Excelitas Technologies

Continuous Improvement Leader

Excelitas Technologies$120K — $135K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in relevant field or equivalent experience.
  • 5+ years in continuous improvement or Lean manufacturing roles.
  • Demonstrated use of data analysis for business improvements.
  • Strong structured problem solving experience with methodologies like A3 and PDCA.
  • Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive organizational change.
  • Excellent analytical skills to interpret and act on complex data.
  • Project management experience handling multiple initiatives concurrently.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the Continuous Improvement program to enhance quality and efficiency.
  • Act as the Lean Manufacturing subject matter expert and mentor.
  • Own and continuously improve the site's 6S program.
  • Develop and analyze operational performance metrics and dashboards.
  • Identify improvement opportunities through data analysis and collaboration.
  • Facilitate structured problem-solving efforts for operational challenges.
  • Manage the A3 project portfolio to drive sustained improvement.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to lead impactful Continuous Improvement initiatives.
  • Collaborative environment focused on operational excellence.
  • Access to learning and development in Lean methodologies.
  • Work in a company committed to data-driven decision making.
  • Engagement in diverse projects across the organization.
Full Job Description
Location:
Boulder, CO, US, 80301

Job Function: Quality/CI

Job Country: United States

Job City: Boulder

The Opportunity We are currently seeking a Continuous Improvement Leader who is passionate about technical manufacturing, focused on the customer, and willing to participate in a variety of challenging projects while quickly learning our products and processes.

Key Responsibilities
  • Lead the organization's Continuous Improvement program by identifying, prioritizing, and driving initiatives that improve quality, productivity, efficiency, cost, and overall operational performance.
  • Serve as the site subject matter expert for Lean Manufacturing, 6S, and structured problem solving, driving adoption, standardization, sustainment, and continuous maturity of operational excellence practices.
  • Own the site's 6S program, including standards, audit processes, scoring methodologies, corrective actions, reporting, and continuous improvement of the program to ensure long-term effectiveness and cultural adoption.
  • Develop, maintain, and analyze operational metrics, performance dashboards, yield data, Cost of Poor Quality (CoPQ), and other key business indicators to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Proactively identify systemic issues and strategic improvement opportunities through data analysis, operational assessments, and collaboration with business leaders.
  • Lead and facilitate structured problem-solving efforts using methodologies such as A3, PDCA, Root Cause Analysis, and Lean tools to address complex operational challenges and drive sustainable results.
  • Manage the organization's A3 project portfolio, including project prioritization, status tracking, action item management, barrier escalation, and verification of sustained results.
  • Drive accountability for improvement commitments by routinely following up with project owners, monitoring progress against milestones, and ensuring timely completion of agreed-upon actions.
  • Lead Kaizen events, process improvement initiatives, and cross-functional projects from concept through implementation, effectiveness verification, and long-term sustainment.
  • Facilitate process mapping, value stream analysis, and workflow assessments to identify waste, bottlenecks, variation, risk, and opportunities for simplification and standardization.
  • Establish and maintain governance processes for continuous improvement activities, including project reviews, action tracking, effectiveness monitoring, and leadership reporting.
  • Support implementation of new business systems, reporting tools, automation solutions, and organizational change initiatives that improve operational performance and business effectiveness.
  • Partner with leaders across the organization to build a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, ownership, and data-driven decision making.
  • Coach and mentor leaders, supervisors, and employees on Lean principles, performance metrics, structured problem solving, and continuous improvement methodologies.
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications & Experience
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Quality, Manufacturing, Business, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • 5+ years of experience leading continuous improvement, operational excellence, Lean manufacturing, quality, or process improvement initiatives in a manufacturing or operational environment.
  • Demonstrated success using data analysis, metrics, and performance dashboards to identify opportunities, drive decisions, and deliver measurable business improvements.
  • Strong experience leading structured problem-solving efforts utilizing methodologies such as A3, PDCA, 5 Why, Root Cause Analysis, or similar approaches.
  • Experience driving organizational change and influencing cross-functional teams without direct authority.
  • Proven ability to independently identify problems, prioritize opportunities, develop improvement plans, and drive initiatives to completion with minimal direction.
  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data, identify trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
  • Excellent project management and organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent Lean certification preferred.
  • Experience with Power BI, Tableau, Minitab, or similar data visualization and statistical analysis tools preferred.
  • Experience facilitating Kaizen events, value stream mapping, and process improvement workshops preferred.
  • Experience implementing and sustaining 6S, Lean Manufacturing, and Operational Excellence programs preferred.
  • Experience in manufacturing in a regulated industry preferred.


The anticipated hiring range for this role is $120,000 - $135,000.

Please note:

  • This position requires the use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)
  • Visa sponsorship is not available for any position at Excelitas


#LI-FM1

This position requires the use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)

Visa sponsorship is not available for any position at Excelitas

What We Offer

Nearest Major Market: Boulder
Nearest Secondary Market: Denver

Apply now "

About Excelitas Technologies

Excelitas Technologies is a global technology leader focused on delivering innovative, customized solutions to meet the lighting, detection and other high-performance technology needs of OEM customers. From medical lighting to analytical instrumentation, clinical diagnostics, industrial, safety and security, and aerospace and defense applications, Excelitas Technologies is committed to enabling our customers' success in their end-markets. Our photonics portfolio includes high-performance, high-reliability products ranging from sensors and detectors, to light sources, to optics and optomechanical sub-assemblies. We serve customers across the world in diverse markets including life sciences, environmental monitoring, industrial, defense and aerospace. Excelitas Technologies is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA with operations in North America, Europe and Asia.
Learn more about Excelitas Technologies
Size
7,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2010

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