Operational Excellence Lead
Aerospace Manufacturing | Onsite | $80,000 – $140,000
A fast-growing aerospace and advanced manufacturing company is seeking an experienced Operational Excellence Lead to help optimize factory operations and improve production flow across a high-performance manufacturing environment.
This is a hands-on role focused on driving efficiency across the shop floor through lean manufacturing, process improvement, ERP integration, and factory flow optimization. The position offers the opportunity to play a key role in scaling production capabilities within an innovative and fast-paced organization.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead initiatives focused on improving material flow, reducing WIP, and optimizing production sequencing
- Support ERP implementation and shop floor integration, including routing, labor tracking, and transaction accuracy
- Analyze manufacturing workflows and develop future-state process improvements to increase throughput and reduce waste
- Design and improve factory layouts, production cells, and line balancing strategies
- Develop scalable manufacturing methods, tooling approaches, and process improvements
- Implement and enhance visual management systems including kanban, production boards, and standard work practices
- Partner closely with Production, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Quality teams to resolve bottlenecks and improve operational performance
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean methodologies such as 5S, Kaizen, and root cause analysis
- Create and maintain SOPs, work instructions, and manufacturing documentation
- Monitor KPIs including cycle time, on-time delivery, schedule adherence, and cost reduction metrics
Required Background
- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline
- 3–7+ years of experience within manufacturing, industrial engineering, or operational excellence environments
- Experience working in aerospace, defense, or other complex manufacturing sectors preferred
- Hands-on experience with ERP systems and manufacturing process integration
- Strong understanding of lean manufacturing, value stream mapping, and process optimization
- Experience with factory layout planning, line balancing, and production flow improvements
- Ability to interpret technical drawings, manufacturing data, and operational metrics
- CAD experience (SolidWorks or similar) preferred
- Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive, ownership-driven mindset
Preferred Experience
- High-mix, low-to-medium volume manufacturing environments
- Scaling or high-growth manufacturing organizations
- AS9100 or regulated manufacturing exposure
- Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or above)
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys building processes, improving operational performance, and making a visible impact within a growing aerospace manufacturing business.