Lean Transformation Manager – Industrial Engineering

AeroVironment, Inc.; Strathearn (CA); On-site; USD 118,000 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401K with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. seeks an experienced Manager of Industrial Engineering & Lean Transformation to design, implement, and optimize manufacturing systems while leading Lean initiatives across functions.

You will drive value stream efficiency, capacity planning, and strategic use of resources to improve output, cost, quality, and lead time. Responsibilities include developing time standards, leading capacity planning and line balancing, and guiding Kaizen events.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in high-mix, low-volume or complex production environments.
• 3+ years leading manufacturing teams in product development.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering or related field.
• Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in process simulation tools, time studies, and data analytics.
• Strong leadership, project management and facilitation skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 50% domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain time standards, labor models, and production layouts.
• Lead capacity planning, line balancing, and throughput optimization.
• Design and improve facility layouts, workstation ergonomics, and material flow.
• Conduct value stream mapping to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.
• Lead Lean transformation initiatives using 5S, Kaizen, Kanban, SMED, Standard Work, and Visual Management.
• Deploy Lean Six Sigma to reduce variation, waste, and non-value-added activities.
• Facilitate cross-functional Kaizen events and improvement workshops.
• Analyze production data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.
• Establish and track KPIs for productivity, efficiency, takt time, and OEE.
• Develop cost-benefit analyses for capital projects and process changes.
• Support factory modernization and digital manufacturing initiatives (e.g., MES, automation, real-time analytics).
• Partner with Product Development and NPI teams to drive DfM and scalability into new product designs.
• Train and mentor supervisors, engineers, and frontline teams in Lean principles.
• Act as a change agent, promoting a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Build Lean maturity roadmaps and assess organizational readiness for transformation.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Program Management to align Lean initiatives with business objectives.
• Interface with executive leadership to report Lean transformation progress, ROI, and impact.
• Represent the Supplier Quality organization in high-level cross-functional meetings and executive updates.
• Ensure compliance with AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR, and customer-specific quality requirements.
• Foster a continuous improvement culture within the supplier base and internal SQE team.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Time studies

Data analytics

Leadership

Project management

Travel up to 50%

Cross-functional collaboration

Change management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Process simulation tools

Job description

AeroVironment, Inc. seeks an experienced Manager of Industrial Engineering & Lean Transformation to design, implement, and optimize manufacturing systems while leading Lean initiatives across functions.

You will drive value stream efficiency, capacity planning, and strategic use of resources to improve output, cost, quality, and lead time. Responsibilities include developing time standards, leading capacity planning and line balancing, and guiding Kaizen events.