun and rewarding.
Position Summary:
We are looking for a Material Flow & Line Setup Engineer to own the movement of materials through our production floor and to design and stand up new production lines as products, volumes, and processes evolve. This role sits at the intersection of industrial engineering, logistics, and manufacturing operations — ensuring the right materials are in the right place at the right time, and that new or reconfigured lines are laid out for maximum efficiency, safety, and flexibility.
Key Responsibilities
Material Flow Management
Analyze and optimize the flow of raw materials, WIP, and finished goods across the plant floor
Identify and eliminate bottlenecks, excess handling, and non-value-added movement
Design and maintain material replenishment systems (kanban, min/max, milk runs, point-of-use staging)
Coordinate with warehouse, planning, and production teams to ensure line-side material availability
Monitor inventory levels at production lines to prevent shortages or overstocking
Develop and maintain standard work for material handling and delivery routes
New Line Setup & Changeovers
Design layouts for new production lines based on product specs, takt time, and volume requirements
Plan material presentation, staging areas, and flow paths for new or reconfigured lines
Lead cross-functional line commissioning: coordinate with engineering, maintenance, quality, and production
Develop line balancing, workstation layouts, and material delivery plans for new product introductions
Create and validate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for new lines before ramp-up
Support pilot runs and ramp-up phases, resolving flow and layout issues in real time
Build changeover plans to minimize downtime when switching between products/lines
Continuous Improvement
Apply Lean/Six Sigma principles (5S, value stream mapping, spaghetti diagrams) to improve flow
Use data (cycle times, downtime logs, inventory turns) to identify improvement opportunities
Partner with automation/engineering teams, or material handling equipment projects
Track KPIs such as line downtime due to material shortages, material handling costs, and line changeover time
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with Production Planning/Scheduling to align material flow with demand
Partner with Procurement and Suppliers on packaging, delivery frequency, and container standards
Collaborate with EHS to ensure material handling processes meet safety standards
Train production and material handling staff on new processes and layouts
Qualifications
Required:
Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field (or equivalent hands-on experience
3+ years of experience in manufacturing, material flow, industrial engineering, or production line setup
Experience with Lean Manufacturing tools (value stream mapping, kanban, 5S, standard work)
Strong understanding of production line layout, line balancing, and takt time calculations
Experience launching new products or lines in a manufacturing environment
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