Plant Continuous Improvement Leader

8974 DuPont Specialty Products USA, LLC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

DuPont, at its Yerkes site in Buffalo, NY, seeks a Plant Continuous Improvement Leader to drive the CI and Operational Excellence roadmap across the plant. You will coach leaders and frontline teams in Lean, Six Sigma, Daily Management, Kaizen, and structured problem solving to deliver measurable improvements.

You will lead opportunities, manage improvement projects, and build CI capabilities through hands-on coaching and training, leveraging data, digital tools, and Industry 4.0 concepts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or related discipline.
• Experience in manufacturing, engineering, operations, Continuous Improvement, or Operational Excellence.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, SMED, and structured problem solving.

Responsibilities

• Lead the plant's Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence roadmap.
• Coach leaders and teams in Lean, Six Sigma, Daily Management, Kaizen, and structured problem solving.
• Identify opportunities, lead improvement projects, and ensure sustainable results.
• Build Continuous Improvement capabilities through coaching, training, and hands‑on application.
• Leverage data, digital tools, automation, and Industry 4.0 opportunities to improve plant performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and the broader DuPont CI network to share and implement best practices.
• Provide Manufacturing Technology Engineering support (10–25% of the role) in the treatment and slitting areas.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

Kaizen

Value Stream Mapping

SMED

Problem Solving

Coaching

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering

Job description

At DuPont, our purpose is to empower the world with essential innovations to thrive. We work on things that matter. Whether it’s providing clean water to more than a billion people on the planet, producing materials that are essential in everyday technology devices from smartphones to electric vehicles, or protecting workers around the world. Discover the many reasons the world’s most talented people are choosing to work at DuPont.

Why Join Us | DuPont Careers

At DuPont, we’re working to solve some of the world’s most complex challenges through innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence.

We are looking for a Plant Continuous Improvement Leader to join our Yerkes site in Buffalo, NY, supporting the manufacturing of Tedlar® PVF Film.

In this role, you will help drive meaningful improvements across the plant by partnering with leaders and frontline teams to strengthen safety, quality, productivity, reliability, delivery, and cost performance.

As the site’s Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement leader, you will:

• Lead the plant’s Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence roadmap.
• Coach leaders and teams in Lean, Six Sigma, Daily Management, Kaizen, and structured problem solving.
• Identify opportunities, lead improvement projects, and ensure sustainable results.
• Build Continuous Improvement capabilities through coaching, training, and hands‑on application.
• Leverage data, digital tools, automation, and Industry 4.0 opportunities to improve plant performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and the broader DuPont CI network to share and implement best practices.
• Provide Manufacturing Technology Engineering support (10–25% of the role) in the treatment and slitting areas.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience in manufacturing, engineering, operations, Continuous Improvement, or Operational Excellence.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, SMED, and structured problem solving.
• Strong ability to coach, influence, communicate, and engage teams at all levels.
• Experience with project management, benefits tracking, and digital manufacturing initiatives preferred.
• Lean/CI or Six Sigma Green Belt certification preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

Join DuPont

This is an opportunity to make a visible impact on plant performance while developing people, strengthening capabilities, and shaping the future of manufacturing.

If you are passionate about continuous improvement, enjoy solving complex problems, and thrive in a collaborative manufacturing environment, we invite you to join us at DuPont.

Join our Talent Community to stay connected with us!

DuPont is an equal opportunity employer.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit our Accessibility Page for Contact Information.

DuPont offers a comprehensive pay and benefits package. To learn more visit the Compensation and Benefits page.

For additional information on our unbridled commitment to deliver essential innovations that enrich people’s lives, enable sustainable development and foster human potential for generations to come, please access the following link to better understand & appreciate.

Together, we’re turning possibilities into real world answers that help humanity prosper!

DuPont is an equal opportunity employer.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit our Accessibility Page for Contact Information.