Laura Rivas

Experience

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  Northeastern University College of Engineering

  Jan 2011 - May 2011

  Research Assistant

  High Performance Materials and Structures Lab• Developed a new sample preparation method for creating consistent samples to be used in compression tests• Conducted tests with Instron to analyze if foam has an effect on the compressive strength of a structure• Organized large volumes of data in Excel, and prepared graphs to convey test results for the academic article “Producing and optimizing novel materials and structures”• Discovered that beams filled with foam had proportional limits that were 1.8 times greater than hollow beams Show less

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  Nitsch Engineering

  Jan 2012 - Jun 2012

  Transportation Engineering Co-op

  I supported the transportation engineering department in completing a range of project functions. I started off by correcting the redlines on the draft drawings from the full time engineers, and ended up putting my own name on the title blocks for drawings in which I designed the highway signage and traffic patterns to be used when roadwork needed to be completed.• Created an inventory of Boston intersections: Visited sites to measure field conditions, take pictures and record the features of each intersection• Analyzed traffic, compiled crash data, developed diagrams, figures and theories for functional design reports of intersections to increase safety and effectiveness of an intersection Show less

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  Hasbro

  Jan 2013 - Jun 2013

  Product Engineering Co-op

  I worked on Play-Doh and Mr. Potato Head toys to coordinate the needs of the artistic designer, marketing representative, and cost engineer within the product launch timeline. I communicated the company's needs to suppliers in China to make sure that the final product was high quality and competitively costed. I participated in the development of the Doh-Vinci product to ensure that product design met the customer's needs and expectations. • Developed and prototyped new toy concept with favorable profit margin and acceptable safety compliance appropriate to the target age range• Prepared design for manufacturing by choosing appropriate plastic material, considering feasibility and simplifying assembly while preserving the effect of the design concept • Debugged product samples from factory by deconstructing the toy. Created PowerPoints to clearly communicate comments and desired changes to Hasbro Far East concerning mold design, manufacturing method and toy function Show less

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  VARIOVAC PS SystemPack GmbH

  Jan 2014 - Jun 2014

  Konstruktion Praktikantin (Design Engineer Intern)

  I worked from the office in Zarrentin am Schaalsee to design a mechanical lift system used in the molding process of a thermoforming machine. I performed patent research and theoretical calculations to understand the possible methods for lifting and lowering the mold tray to the plastic film.

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  Sanergy

  Jan 2015 - May 2015

  Facilities Fellow

  I supported the engineering needs of the facilities department that oversaw the fabrication and construction of waterless latrines, and facility and equipment used to process waste into fertilizer. I worked from the office in Mukuru - an informal settlement in Nairobi - to observe existing processes and design fixtures to improve the ergonomics of the tasks. • Designed system of platforms and lifting dolly to reduce handling and improve ease of waste transfer from collection bins to processing hopper • Created 3D models of container transportation to gain political approval • Designed safe, durable, low cost structures to use in waste processing Show less

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  Legrand, North America

  Jun 2015 - now

  I work with the product management and purchasing teams to coordinate the procurement of products from Asia. I developed a supplier scorecard to objectively track the performance of suppliers and use the data to help suppliers improve their performance, and to drive strategic decisions about which suppliers should be chosen to expand partnership through re-source projects, or new product launches. I understand the needs of the business in the context of what is happening globally and I am working to have dual country sources for all product categories to mitigate risk. • Ensured quality and consistency by developing strong relations with Asia Pacific sourcing team.• Improved recovery dates from Legrand-owned factory in Asia by tracking output and building capacity plan to match sales forecast • Developed process for managing 500+ new product introductions per year and ensuring that key milestones are achieved on time. Show less When the plant was reorganized into value streams, I was the first manager over the wiremold department. I was responsible for the safety, quality, delivery, inventory, and productivity for a section of the plant that produced $35 million annual revenue. I started by spending a lot of time on the production floor and listening to the people who worked in the business. After understanding the production and the challenges associated with it, I spent time with the product manager to understand the business and the needs of the customer. While overseeing daily production, I developed a model to justify the necessary investments in the manufacturing center in order to build capacity to match the future plan of the business. I worked with vendors to specify, purchase and implement solutions to improve output, productivity, and sustainability of the business. I completed 16 Capital Expenditure (CapEx) projects totaling $1.5M in investment. I was responsible for 9 PVC extrusion lines, 32 injection molding machines, and many assembly cells. My brand was named the supplier of the year for Home Depot in 2021 - an incredible accomplishment in the wake of Covid and extensive supply chain challenges. While managing production, I leveraged my strong relationships and listening skills to implement creative solutions to a slew of challenges in order to continue to deliver product to our customers. Problems solved included: moving a product to be built on a different extrusion line with minimal investment, designing containers to use for in-house WIP to protect product and ease transportation, modifying tool storage to improve flexibility and capacity of injection molding machines, installing a portable chiller to decrease the cycle time of a constrained tool, and more. Show less I had responsibility for the fiber optic cable assembly operations in the plant including supervision, scheduling and procurement. I engaged my team to implement lean tools such as 5S, daily gemba walks, developing meaningful KPIs that we discussed at a daily production meeting, and more to improve the productivity and output of the operation to better serve customer needs. Through standardization and increased cross training, I was able to decrease the product time through production and build a flexible factory that could quickly respond to shifting customer needs. Show less I completed a leadership development program that brought me to relocate 4 times in 3 years. I learned an incredible amount from each rotation and was able to see many facets of manufacturing. My biggest accomplishments and take aways from the program were:• Coordinated the international relocation of manufacturing. Took leadership roles in documenting, deploying and training standard work for every step of the manufacturing process, specifying required investments, having the grit to figure out how every machine and process worked • Redesigned a raw material warehouse to match the use cases - improved productivity and visibility, reduced safety risks and quality risks associated with moving product through a warehouse• Rolled out ISO14001 including deploying proper waste stream collections, developing and training on required activities to comply with ISO14001 standards• Redesigned the material flow and structure of a fabrication department and decreased lead time by 50% Locations:Pensacola, FL & Toronto, Ontario - QMotionHickory, NC - Quiktron/ OrtronicsWest Hartford, CT - Wiremold Show less

  • Commodity Manager

    Jun 2021 - now

  • Value Stream Manager

    Jul 2019 - Jun 2021

  • Value Stream Manager

    May 2018 - Jul 2019

  • Operations Leadership Development Program Associate

    Jun 2015 - May 2018