Manufacturing Operations Specialist II

Avantor Sciences; Hillegom; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Avantor in Hillegom, The Netherlands, is looking for a Manufacturing Operations Specialist to help optimize our manufacturing processes. You will oversee end-to-end workflows, ensure accuracy of batch records, and support daily operations with a focus on compliance and documentation.

You will collaborate with the Production Supervisor, cleanroom teams, and cross-functional groups to drive Lean Six Sigma improvements, reduce waste, and raise quality.

Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing, production, operations, process engineering, or a similar environment.
• Experience with technical documentation, work instructions, or manufacturing procedures.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, or Operational Excellence methodologies is an advantage.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience within a regulated manufacturing environment is preferred.
• Fluent in English and Dutch.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain batch record templates. These documents describe, step-by-step, how production teams manufacture our final products and are essential for ensuring quality, consistency, and compliance.
• Create and improve manufacturing documentation and work instructions.
• Support daily manufacturing operations and help resolve operational challenges.
• Work closely with the Production Supervisor and cleanroom teams to assess and improve production processes.
• Apply Lean Six Sigma principles to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve quality.
• Analyze production workflows and identify opportunities for optimization.
• Support the development and implementation of tooling and production aids.
• Drive improvements related to technology, ergonomics, quality, and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality, Engineering, and other cross-functional teams.
• Support training activities and help establish best practices across the department.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Analytical thinking

Strong communication

Stakeholder management

Detail-oriented

Organizational skills

Job description

Are you someone who naturally sees how things can be organized better, documented more clearly, and executed more efficiently? Do you enjoy creating order, defining standards, and continuously improving the way work gets done?

At Avantor, we're looking for a Manufacturing Operations Specialist to help us optimize our manufacturing operations in Hillegom. This role is perfect for someone who enjoys overseeing the bigger picture of a production process, while at the same time paying close attention to the details that make the difference between a good process and an exceptional one.

You'll thrive in this position if you are accurate, process-minded, flexible when needed, but also appreciate the importance of clear procedures and compliance.

Location: Hillegom, The Netherlands

Employment Type: 1 year contract with permanent option after the first year, Full-time

In this role, you will work alongside production teams, supervisors, and other stakeholders to ensure our manufacturing processes run smoothly, efficiently, and consistently.

A major part of your role will be creating and maintaining batch record templates. These documents describe, step-by-step, how production teams manufacture our final products and are essential for ensuring quality, consistency, and compliance.

You will also:

• Create and improve manufacturing documentation and work instructions.
• Support daily manufacturing operations and help resolve operational challenges.
• Work closely with the Production Supervisor and cleanroom teams to assess and improve production processes.
• Apply Lean Six Sigma principles to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve quality.
• Analyze production workflows and identify opportunities for optimization.
• Support the development and implementation of tooling and production aids.
• Drive improvements related to technology, ergonomics, quality, and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality, Engineering, and other cross-functional teams.
• Support training activities and help establish best practices across the department.

You are someone who enjoys balancing structure with continuous improvement. You understand that strong processes are the foundation of successful manufacturing, but you're also motivated to challenge the status quo and find smarter ways of working.

You'll likely recognize yourself in the following:

• You enjoy overseeing and improving longer, end-to-end processes.
• You take pride in creating clear and accurate documentation.
• You are highly organized and detail-oriented.
• You enjoy working within regulated environments and understand the value of procedures and standards.
• You are flexible and solution-oriented when unexpected challenges arise.
• You have a natural interest in technology, tooling, ergonomics, and process optimization.
• You enjoy collaborating with colleagues and influencing improvements across teams.
• You like turning complex activities into simple, repeatable processes.

What You'll Bring

• Experience in manufacturing, production, operations, process engineering, or a similar environment.
• Experience with technical documentation, work instructions, or manufacturing procedures.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, or Operational Excellence methodologies is an advantage.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience within a regulated manufacturing environment is preferred.
• Fluent in English and Dutch

At Avantor, you'll join a team that supports the life sciences industry and helps enable scientific breakthroughs around the world. You'll have the opportunity to make a tangible impact by improving manufacturing processes, driving operational excellence, and helping teams work smarter every day.