Continuous Improvement Specialist

About the role

A leading organization in the medical device industry is seeking a Continuous Improvement Specialist to drive operational excellence across manufacturing and business operations.

Responsibilities

• Support assigned product lines and functional groups in achieving their operational performance objectives.
• Participate in KPI review meetings with Product Line Leaders and department leadership to assess performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Analyze operational and manufacturing data to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and performance gaps.
• Conduct statistical analysis and root cause investigations to develop corrective actions and process improvements.
• Facilitate continuous improvement initiatives ranging from focused improvement activities and smaller kaizen events to larger cross-functional improvement projects.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Laboratory, Manufacturing Engineering, and other support organizations to drive sustainable process improvements.
• Monitor and measure improvement initiatives to ensure long-term effectiveness and alignment with business objectives.
• Communicate project updates, findings, and recommendations clearly and effectively to stakeholders at multiple levels of the organization.
• Utilize SAP and other systems to gather, interpret, and report operational and manufacturing performance data.
• Perform time studies and analyze manufacturing processes to identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency gains.
• Support the management and reduction of nonconforming product through analysis of nonconformance reports and quality data.
• Assist in the development, documentation, and standardization of improved processes and work practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Life Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, or another technical discipline.
• 3–5 years of professional experience in manufacturing, process improvement, operational excellence, continuous improvement, industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related field.
• Experience analyzing manufacturing or operational performance data and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with the ability to perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Experience working within cross-functional teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Effective communication and project coordination skills, with the ability to present findings and recommendations to stakeholders.
• Hands-on experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience with Six Sigma tools and methodologies, preferably at a Green Belt level or equivalent.
• Proficiency in data analysis, including the use of Excel pivot tables and other analytical tools.
• Experience working in medical device, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with SAP or similar enterprise systems used in manufacturing operations.
• Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing operations and understanding of associated challenges.
• Knowledge of process engineering or manufacturing engineering principles applied in a production environment.

Qualifications

• Experience within medical device, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Operational Excellence, and related methodologies.
• Experience facilitating or actively participating in kaizen events and structured process improvement initiatives.
• Background in medical device or pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and quality requirements.
• Hands-on experience with Six Sigma tools and approaches, including Green Belt-level projects.
• Familiarity with time studies and work measurement techniques to assess and improve productivity.
• Experience working with automated or semi-automated production environments.
• Knowledge of statistical analysis tools and process performance metrics used to monitor and control manufacturing processes.
• Experience working with nonconforming product data and nonconformance reports to drive quality improvements.
• Understanding of key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety, quality, delivery, and cost, and how to influence them through process improvements.
• Ability to collaborate with quality, operations, engineering, and laboratory teams to align improvement initiatives with regulatory and quality standards.