Manager of Engineering & Continuous Improvement - Montana

Designs for Health; Arlee (MT); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and incentives

Health, dental, vision insurance

Monthly health stipend

Paid time off and company holidays

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

Designs for Health, based in Arlee, Montana, seeks a Manager of Engineering & Continuous Improvement to lead site engineering, capital projects, automation, and Operational Excellence across its manufacturing facility. The role reports to the Plant Director and collaborates with other site leaders to standardize practices and drive value.

The ideal candidate brings Lean, Six Sigma, PMP, or similar credentials, with proven leadership of manufacturing teams, project portfolios, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a closely related field is required.
• Progressive experience in manufacturing engineering, continuous improvement, capital projects, automation, or plant operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams and influencing cross-functional stakeholders in a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience applying Lean methods, value-stream mapping, root-cause analysis, and structured problem-solving tools; coaching operational leaders is preferred.
• Experience managing capital-project portfolios, including prioritization, business cases, resource coordination, vendor/contractor management, budgets and schedules, and benefit tracking.
• Knowledge of GMP, safety, quality, environmental, and engineering requirements in manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead site-level engineering and continuous improvement priorities in alignment with Plant Director and Operations objectives.
• Lead the site's capital-project portfolio with prioritization, business justification, budgeting, scheduling, and tracking.
• Standardize project-management processes, reporting, and Operational Excellence strategies across DFH's three sites.
• Apply Lean, value-stream mapping, and root-cause problem solving to identify constraints and sustain improvements.
• Develop and deliver practical Lean training for supervisors and managers.
• Drive cross-functional improvement initiatives to improve margin and productivity, partnering with Finance to validate benefits.
• Identify automation opportunities to improve process control and data visibility.
• Ensure engineering changes are safe, compliant, and well-documented.
• Develop and mentor direct reports to build Lean thinking and project execution capability.

Skills

Lean methods

Value-stream mapping

Root-cause analysis

Project execution

People leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Job description

About Designs for Health

Designs for Health is a trusted leader in the nutraceutical industry, known for delivering high-quality, research-driven nutritional products that support better health outcomes. For more than 30 years, we have combined scientific integrity, innovation, and a strong commitment to quality to earn the confidence of practitioners and customers alike.

Description

About Designs for Health

Designs for Health is a trusted leader in the nutraceutical industry, known for delivering high-quality, research-driven nutritional products that support better health outcomes. For more than 30 years, we have combined scientific integrity, innovation, and a strong commitment to quality to earn the confidence of practitioners and customers alike.

Job Summary

The Manager of Engineering & Continuous Improvement leads site engineering, the capital-project portfolio, automation, continuous improvement, and Operational Excellence activities for the Arlee, Montana manufacturing facility. Reporting to the Plant Director, this role develops direct reports and partners with plant teams and the other site Manager to standardize Operational Excellence and project-management practices across DFH's three manufacturing sites. The Manager builds Lean and problem-solving capability and leads capital, productivity, and cost-optimization projects against defined safety, quality, schedule, budget, margin, and performance outcomes. This is an on-site position based in Arlee, Montana. The Manager will travel periodically to DFH's Nevada manufacturing sites and work closely with the Henderson Manager of Engineering & Continuous Improvement to maintain alignment across DFH manufacturing operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead site-level engineering and continuous improvement priorities in alignment with the Plant Director and broader Operations objectives.
• Lead the site's capital-project portfolio, including project identification, prioritization, business justification, coordination of resource plans, approved budget and schedule management, execution tracking, and performance verification.
• Partner with plant leadership and the other Manager of Engineering & Continuous Improvement to standardize project-management processes, tools, reporting, Operational Excellence strategies, performance measures, and operating routines across DFH's three manufacturing sites.
• Use Lean methods, value-stream mapping, process analysis, and structured root-cause problem solving to identify constraints, eliminate waste, improve capacity, resolve recurring issues, and sustain results.
• Develop and deliver practical training for operations supervisors and managers in Lean fundamentals, root-cause problem solving, daily performance management, and maintenance excellence.
• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives across Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, and Technical Services to achieve operational objectives and margin-improvement targets through high-impact productivity, waste-reduction, capacity, and cost-optimization projects; partner with Operations and Finance to validate benefits.
• Identify and advance practical automation opportunities that improve process control, reliability, throughput, data visibility, or ergonomics.
• Partner with Operations and other cross-functional stakeholders to ensure engineering and process changes are safe, effective, documented, and compliant with applicable requirements.
• Lead, coach, and develop direct reports while building Lean thinking, project execution, accountability, and problem-solving capability across the site.

Competency

• Continuous Improvement Leadership: Builds practical systems and routines that engage teams in identifying, prioritizing, and sustaining improvements.
• Analytical Problem Solving: Uses data, value-stream mapping, root-cause analysis, and structured methods to define problems and implement effective countermeasures.
• Project Execution: Converts business needs into clear scopes, plans, budgets, risk controls, and measurable results.
• Technical Judgment: Evaluates manufacturing processes, equipment, automation, and facility needs with sound engineering judgment.
• People Leadership: Sets clear expectations, coaches effectively, develops capability, and creates accountability for results.
• Communication & Collaboration: Communicates clearly and builds alignment across plant teams, leaders, technical partners, and external vendors.
• Safety & Quality Mindset: Integrates safety, product quality, compliance, and documentation discipline into engineering and improvement decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a closely related technical field is required.
• Progressive experience in manufacturing engineering, continuous improvement, capital projects, automation, or plant operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams and influencing cross-functional stakeholders in a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience applying Lean methods, value-stream mapping, root-cause analysis, and structured problem-solving tools; experience training or coaching operational leaders is preferred.
• Experience managing capital-project portfolios, including prioritization, business cases, resource coordination, vendor and contractor management, approved budgets and schedules, and financial and operational benefit tracking.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing automation, equipment integration, process controls, and performance measurement.
• Experience in nutraceutical, dietary supplement, food, pharmaceutical, or another regulated manufacturing environment is preferred; candidates from other manufacturing industries with directly transferable experience will be considered.
• Knowledge of applicable GMP, safety, quality, environmental, and engineering requirements in a manufacturing environment.
• Lean, Six Sigma, Project Management Professional (PMP), or comparable project-management certification is a plus.

Benefits

• You receive a competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• You benefit from health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• You receive a monthly product stipend to support your personal health journey.
• You have access to paid time off and company holidays.
• You work in a collaborative and supportive team environment.

Physical Demands

This position requires regular work in manufacturing and office environments, including computer use, communication, standing, and walking. Some tasks may involve moving through production areas and occasional lifting of up to 50 lbs. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.

Privacy

Your application for this position is subject to Designs for Health's Privacy Notice for Job Applicants and Workforce Members. Designs for Health does not sell your personal information, nor does Designs for Health share it for purposes of cross-context behavioral advertising.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

Designs for Health is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all employees can grow and thrive. Our employees form meaningful and often life-long connections while working at Designs for Health. We are all passionate about our mission of designing a well world together.

Reports To

Plant Director