Manufacturing Excellence Lead

Manus; Augusta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Manus is seeking a self-motivated and highly organized leader to oversee all laboratory operations at our Augusta, GA site. The role focuses on driving CI across manufacturing with three pillars: Hygienic Design Leadership, Consistent Operations Excellence, and Manufacturing Process Improvements.

You will lead standard work, SOP adherence, and cross‑functional initiatives to improve yield, cycle time, and OEE, using data analytics to track impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 5–10 years in manufacturing with CI, operational excellence, or reliability.
• Experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, or similar methodologies.
• Strong understanding of hygienic design principles and GMP environments preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional initiatives and drive measurable improvements.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and data‑driven skills.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as manufacturing plant lead, overseeing daily operations.
• Develop and lead a structured CI program across manufacturing with core pillars.
• Hygienic Design Leadership: drive equipment design, cleanability and CIP effectiveness.
• Consistent Operations Excellence: enforce standard work, SOP adherence and training.
• Manufacturing Process Improvements: lead yield, cycle time, waste reductions and KPI tracking.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field

Master’s degree

Job description

Augusta, Georgia, United States • Full-Time

Manus works across industries and value chains to accelerate the transition to BioAlternatives – better performing and more sustainable versions of complex molecules traditionally sourced from plants, animals, or fossil fuels. Our platform is proven to work across scales, bridging the Valley of Death between lab and manufacturing more efficiently and more reliably to deliver the benefits of synthetic biology today. We are seeking a self‑motivated and highly organized individual for a position that will specialize in and lead all laboratory operations at our Boston BioFacility.

Why Work At Manus

• Opportunity – For motivated, results‑oriented team members, our growth creates opportunities for personal and professional advancement.
• Accountability – You are given the resources you need to succeed and the freedom to make it happen; in return, we hold each other accountable for our high expectations.
• Passion – We love what we do and enjoy working with others who feel the same way. We embrace the challenge and hard work that comes with working on the cutting edge.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as manufacturing plant lead, overseeing daily operations.
• Develop and lead a structured continuous improvement (CI) program across manufacturing, formally categorizing and managing all initiatives under three core pillars: Hygienic Design Leadership, Consistent Operations Excellence, Manufacturing Process Improvements.
• Hygienic Design Leadership: Drive improvements in equipment design, cleanability, and sanitary engineering. Eliminate harborage points and ensure alignment with hygienic design standards to enhance product quality, reduce contamination risk, and improve clean‑in‑place (CIP) effectiveness.
• Consistent Operations Excellence: Establish and enforce standard work, process discipline, and operational rigor. Ensure robust SOP adherence, operator training programs, and repeatable execution of manufacturing processes to minimize variability and improve reliability.
• Manufacturing Process Improvements: Lead yield optimization, cycle time reduction, waste elimination, process capability enhancement, technical upgrades, and new product startups. Define, implement, and monitor KPIs (OEE, yield, cycle time, downtime, batch success rate). Lead manufacturing data and stats preparation and reporting activities. Utilize data analytics to identify losses and track impact. Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and Process Technology teams to align initiatives to meet business objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 5–10 years in manufacturing with focus on continuous improvement (CI), operational excellence, or reliability.
• Proven experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, or similar methodologies.
• Strong understanding of hygienic design principles and GMP environments preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional initiatives and drive measurable improvements.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and data‑driven skills.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Experience with manufacturing systems, data analytics, process control, AI/IIoT a plus.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Certification (Green Belt, Black Belt, or higher).
• Experience in biomanufacturing, food, pharmaceutical, or chemical industries.
• Proven track record building and sustaining CI programs at scale.