Lean Technician

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

Job summary

Dakota Bodies in Watertown, SD is seeking a CI Technician to drive lean initiatives across fabrication, assembly, and paint. You will work closely with production, engineering, maintenance, and leadership to apply 5S, standard work, and Kaizen, reducing waste and boosting throughput on the shop floor.

The role emphasizes daily Gemba walks, data analysis, and developing SOPs and visual work instructions to sustain gains, while promoting safety and quality.

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.

Responsibilities

• Support Lean principles like 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Skills

Lean mindset

Problem solving

Data analysis

Communication

Time study

Gemba engagement

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate degree or technical training

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

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