Process Optimization Engineer

Who we are:

Ready to Join the Backstage Crew?

At Bleckmann, we’ve been delivering on promises since 1862. As a market leader in supply chain management for fashion and lifestyle brands, we keep the show running behind the scenes — from moving boxes to moving data, from pack & ship to IT and HR.

But we’re not just logistics experts. We’re The Backstage Crew — a tight-knit team of 6,500+ people who make fashion and lifestyle brands shine by doing the work that matters most, out of the spotlight but never out of impact.

Whether you're on the warehouse floor or behind a screen, you’ll find:

Strong connections with colleagues who support and celebrate you.

Fast growth in a company that’s expanding across Europe, the US, and Asia.

High energy in a dynamic environment where no two days are the same.

Guided freedom to take initiative, solve problems your way, and grow your career.

We believe in entrepreneurship, expertise, excellence, and engagement — and we live these values every day. From repairing returned goods to reducing waste, we help brands extend product lifecycles with sustainability in mind.

So if you’re ready to roll out the red carpet for our clients — and for each other — we’ve got a spot for you.

Behind the scenes is where the real excitement begins. Ready to join us?

Tasks and responsibilities:

At Bleckmann, we focus on Engineering and Innovation to drive excellence and efficiency in our logistics solutions, especially within the dynamic field of warehousing and supply chain management. Furthermore, intelligent order release and stable flow management are essential in manual, semi-automated, and fully automated warehouses. The Process Optimization Engineer ensures that waving strategies, optimizers, and digital decision-support tools are successfully rolled out, configured, validated, and continuously improved across all warehouse types.

The role bridges operations, simulation, design engineering, and IT, ensuring that:

• tools function end-to-end,
• operational constraints are considered,
• and that savings and performance improvements forecasted during the design phase are effectively realized on the floor.

Activities :

• Deploys, configures, and validates waving strategies in manual, semi?automated and automated warehouses.
• Analyzes current operational processes, identifying inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas requiring redesign or improved flow control.
• Performs first?level process analysis to prepare improvement cases: requirement gathering, gap analysis, documentation, and challenge/hand?over to Design Engineers or other specialists.
• Actively contributes to the definition of new processes, ensuring that prerequisites required for optimal wave execution (batching logic, inventory strategy, replenishment cycles, automation constraints) are embedded in the initial design.
• Works closely with Design Engineers so that all process and system conditions required to realize the savings generated by optimizers are integrated during the solution design phase.
• Identifies and explores new optimization opportunities, using data, observations, and feedback from operations to propose innovative improvements or new optimizer logic.
• Ensures smooth roll?out of optimizers by validating flows and integrations with IT (WMS/WCS), participating in testing, and supporting performance stabilization after go?live.
• Monitors optimizer performance and tunes parameters to optimize throughput, flow stability, productivity, and predictability.
• Supports Modelling & Simulation by providing operational constraints and validating optimizer strategies against model outcomes.
• Documents processes, logic, best practices, and trains operational, design, and IT teams when relevant.

Profile:

Technical Expertise:

• Warehouse Process Understanding:
• Strong knowledge of manual and automated warehouse processes (picking, replenishment, sortation, AS/RS, conveyors), enabling accurate analysis and optimization of flows.
• Waving & Flow Logic Insight:
• Solid understanding of order release concepts (batching, sequencing, cut-offs, routing constraints) and how they translate into operational or system logic.
• Data Analysis Skills:
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and the ability to quickly process and interpret large operational datasets. Affinity with SQL, Access or similar tools is a strong plus.
• Digital Tool & Optimizer Configuration:
• Ability to configure, tune and validate optimizers or decision-support tools. Affinity with digital warehousing tools, dashboards, and parameter-based logic.
• System (WMS/WCS) Understanding:
• Functional understanding of how WMS/WCS interact with waving logic, interfaces, data flows and operational execution.

Experience & Education:

• Professional Experience: 3 to 5 years of experience in warehousing, process engineering, operational analytics, or a related improvement-focused role. Experience with optimization logic, flow analysis or WMS functionality is beneficial.
• Educational Background: Bachelor or Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Logistics, Supply Chain, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
• Cross-Functional Experience (Preferred):
• Exposure to working with Operations, IT and Engineering teams on process or system improvements.

Personal Qualities & Soft Skills:

• Analytical & Structured:
• Able to break down complex processes, identify root causes, and build clear improvement proposals.
• Driven & Hands-On:
• Demonstrates a proactive, can?do mindset, comfortable going on the floor, validating assumptions, and challenging the status quo.
• Innovative Problem Solving:
• Curious by nature, actively explores new optimization opportunities, tools, and technologies.
• Independent but Collaborative:
• Strong ownership of topics, while working closely with Design Engineers, IT teams, Simulation, and Operations.
• Customer- and Result-Oriented:
• Understands operational impact and ensures optimizations deliver measurable improvements and align with internal and external customer needs.
• Global Mindset:
• Able to work effectively with teams across countries, cultures, and warehouse setups.

Communication Skills:

• Language Proficiency:
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Dutch to ensure clear understanding and alignment across Operations, IT, and Engineering.
• Stakeholder Alignment:
• Able to translate complex process or logic topics into clear messages adapted to different audiences (operators, engineers, IT, managers).

Additional Requirements:

• Interest in New Technologies:
• Demonstrates strong interest in digital tools, optimization technologies, automation trends, and innovative warehouse solutions.
• Mobility:
• Holds a driving license and willing to travel ad?hoc for site support, roll?outs, testing, and workshops.

What do we offer ?

Cultural Fit: The 4 E’s of Bleckmann

• Entrepreneurship: Brings a proactive, opportunity-driven mindset. Able to spot and act on AI opportunities that create value for Bleckmann and its clients.
• Expertise: Demonstrates deep knowledge and credibility in AI, data, and transformation. Shares insights and builds confidence across teams.
• Energy: Operates with drive, resilience, and a hands-on attitude. Motivates others and maintains momentum even in complex or ambiguous situations.
• Engagement: Builds strong relationships across the organisation. Listens, connects, and collaborates with authenticity and purpose.