Lean Technician

Dakota Bodies; City of Watertown (NY); On-site; USD 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Dakota Bodies in Watertown, SD is seeking an entry-level Continuous Improvement (CI) / Lean Technician to drive process stability and waste reduction across fabrication, assembly and paint operations.

You will partner with production, engineering and maintenance to apply Lean tools, participate in Kaizen events, perform time studies, and support standard work, PFEP and daily management systems on the shop floor.

Qualifications

• Basic understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles (5S, Kaizen, Standard Work).
• 1–3+ years experience in manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and problem-solving ability.
• Ability to read technical drawings or work instructions preferred.
• Proficiency with Excel and basic data tracking tools.

Responsibilities

• Lean & Continuous Improvement Execution: support 5S, Standard Work, Kaizen and Visual Management.
• Identify waste in production processes (motion, waiting, defects, overproduction, transport).
• Participate in Kaizen events and rapid improvement activities.
• Assist in developing and maintaining Lean daily management systems.
• Process Improvement & Analysis: conduct time studies and line balancing activities.
• Support bottleneck identification and throughput improvements.
• Analyze production data to identify trends, losses and opportunities.
• Assist in validating takt time alignment and standard work adherence.
• Shop Floor Support (Gemba): perform daily walks, engage with operators, and solve issues.
• Support corrective actions and sustain improvements.
• Standard Work & Documentation: help develop SOPs and visual work instructions.
• PFEP maintenance and material flow improvements.
• Safety, Quality & Culture: promote safety and assist in root cause analysis.
• Support training for operators on Lean concepts and new processes.
• Drive operator engagement in CI activities.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: work with Engineering, Production, Maintenance and Quality.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing mindset

Problem solving

Data collection and analysis

Communication and teamwork

Time study

Gemba engagement

Standard work development

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate degree or technical training

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Job Details Level: Entry Job Location: Dakota Bodies Watertown - Watertown, SD 57201 Position Type: Full Time Education Level: 2 Year Degree

Position Summary

The Continuous Improvement (CI) / Lean Technician supports manufacturing operations by driving process stability, waste reduction, and productivity improvements across fabrication, assembly, and paint processes. This role works closely with production, engineering, maintenance, and leadership teams to implement Lean manufacturing principles and strengthen safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance (SQDC).

The CI Technician serves as a hands‑on change agent on the shop floor, using data, observation, and Lean tools to identify inefficiencies and support sustainable process improvements across the plant.

Key Responsibilities

Lean & Continuous Improvement Execution

• Support implementation of Lean manufacturing principles including 5S, Standard Work, Kaizen, and Visual Management
• Identify waste in production processes (motion, waiting, defects, overproduction, transport, inventory, overprocessing)
• Participate in and facilitate Kaizen events and rapid improvement activities
• Assist in developing and maintaining Lean daily management systems

Process Improvement & Analysis

• Conduct time studies, cycle time analysis, and line balancing activities
• Support identification of bottlenecks and assist in improving throughput
• Analyze production data to identify trends, losses, and improvement opportunities
• Assist in validating takt time alignment and standard work adherence

Shop Floor Support (Gemba Focus)

• Perform daily Gemba walks to observe processes and engage with operators and supervisors
• Collaborate with production teams to solve real-time operational issues
• Support implementation of corrective actions and ensure sustainment of improvements

Standard Work & Documentation

• Assist in developing and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Support creation of visual work instructions and process documentation
• Help maintain PFEP (Plan for Every Part) and material flow improvements

Safety, Quality & Culture

• Promote a strong safety culture and support safety improvement initiatives
• Assist in root cause analysis (5 Why, Fishbone, etc.) for quality and process issues
• Support training efforts for operators on Lean concepts and new processes
• Help drive employee engagement in continuous improvement activities

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Engineering, Production, Maintenance, and Quality teams
• Support new product introductions, pilot builds, and process changes
• Assist leadership in tracking CI metrics and reporting improvement results

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; associate degree or technical training preferred (Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, Engineering Technology)
• 1–3+ years experience in manufacturing, production, or industrial environment
• Basic understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles (5S, Kaizen, Standard Work)
• Strong mechanical aptitude and problem‑solving ability
• Ability to read technical drawings or work instructions preferred
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and basic data tracking tools
• Strong communication skills and ability to work on the production floor

Key Skills

• Lean Manufacturing / Continuous Improvement mindset
• Problem solving (5 Why, root cause analysis)
• Data collection and analysis
• Communication and teamwork
• Time study / process observation
• Shop floor engagement (Gemba mindset)
• Standard work development

Core Performance Expectations

• Reduce waste and improve process efficiency
• Improve safety and quality performance through proactive observation
• Support sustainable improvements (not one‑time fixes)
• Increase operator engagement in CI activities
• Help drive measurable improvements in productivity and flow