Associate Director, Operational Excellence & Lean

GRAIL; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 146,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Flexible time-off

Mindfulness programs

Job summary

GRAIL in Durham, NC, is seeking an Associate Director of Operational Excellence to drive continuous improvement in laboratory and operational workflows on-site. This role centers on data-driven decision-making and scalable, high-quality execution in a regulated environment.

Responsibilities include designing dashboards, monitoring SPC/QC, and leading Lean initiatives across teams, partnering with Engineering, Software, and Lab to translate data into actionable decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Operations, Data Science, or related field (advanced degree preferred).
• 12+ years of experience in operational excellence, process improvement, or analytics in biotech/diagnostics/regulatory environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in Lean, Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt preferred), and Kaizen.
• Strong experience with data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI, Looker) and data analysis (SQL, Python, R).
• Proven ability to work with SPC/QC frameworks and operational performance metrics.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills.
• Experience in NGS, clinical laboratory operations, or diagnostics workflows.
• Familiarity with regulated environments (CLIA, CAP, FDA) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain operational dashboards and data visualizations for real-time performance visibility.
• Generate and distribute KPI reports with clarity, accuracy, and alignment with goals.
• Partner with stakeholders to define meaningful metrics and improve reporting frameworks.
• Conduct deep data analysis to identify trends, anomalies, and indicators related to SPC and QC.
• Establish and refine control limits, early warning systems, and predictive indicators to manage operational risk.
• Translate complex data findings into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Lead and scale Lean initiatives (5S, Six Sigma, Kaizen) across operational teams.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement through structured problem-solving and iterative process refinement.
• Measure and track impact of improvement initiatives; ensure sustained gains.
• Develop and maintain a centralized system for capturing issues, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Synthesize inputs across teams into a backlog; prioritize with cross-functional partners.
• Act as liaison between Operations and non-Operations teams to drive execution and alignment.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

Kaizen

Tableau

Power BI

Looker

SQL

Python

R

SPC/QC

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Life Sciences/Operations/Data Science

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

Looker

SQL

Python

R

Job description

GRAIL in Durham, NC, is seeking an Associate Director of Operational Excellence to drive continuous improvement in laboratory and operational workflows on-site. This role centers on data-driven decision-making and scalable, high-quality execution in a regulated environment.

Responsibilities include designing dashboards, monitoring SPC/QC, and leading Lean initiatives across teams, partnering with Engineering, Software, and Lab to translate data into actionable decisions.