Continuous Improvement Engineer

Edmund Optics; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 75,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) with Match

PTO

Tuition Reimbursement

Parental Leave

Training & Development

Job summary

Edmund Optics in Tucson, AZ seeks a Continuous Improvement Engineer to lead strategic CI initiatives across Sales, Engineering and Manufacturing, strengthening cross-functional performance. You will champion Lean Six Sigma at the site, coach staff, and align local projects with the global CI strategy, while ensuring ISO 9000 documentation and ongoing process improvements.

This role requires a Bachelor's in Engineering, Green Belt at least, 3–5+ years in manufacturing CI, and US citizenship or

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Quality Assurance, Operations Management or related discipline.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification required; Black Belt preferred.
• 3-5+ years of Continuous Improvement or Operational Excellence experience in a Manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead CI strategy deployment across the Tucson site.
• Identify cross-functional improvement opportunities and build a prioritized project pipeline.
• Facilitate structured problem-solving (A3, DMAIC, Kaizen) with local teams.
• Lead additional CI projects as assigned.
• Ensure CI improvements are documented per ISO 9000 requirements.
• Lead project retrospectives with teams.
• Coach site staff on CI tools to build local capability.
• Coordinate with site leaders and consultants to train CI tools.
• Partner with global CI team to align site initiatives with global standards.
• Act as liaison between site and global CI organization on cross-site initiatives.
• Oversee the employee suggestion program at the site.
• Lead local 5S efforts to maintain workplace organization.
• Comply with policies and regulations.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Cross-functional leadership

Strong communication

Structured problem solving

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering/Related

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Tools

Minitab

R

SPSS

Stata

JMP

Excel

PowerPoint

Visio

SharePoint

Job description

Continuous Improvement Engineer

Job Details

Job Locations: US-AZ-Tucson

Type: Full Time

Overview

The Continuous Improvement Engineer leads the strategic deployment of improvement initiatives at the Tucson (EOT) facility, working across Sales, Engineering, and Manufacturing to identify, prioritize, and execute projects that strengthen cross-functional performance. This Engineer serves as a leader and expert in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies at the site level, while also supporting the broader Continuous Improvement organization's global strategy and leading additional projects as assigned.

Responsibilities

• Leads the strategic deployment of Continuous Improvement initiatives at the Tucson facility
• Identifies cross-functional improvement opportunities at the facility and builds a prioritized site-level project pipeline
• Facilitates structured problem-solving (A3, DMAIC, Kaizen) to complete incremental and breakthrough-level improvement events with local teams
• Leads additional Continuous Improvement projects as assigned
• Ensures process improvements at the Tucson facility are documented in accordance with ISO 9000 requirements
• Lead project retrospectives with teams
• Coaches and mentors site staff on CI tools and methodology to build local problem-solving capability
• Coordinates with site leaders and local consultant networks to deliver training on Continuous Improvement tools and methodologies
• Partners with global CI team members to align site-level initiatives with global CI strategy and standards, and contributes site case studies and lessons learned to global CI knowledge-sharing efforts
• Acts as a liaison between the Tucson facility and the global Continuous Improvement organization on cross-site initiatives and serves as the local representative for global CI outreach activities
• Oversees the employee suggestion program at the Tucson facility, ensuring suggestions are captured, evaluated, and assigned in a timely manner.
• Leads local 5S team efforts to establish and sustain workplace organization and visual management standards
• Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations

Qualifications

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Skills & Abilities:

• Proficient in building credibility and driving alignment across functions with different priorities
• Strong communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills, with the ability to facilitate structured problem-solving sessions with stakeholders ranging from operators to senior leadership.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Visio) and Microsoft SharePoint.
• Proficiency in Statistical Analysis methods and software (Minitab, R, SPSS, Stata, JMP, etc).
• US Citizenship or permanent residence required.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Quality Assurance, Operations Management or related discipline.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification required, Black Belt certification preferred.
• 3-5+ years of Continuous Improvement or Operational Excellence experience in a Manufacturing environment.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to operate office equipment such as a copier; ability to see details at a close range; ability to sit at desk or PC for long periods of time; work in office setting.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Think you meet some of the requirements but not all? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs for which they do not meet every qualification. If you see a role that interests you, we encourage you to apply, regardless of whether or not your experience is completely aligned with the job description. Edmund Optics is committed to becoming the most diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace within the Optics and Photonics Industry and beyond. You may be a great candidate for this role or others within Edmund Optics.

Compensation Range Transparency:

At Edmund Optics, we are committed to transparency and equity in our hiring practices. The posted salary range for this role reflects the expected base pay. The actual offer will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to relevant skills, education, work experience, business needs, and geographic location.

Salary Range: $75,000 - $83,000 per year

Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Life, AD&D, Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match up to 3%
• Daycare and Gym Reimbursement
• Paid Parental Leave and New Mother Benefits
• Training and Development Opportunities

Availability of these benefits may depend on the country and employment type.

#LI-ONSITE