Production Engineer CAT Pigment & Veneer

As a Production Engineer in our Pigment & Veneer team, Category Area Wood, you will be a key member of a 3-person micro-team, working alongside a Business Developer, who leads price negotiations and manages the overall commercial relationship with the supplier, and a Supply Planner, who secures logistics and supply flow. Together, you form an agile, cross-functional team responsible for the entire supplier performance and development.

Your primary focus will be on wood veneer furniture products, working hands-on with suppliers to develop and secure the running production range, implement process improvements, and ensure our products consistently meet IKEA quality, cost, and sustainability standards. You will take the lead in optimizing production flows, supporting the launch of new and improved products, and driving continuous improvement in quality, efficiency, and cost. By building strong partnerships with suppliers, you will help deliver products that meet customer needs—at the right price, with the right quality, and in a sustainable way.

Your main assignments will be:

• Evaluate supplier production capabilities and quality systems.
• Secure the implementation of specifications and product requirements at suppliers.
• Conduct or support audits and implement gap-closing actions.
• Act on deviations – lead root cause analysis and preventive actions for quality issues and claims.
• Continuously challenge and improve supplier processes using lean tools (FMEA, 5 Whys, fishbone, etc.).
• Support product development and implementation (News, Moves, Improves).
• Collaborate with suppliers to co-create action plans and develop long-term capabilities.
• Manage technical communication and information flow between IKEA and suppliers.
• Contribute to cost-out activities and efficiency improvements.

• A university degree in engineering or equivalent experience.
• Experience in a manufacturing or process engineering environment.
• Strong knowledge of production technologies, process control, and quality tools.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Capability to lead root cause analysis and implement improvements.
• Good understanding of product requirements (Drawings) and customer expectations – CTQ (Critical-to-quality).
• Preferred previous experience:  work with wood or wood furniture products.
• Structured and analytical mindset with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken.
• Patience and good communication to help you find common ground with suppliers of different nationalities and to meet IKEA’s business demands.
• Motivation to build long-term partnerships and act with a holistic IKEA view.
• Ability to engage and inspire people, both internally and externally.
• Being an active driver (driving licence B) - travelling is a part of the assignment since our engineers work closely with our suppliers. 

• This position will be based in Prague, the Czech Republic.
• Travelling is a part of the assignment since our Production Engineers work closely with our suppliers (approx. 20-40%, but subject to change depending on suppliers and business needs).
• The selection process will take place continuously, so please send in your application in English as soon as possible but latest December 8, 2025.
• If you have questions about the position, please contact hiring manager Josef Nelson at [email protected]. If you have questions about the recruitment process, please contact People & Culture Lucie Drastilová at [email protected] or Maria Leszczyńska [email protected].