Continuous Improvement Leader

Materion; North Olmsted (OH); Hybrid; USD 92,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Comprehensive benefits

Paid holidays

Career growth

Job summary

Materion Elmore, OH, seeks a Continuous Improvement Leader to guide process control, cost and cycle time improvements across operations. You will mentor engineers in Lean Six Sigma and DMAIC, lead cross-functional teams, and drive scale-up of processes with operators and production planning.

The role emphasizes safety, quality, data-driven decisions, and partnering with Process Engineering, Operations and Product Management to maximize yield and margins.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field or equivalent experience.
• 5–8 years leading continuous improvement activities in manufacturing.
• Proven ability to lead technical teams and manage multiple projects.
• Strong written and presentation skills; capable of coaching others.
• Sense of urgency, accountability, and impact on top/bottom line.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coach Lean Six Sigma/DMAIC projects to improve yield, cycle time, and quality.
• Partner with Process Engineering, Operations, and Quality to prioritize initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional teams through DMAIC and drive project reviews.
• Certify Green Belts; support Yellow/Green Belt trainings and coaching.
• Develop and maintain SOPs; track metrics and communicate progress to leadership.
• Collaborate with Product Management to improve margins and process capability.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

DMAIC

Problem solving

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Process improvement

Project management

Coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related discipline

5–8 years CI experience

Tools

Statistical Process Control

SOP development

Data analysis tools

Job description

## Continuous Improvement LeaderBewerben: Elmore, OH: Vollzeit: Heute ausgeschrieben: 2026-R7782### **At Materion, everyone is included, respected and offered opportunity to grow. *Join us!*****Join the Dream Team at Materion – Where Careers and Community Shine!** **Why Apply?** At Materion, you’re not just taking a job—you’re joining a **dream team** that powers innovation in aerospace, electronics, and energy. We offer competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities to grow. **Why Elmore, Ohio?** Because life here is anything but ordinary!* **Small-Town Charm** – Friendly faces, safe neighborhoods, and affordable living.* **Delicious Delights** – Grab a latte at Christy’s Corner Café or enjoy local flavors at cozy diners.* **Outdoor Adventures** – Bike the scenic **North Coast Inland Trail**, fish at **Riverbend Park**, or tee off at **Sugar Creek Golf Course**.* **Nature & Culture** – Stroll through **Schedel Arboretum & Gardens**, explore the **Blair Museum of Lithophanes**, or sip craft whiskey at **Ernest Scarano Distillery**.* **In the Middle of It All** – Quick drives to Toledo, Cleveland, and Lake Erie for big-city fun! **What We Offer:*** Competitive pay* Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, retirement plan, tuition assistance* Paid holidays and vacation* A culture of respect, inclusion, and growth **Ready to start your journey?** Apply today and discover why Materion is the perfect place to build your future—while enjoying everything Elmore has to offer! ## **Salary range: $92,200-125,790\\*** *\\*The salary range listed is a guide for this position and may vary depending on experience, education, geographic location, and other qualifications. The final offer will be determined based on the candidate's individual merits and the company's compensation policies.* The **Continuous Improvement Leader,** under the direction of designated Site Manager using established procedures, will provide continuous improvement leadership and guidance in areas of process control, cost (yield and labor efficiency) improvement, product quality improvement, and cycle time reduction. The Continuous Improvement Leader will provide leadership, coaching, and guidance to engineers in Lean Six Sigma and DMAIC problem solving methodologies including the proposal, creation, and improvement upon training and development content for Engineering and Operations. Additional responsibilities will be investigation and proposal of new procedures and methods to automate, improve, and/or scale-up existing processes. The Continuous Improvement Leader will work with operators, engineering, maintenance, quality, management, R&D, and production planning to accomplish these tasks. **You will have the opportunity to:** **Safety & Quality Management System:*** Comply with, support, and provide technical input to all EH&S and quality programs, trainings, and policies while operating in a safe, honest, and ethical manner**Process Control & Continuous Improvement:*** Partner with Process Engineering, Operations, and Quality Engineering to identify, define, and financially vet specific continuous improvement and cost improvement projects to achieve divisional and site goals. This will include routine time observing manufacturing activities and meeting with operators to discuss opportunities* Lead cross-facility and cross-functional project teams through the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) phases of the problem-solving process* Utilizing statistical process control methodologies, ensure the sustainability of continuous improvement efforts by identifying critical process metrics, implementing process control systems, and authoring standard operating procedures* Identify and remove barriers that slow or prevent the successful attainment of process yield, cycle time, defect reduction, inventory reduction, elimination of process waste, and gross margin preservation and growth* Collect and interpret manufacturing data to develop conclusions in root cause analysis of manufacturing issues* Maintain open and frequent communications with leadership, operators, and other engineers regarding continuous improvement initiatives* Lead and collaborate with other engineers on process improvement initiatives by providing leadership, coaching, and guidance on Lean Six Sigma and DMAIC problem solving techniques* Participate in or lead continuous improvement project reviews and provide coaching and guidance to project leaders* Lead Yellow and Green Belt trainings. Using an established scorecard, certify Green Belts by analyzing data and tool usage from project reviews* Support efforts to identify, prioritize, and determine business impact of strategic and tactical process improvement initiatives**Product & Process Development:*** Collaborate with Process Engineering, provide technical input to Product Development (R&D) to follow the New Product Development process in the analysis and development of process capability and control metrics**Cross-Functional Interface:*** Work with other functional teams, including the Commercial and Product Management organizations, determine future continuous improvement and cost improvement projects returning the most benefit to the business* Provide manufacturing capability information and improvement opportunities to Product Management teams to improve product margins* Track and communicate the status of ongoing projects to the business leadership **REQUIREMENTS:*** Bachelors’ degree in engineering or equivalent (Materials, Metallurgical, Mechanical, Chemical, or related discipline); advanced degree is a plus. In lieu of a degree in engineering, 5-8 years of experience in participating and leading continuous improvement activities is required.* 5 - 8 years of process engineering experience in a manufacturing setting or training in Lean Six Sigma or DMAIC problem solving methodologies* Demonstrated ability to successfully lead technical teams.* Ability to manage multiple complex assignments / projects.* Strong written and presentation skills* Willingness and eagerness to learn, receive, and provide coaching* Demonstrated history of operating with sense of urgency and accountability* Proven record of working with strategic business teams to support top and / or bottom-line growth is preferred **The selection of the person to be hired for this position is contingent on the candidate having export compliance eligibility for access to U.S. controlled technology which comes under the licensing jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of State, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Export Administration Regulations (EAR).****The candidate selected will have to qualify as either a U.S. citizen, a U.S. National, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., a Person Admitted into the U.S. as an Asylee or Refugee., a National of a country that is not prohibited from having access to U.S. controlled technology (via a letter of assurance), or a Person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on Materion’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with Materion’s business requirements.****Materion Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) is an equal employment opportunity employer. It is the Company’s policy to not unlawfully discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. The Company also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also the Company’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions. The information collected by this application is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity and maintain employment statistics on applicants.****Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the Company. Please inform the Company’s personnel representative if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.****Materion’s Veteran Employee Resource group supports veterans and promotes the benefits of hiring veterans in the workplace. We honor all those who have served and are a military friendly company. Veterans are encouraged to apply and military experience and skills are transferrable to Materion careers.****Please provide complete information. An incomplete application may affect your consideration for employment.**