Lean Technician

Dakota Bodies Llc; Watertown (SD); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Dakota Bodies Llc is seeking a Continuous Improvement Technician to drive Lean improvements across fabrication, assembly and paint. You will work with production, engineering, maintenance and leadership to implement 5S, standard work and visual management, reducing waste and improving throughput.

The role emphasizes hands-on problem solving on the shop floor, data-driven analyses, and sustaining corrective actions to strengthen SQDC performance.

Qualifications

• Extended understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles (5S, Kaizen, Standard Work).
• Strong problem-solving abilities with data-driven thinking.
• Experience reading drawings or work instructions preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support Lean execution across production, engineering, maintenance and leadership teams.
• Perform time studies, cycle time analysis, line balancing and bottleneck identification.
• Conduct Gemba walks and lead/participate in Kaizen events and improvements.
• Develop and update SOPs and visual work instructions; maintain PFEP and material flow.

Skills

Lean mindset

Problem solving

Data collection

Communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate degree or technical training

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Position SummaryThe 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 ResponsibilitiesLean & 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 systemsProcess 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 adherenceShop 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 improvementsStandard 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 improvementsSafety, 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 activitiesCross-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 resultsQualifications· 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 floorKey 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 developmentCore 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