Operational Excellence Engineer

We are a leading Omega-3 fish oil supplement manufacturer producing softgels, liquids, and gummies at our state-of-the-art facility in Vista, California. As we continue to grow, we are committed to creating a highly efficient, quality-focused, and waste-free manufacturing

environment. We are seeking a skilled Operational Excellence Engineer to lead our lean transformation and embed continuous improvement into our culture, systems, and daily operations.

Position Summary

The Operational Excellence Engineer is responsible for leading the development, deployment, and sustainability of Lean Manufacturing principles across the plant. This role is a hands-on leader who combines Lean Six Sigma, LSS, Total Productive Maintenance, TPM,

Quality Management, Continuous Improvement, and Industrial Engineering methods to improve productivity, eliminate waste, and optimize overall plant performance. The ideal candidate will have a passion for building people and processes that drive long-term operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Lean & Waste Reduction Leadership:

● Develop and lead the site-wide Lean Manufacturing strategy to drive measurable improvements in productivity, quality, safety, and cost.

● Identify, prioritize, and eliminate all forms of waste in manufacturing, including:

● Defects - nonconforming product

● Overproduction - making more than is needed

● Waiting – delays between process steps, material flows, approvals, etc.

● Non-Utilized Talent - failing to engage employees full potential

● Transportation - unnecessary movement of materials or products

● Inventory - excess raw materials, work-in-progress, or finished goods

● Motion - inefficient, unnecessary movements by people or equipment

● Extra Processing - doing more work or using more resources than required

● Lead waste walks, kaizen events, and root cause analysis workshops to uncover waste and implement sustainable countermeasures.

● Develop operator work instructions and standard work for both operators & leadership.

● Deploy visual factory management systems including 5S, KPI performance tracking and other tools to indicate performance against standards at a glance.

Industrial Engineering & Productivity Optimization:

● Conduct line balancing, time studies, and workflow analysis to improve throughput and optimize labor allocation.

● Analyze resource utilization and develop staffing models based on Takt time, cycle time, and demand.

● Design and implement standard work to improve consistency and reduce process variability.

● Improve equipment changeover times using SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) techniques.

● Evaluate plant layout and material flow, recommending changes to reduce transportation and motion waste.

● Lead productivity improvement projects to address losses and increase overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and reduce downtime.

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving:

● Lead cross-functional problem-solving efforts and coach teams on structured Root

Cause Analysis (RCA) tools such as:

● 5 Whys

● Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams

● A3 Problem Solving

● Fault Tree Analysis

● Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA)

● Drive RCCA (Root Cause and Corrective Action) processes to eliminate recurring issues and ensure sustainable solutions.

● Facilitate value stream mapping, process capability studies, and performance improvement projects.

● Implement and support structured problem-solving methodologies at all levels of the organization.

● Lead and participate in Gemba walks, audits, and tiered meetings to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Training & Culture Building:

● Deliver ongoing training and coaching to employees on Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma tools, and Total Quality Management.

● Empower frontline teams to identify inefficiencies and lead improvement initiatives.

● Establish visual dashboards and KPI tracking to monitor progress and drive accountability.

Qualifications

● Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering or Productivity Engineering is a must.

● Minimum 7 years of experience in Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement roles in a food, dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, or regulated manufacturing environment.

● Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification is a must.

● Demonstrated success in reducing manufacturing waste, improving labor efficiency, and increasing throughput.

● In-depth knowledge of lean tools and techniques including Standard Work, Line Balancing, 5S, SMED, kanban, visual controls, value stream mapping, and root cause analysis.

● Strong background in Industrial Engineering methods such as line balancing, time studies, capacity planning, and standard work development.

● Excellent communication, coaching, and facilitation skills.

● Analytical thinker with the ability to translate data into actionable improvement plans.

Preferred Skills

● Experience with manufacturing automation, MES systems, or digital lean tools is a plus.

● Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), regulatory standards, and cleanroom manufacturing.

● Strong project management and change management capabilities.

● TPM experience is a plus.