manager, innovation engineering

About the role

From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company—one that celebrates coffee and the rich tradition while bringing a feeling of connection. The Continuous Improvement & Industrial Engineering team designs and scales physical store systems that improve the partner experience and unlock capacity across our retail footprint. This role plays a critical leadership position within that mission.

As Manager, Continuous Improvement & Industrial Engineering, you will lead a team responsible for developing, scaling, and optimizing store systems, equipment, and operational processes. You will bridge strategy and execution—setting direction, aligning cross-functional partners, and ensuring the successful delivery of high-impact initiatives that improve store performance, partner experience, and customer outcomes. This is a highly cross-functional, fast-paced role partnering closely with operations, store development, equipment engineering, product teams, and data science to bring solutions to life and scale them effectively across thousands of stores.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing team, providing coaching, clear expectations, and fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment that drives strong results
• Translate business priorities into actionable plans, structuring programs, resources, and timelines while removing barriers and driving execution against key outcomes
• Deliver and scale store solutions by applying industrial engineering principles, data, and modeling (including CAD and simulation) to improve capacity, efficiency, and the partner experience
• Drive cross-functional alignment and execution, connecting work across engineering, operations, and development teams, and ensuring ideas move effectively from concept through implementation
• Define and translate complex business needs into clear requirements, enabling teams to solve problems, navigate trade-offs, and progress high-impact initiatives
• Apply a data-driven, analytical mindset to identify opportunities, solve complex problems, and translate insights into scalable, real-world solutions
• Shape continuous improvement strategies, identifying patterns, constraints, and opportunities across the system to inform long-term innovation and productivity gains

Requirements

• 7+ years’ experience in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or related field
• 7+ years of project/program management experience
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives from pilot to large-scale implementation
• Prior experience in retail or store operations environments
• Experience leading and developing teams

Skills

• Strong leadership and team-building skills
• Strong data-driven mindset, with experience using analytics, modeling, and research to inform decisions
• Familiarity with engineering design and simulation tools (e.g., CAD, process modeling)
• Ability to solve complex problems and drive solutions to completion
• Proven ability to influence without authority in a matrixed organization
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills across executive and technical audiences
• Strong analytical and quantitative capabilities
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, prioritize effectively, and drive results

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Paid parental leave and family expansion reimbursement
• Paid vacation from date of hire (accrued up to a maximum of 120 hours annually for roles below director and 200 hours for roles at director or above; 190 hours in CA for roles below director and 316 hours in CA for roles at director or above)
• Sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked)
• Eight paid holidays and two personal days per year
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Discounted company stock program (S.I.P.) and Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock)
• Incentivized emergency savings and financial well-being tools
• 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan
• Student loan management resources and access to other educational opportunities
• Backup care and DACA reimbursement

Schedule

This role is onsite four days a week.