Continuous Improvement Leader

As the Continuous Improvement Leader for our Indianapolis site, you will serve as the site Continuous Improvement lead and a key partner to the Site Leader and functional leadership team. You will translate business priorities and performance opportunities into focused improvement initiatives that strengthen safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and overall operational performance. 

The Indianapolis operation is located within the facility of a key strategic customer, creating a unique environment where operational excellence, responsiveness, and strong collaboration are critical. You will help ensure improvement efforts strengthen our operations while supporting the high standards and commitments expected within this important customer relationship. 

This is a highly visible, hands-on role. You will drive deployment of the Practical Process Improvement (PPI) Business System - Thermo Fisher Scientific's continuous improvement system built on Lean principles, structured problem solving, and colleague engagement to drive sustainable performance improvement. You will lead high-impact improvement initiatives, strengthen Daily Management, and build problem-solving capability across the organization. 

Success in this role requires leading through influence and spending meaningful time where the work happens - engaging directly with teams to understand performance barriers, identify opportunities, implement solutions, and sustain results.

• Serve as the site Continuous Improvement lead and key point of contact for PPI Business System activities. 

• Partner with site and functional leadership to identify, prioritize, and execute improvement opportunities aligned with business objectives. 

• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, flow, capacity, and lead-time performance. 

• Apply Lean and PPI methodologies including value-stream mapping, standard work, waste elimination, visual management, and structured problem solving. 

• Strengthen the site's Daily Management System by coaching teams on visual management, tiered escalation, accountability, and effective problem solving. 

• Work directly with operators, supervisors, engineers, and leaders to identify root causes, develop countermeasures, implement improvements, and sustain results. 

• Use operational and financial data to identify performance gaps, prioritize opportunities, and measure improvement impact. 

• Facilitate Kaizen events, workshops, and focused improvement activities. 

• Coach leaders and teams to build Continuous Improvement and problem-solving capability throughout the organization. 

• Collaborate effectively across functions and within a customer-embedded environment, considering stakeholder requirements and customer impact when implementing change. 

• Maintain visibility to improvement progress, results, risks, and barriers and communicate effectively with site leadership.

​

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations, or a related technical or business discipline required. 

• Minimum 3 years of experience in Continuous Improvement, Lean, Operational Excellence, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, manufacturing operations, or a related field. 

• Demonstrated experience leading Lean, PPI, or Continuous Improvement initiatives that delivered measurable operational or business results. 

• Experience working cross-functionally and influencing leaders and teams without direct authority. 

• Experience in a customer-facing, customer-embedded, contract manufacturing, or similarly high-stake stakeholder environment is preferred. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

• Strong working knowledge of Lean and Continuous Improvement methodologies, including value-stream mapping, standard work, visual management, flow improvement, and structured problem solving. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into actionable improvement priorities. 

• Effective facilitation and coaching skills with the ability to influence across functions and organizational levels. 

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including the judgment to operate effectively in a customer-embedded environment. 

• Comfortable working hands-on in manufacturing and engaging directly with operators, supervisors, engineers, and site leaders. 

• Ability to connect business priorities with practical improvement work and drive initiatives through implementation and sustainment. 

• Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean certification, or equivalent practical experience preferred.