Continuous Improvement Specialist

Hayden Industrial; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) retirement plan with company 
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Paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Hayden Industrial seeks a hands-on Continuous Improvement / Lean Specialist to drive operational excellence in a data center cooling equipment manufacturing environment. You will identify process improvements, lead Lean initiatives, and analyze performance to enhance safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

Ideal candidates have Lean principles, analytical skills, and a drive to own improvement projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field or equivalent experience.
• 2–5 years of manufacturing, continuous improvement, industrial engineering, or operations experience.
• Foundational knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and CI methodologies.
• Experience facilitating process improvement projects.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate continuous improvement projects focusing on manufacturing efficiency, quality, safety, and cost reduction.
• Develop project plans, schedules, action trackers, and timelines.
• Lead Kaizen events, 5S, Gemba walks, and Value Stream Mapping.
• Conduct time studies and capacity assessments; balance production lines.
• Develop standard work instructions and visual controls; document improvements.
• Track milestones and communicate progress to stakeholders.
• Validate cost savings and productivity improvements.

Skills

Lean principles

Data analysis

Project coordination

Cross-functional collaboration

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field

Tools

5S

Kaizen

SMED

PFEP

Value Stream Mapping

Standard work

Root cause analysis

Power BI

SharePoint

Power Automate

Job description

Position Summary

We are seeking a motivated, hands-on Continuous Improvement / Lean Specialist to support operational excellence initiatives within a growing manufacturing facility specializing in data center cooling and air handling equipment. This position will focus on identifying process improvement opportunities, supporting, and leading Lean Manufacturing initiatives, analyzing operational performance, and collaborating with manufacturing teams to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

Brief Description

We are seeking a motivated, hands-on Continuous Improvement / Lean Specialist to support operational excellence initiatives within a growing manufacturing facility specializing in data center cooling and air handling equipment. This position will focus on identifying process improvement opportunities, supporting, and leading Lean Manufacturing initiatives, analyzing operational performance, and collaborating with manufacturing teams to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

The ideal candidate has a foundational understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles, strong analytical and organizational skills, and a desire to develop their project management and continuous improvement capabilities. This role provides an opportunity to take ownership of improvement activities, facilitate continuous improvement projects, and contribute to larger cross-functional initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Continuous Improvement & Project Coordination (30%)
• Support and lead continuous improvement projects focused on manufacturing efficiency, quality, safety, and cost reduction.
• Develop basic project plans, schedules, action item trackers, and implementation timelines.
• Coordinate improvement activities with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Production Leadership.
• Track project milestones, document progress, and communicate updates to stakeholders.
• Identify project risks, barriers, and resource needs, escalating concerns when appropriate.
• Assist with project charters, process documentation, and improvement reports.
• Lead improvement initiatives independently while supporting large scale projects
• Measure and document project results, including productivity improvements, waste reduction, and cost savings.
• Lean Manufacturing & Process Improvement (30%)
• Apply Lean Manufacturing principles to identify and eliminate waste within manufacturing operations.
• Support and facilitate 5S activities, Kaizen events, Gemba walks, and Value Stream Mapping exercises.
• Conduct time studies, cycle time observations, and basic production capacity assessments.
• Lead production line balancing, takt time analysis, and material flow improvements.
• Develop and update standard work instructions, visual controls, and process documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve workstation organization, ergonomics, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Support implementation of pull systems, Kanban, and point-of-use material organization.
• Work directly with production employees and supervisors to identify process challenges and implement practical solutions.
• Assist with manufacturing layout improvements and process standardization.
• Data Analysis & Performance Tracking (20%)
• Collect, analyze, and report manufacturing performance data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Support development and maintenance of operational KPIs related to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.
• Utilize Microsoft Excel and other reporting tools to organize data, identify trends, and measure process performance.
• Assist with development of visual management boards, performance dashboards, and project tracking tools.
• Establish baseline measurements and track results following process improvements.
• Prepare reports and presentations summarizing findings, project status, and improvement opportunities.
• Support validation of cost savings, productivity improvements, and process efficiency gains.
• Maintain accurate continuous improvement project documentation and performance records.
• Lean Training & Continuous Improvement Culture (20%)
• Support Lean Manufacturing training and employee engagement activities.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate 5S workshops, improvement meetings, and problem-solving sessions.
• Participate in Gemba walks and collaborate with production teams to identify improvement opportunities.
• Coach employees on basic Lean principles, waste identification, and standardized work practices.
• Support implementation and sustainment of continuous improvement standards.
• Encourage employee involvement in identifying and implementing process improvements.
• Partner with production leadership to reinforce process changes and sustain improvements.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant manufacturing experience.

Experience

• 2–5 years of experience in manufacturing, continuous improvement, industrial engineering, operations, or a related field.
• Foundational knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience facilitating process improvement projects.
• Familiarity with Lean tools such as 5S, Kaizen, SMED, PFEP, Value Stream Mapping, standard work, and root cause analysis.
• Ability to collect and analyze manufacturing data, conduct time studies, and identify process improvement opportunities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and standard Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to work collaboratively with production employees, supervisors, engineers, and support teams.
• Willingness to spend significant time on the manufacturing floor supporting improvement initiatives.
• Experience supporting material flow, inventory reduction, or workstation improvement initiatives.
• Basic understanding of project management principles and methodologies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in HVAC, air handling equipment, data center cooling, industrial equipment, or discrete manufacturing.
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt or Green Belt certification.
• Experience using Power BI, SharePoint, Power Automate, or similar reporting and project tracking tools.
• Experience developing standard work instructions, process maps, or visual management systems.
• Familiarity with PDCA, DMAIC, A3 problem solving, and basic root cause analysis.

Supervisor Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment

Non-temperature controlled environment with loud noises, dust, dirt, and metal particles that are usually associated with metal fabrication shops. All employees are required to wear personal protective equipment to include noise/hearing protection, safety glasses with side shields, (paint masks, respirator, when required) and OSHA compliant safety boots/shoes within the manufacturing facility.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing duties of this job, the employee in this position is regularly required to stand for long periods of time. This position requires walking, the ability to reach, ascend/descend ladders, bend, kneel, and stoop. The employee occasionally will lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type/Expected Hours Of Work

This is a full-time position. Days, Monday through Friday. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Travel

No travel is required for this position.

Benefits

Hayden Industrial offers a generous benefits package including comprehensive health, dental, vision, 401(k) retirement plan with company match, a generous paid time off schedule, and professional development opportunities.

AAP/EEO Statement

Hayden Industrial is an equal employment opportunity employer. Hayden Industrial recognizes and embraces federal legislation on equal employment opportunity and is committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination. All applicants for employment and all employees will be afforded equal opportunity and treatment, regardless of age, race, religion, gender, national origin, disability status or other protected status. All employees are responsible for complying with all applicable Federal, State and Local Laws, rules and regulations regarding non-discrimination practices.