Continuous Improvement Specialist

Why This Role

Continuous improvement at Scot Forge is not a corporate initiative that's managed from behind a desk. It's a team effort built on collaboration, servant leadership, and employee ownership. As a Continuous Improvement Specialist, you'll partner with operations, maintenance, engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to identify opportunities, solve problems, and implement sustainable improvements. Success in this role means developing the capability of others so teams can continuously improve long after individual projects are complete.

What You'll Own

• Lead Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives across the organization
• Coach teams in structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and Lean methodologies
• Deploy and sustain Lean manufacturing principles, daily management systems, and standard work
• Drive improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Equipment Reliability through waste elimination
• Measure, track, and communicate improvement results while building organizational capability

What You'll Do

• Facilitate Kaizen events, rapid improvement workshops, and cross-functional improvement projects
• Lead teams through structured problem-solving methods including A3, 8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone Analysis, and Pareto Analysis
• Support daily management systems through KPI development, visual management, tier meetings, leader standard work, and performance tracking
• Conduct Gemba walks, value stream mapping, and data analysis to identify priorities and implement sustainable improvements
• Train and coach employee-owners on Lean principles and operational excellence tools including 5S, TPM, SMED, and Visual Factory

What We're Looking For

• 3-7 years of experience in manufacturing, operations, engineering, quality, continuous improvement, or a related environment
• Proven success participating in or facilitating Lean initiatives, Kaizen events, and structured problem-solving activities; Lean certification and/or Six Sigma Green Belt preferred
• Strong analytical, project management, communication, facilitation, and presentation skills with the ability to translate data into actionable improvements
• Servant leadership mindset with the ability to influence and build engagement across teams without direct authority
• Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred; must be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship and able to pass a 90-day head hair drug test

Why Scot Forge

• 100% employee-owned company with a long history of stability and growth
• Industry leader serving critical and demanding markets
• Opportunity to drive meaningful operational improvements across the business
• Collaborative culture that values servant leadership and continuous learning
• Nationally recognized commitment to safety and employee engagement
• A place where people build careers, not just resumes

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you're energized by solving problems, developing people, and helping teams achieve better results, we'd like to connect. Join Scot Forge and help build a culture where employee-owners are empowered to continuously improve the way we work.

Additional Information: 100% Onsite. Multiple Positions open at all three Scot Forge Manufacturing Plants - Spring Grove IL, Clinton WI, Franklin Park IL.

Pay

The estimated pay range is the lowest and highest amount we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We ultimately may pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. The actual base pay offered to a candidate will depend on various factors including but not limited to relevant skills, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, seniority, geographic location and prevailing minimum wage, performance, shift, travel requirements, and business or organizational needs.

Benefits

• Medical, Vision, Dental, Hearing
• Life (Basic & AD&D)
• Disability (STD & LTD)
• 401K Plan with match
• Profit Sharing
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Tax Savings (FSA & HSA)
• Vacation Time, Paid Time Off, and Paid Holidays