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Nordic Naturals · 1 month ago

Operational Excellence Engineer

Vista, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

$100K/yr - $140K/yr

7+ years exp

Nordic Naturals is a leading Omega-3 fish oil supplement manufacturer dedicated to efficiency and quality in their operations. They are seeking an Operational Excellence Engineer to lead lean transformations, implement continuous improvement strategies, and enhance overall plant performance.

Dietary SupplementsE-CommerceNutrition

H1B Sponsor Likely

Responsibilities

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

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

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

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

Qualification

Lean ManufacturingLean Six SigmaIndustrial EngineeringContinuous ImprovementTotal Productive MaintenanceRoot Cause AnalysisStandard Work DevelopmentCoaching SkillsAnalytical ThinkingCommunicationProject Management

Required

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

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

Company

Nordic Naturals

Nordic Naturals sells vitamins and supplements.

Founded in 1995

Watsonville, California, USA

201-500 employees

https://www.nordic.com

H1B Sponsorship

Nordic Naturals has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)

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