Aerospace OPEX Leader — Lean & CI Champion

PPG Industries, Inc.; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

PPG Industries, Inc. is seeking an Aerospace Manufacturing - Operational Excellence Engineer to build continuous improvement projects and lead lean initiatives across value streams in Huntsville. You will drive safety, delivery, quality, and cost improvements with a hands-on, data-driven approach.

You will mentor teams, apply Lean/Six Sigma methodologies, and develop roadmaps to maximize operational performance. This on-site role reports to the OPEX manager at the Huntsville, AL facility.

Qualifications

• Five (5) or more years of experience in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or operational excellence in aerospace or a regulated manufacturing industry required.
• Bachelor's degree in relevant engineering, operations, or other technical disciplines required.
• Lean/Six Sigma certification(s) and demonstrated expertise in Lean Line Design. Green Belt or higher certification is a preference.
• Proficiency with data analytics systems (e.g., Minitab, JMP, Excel, and ERP systems) required.
• Must be eligible to obtain a government secret clearance.
• Only U.S. Citizens, Green Card holders, and political asylees or refugees are eligible to apply.

Responsibilities

• Champion a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement in compliance with aerospace industry regulations and company policies.
• Support change by coaching, and engaging all organizational levels to foster lean culture and continuous improvement.
• Facilitate and mentor project leaders in applying Lean Methodologies and tools across operations.
• Evaluate and improve manufacturing practices using lean principles, including Kaizen, value stream mapping, and 5S.
• Establish indicators to monitor lean process performance and support new product introductions.
• Apply data-driven principles and digital tools to develop continuous improvement roadmaps.
• Guide operational performance improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost metrics.
• Analyze manufacturing processes to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities.
• Implement and sustain process improvements that enhance productivity and reduce variability.
• Lead teams in root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Continuous improvement

Operational excellence

Data analytics

Project coaching

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Minitab

JMP

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

PPG Industries, Inc. is seeking an Aerospace Manufacturing - Operational Excellence Engineer to build continuous improvement projects and lead lean initiatives across value streams in Huntsville. You will drive safety, delivery, quality, and cost improvements with a hands-on, data-driven approach.

You will mentor teams, apply Lean/Six Sigma methodologies, and develop roadmaps to maximize operational performance. This on-site role reports to the OPEX manager at the Huntsville, AL facility.