Sr Manager, Industrial Engineering & Process Optimization

About the role

The Sr. Manager of Industrial Engineering & Process Optimization will drive continuous improvement across high-throughput manufacturing operations by identifying, prioritizing, and executing initiatives that increase line capacity, reduce turnaround time, improve first pass rate, and optimize resource utilization.

Responsibilities

• Analyze manufacturing line performance data to identify capacity constraints, turnaround time bottlenecks, and labor utilization inefficiencies across production processes
• Investigate first pass rate losses and defect trends; lead root cause analysis efforts in partnership with Quality and Manufacturing to reduce rework, scrap, and reprocessing
• Develop and prioritize a pipeline of improvement opportunities, evaluating whether process redesign, equipment/automation investment, or staffing changes offer the best return
• Build business cases and ROI models for proposed improvements, including capital equipment requests, to support engineering and manufacturing leadership decision-making
• Design and implement process changes using industrial engineering tools (time-motion studies, line balancing, value stream mapping, DOE) and validate improvements through structured pilots
• Partner with Automation Engineering to scope opportunities where equipment or automation upgrades can address capacity, quality, or labor constraints
• Collaborate with Manufacturing and Workforce Planning to right-size staffing models and improve labor efficiency without compromising quality or compliance
• Establish and track key performance indicators (OEE, first pass yield, cycle time, cost-per-unit) to measure the impact of improvement initiatives over time
• Ensure all process changes are executed in compliance with GxP requirements, working with Quality Assurance on change control and documentation
• Present improvement roadmaps, project status, and results to senior engineering and manufacturing leadership

Requirements

This role requires a strong analytical foundation (OEE, Cpk, takt time, first pass yield, cost-per-unit modeling), and experience operating in a Quality-regulated environment (including ISO 13485).

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field
• 8–12+ years of progressive experience in industrial engineering, continuous improvement, or manufacturing process optimization
• 3–5+ years in a supervisory, management, or cross-functional team leadership role
• Demonstrated hands-on experience working within ISO 13485 or GxP-regulated environments
• Strong analytical foundation with expertise in OEE, Cpk, takt time, and cost-per-unit modeling
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority over manufacturing execution
• Hands-on expertise using core industrial engineering tools (time-motion studies, line balancing, capacity modeling, and value stream mapping)

Skills

Experience working within high-throughput biomanufacturing, biotechnology, or life science manufacturing environments.

Demonstrated track record of leading complex, multi-functional process optimization or automation initiatives from diagnostic to execution.

Benefits

Twist Bioscience is an Equal Opportunity Employer.