Plant Lean Technical Specialist

Johnson Controls, Inc.; Gilbert (AZ); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson Controls is seeking a Lean Technical Specialist in Gilbert, AZ to lead Lean transformation across manufacturing operations. You will drive Kaizen events, value stream mapping, and structured problem solving to achieve sustainable improvements.

Responsibilities include mentoring employees, embedding Lean into daily management, supporting 3P activities, and guiding prototypes to meet design intent, ergonomics, and safety. A Bachelor's in engineering and 3–7 years of experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Industrial Technology, or related field preferred.
• 3–7 years of experience in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or industrial engineering.
• Demonstrated expertise in Lean tools: VSM, Kaizen facilitation, SMED, 5S, standard work, takt time, flow, pull systems.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with experience using A3 or similar methodologies.
• Ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence without authority.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and coaching skills.
• Experience working in a high‑mix, fast‑paced manufacturing environment is an asset.
• Green Belt Certified preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead Lean transformation activities, including Kaizen events and flow improvements.
• Conduct Value Stream Mapping and develop implementation plans.
• Drive structured problem solving using A3, PDCA, root cause analysis and Lean methods.
• Embed Lean principles into daily management systems with operations and leadership.
• Provide technical direction to prototypes to support Lean design, ergonomics, and safety.
• Support 3P activities: concept development, layout optimization, process simulation.
• Develop and maintain Lean standards, visual management systems, and performance metrics.
• Coach and mentor employees to build Lean capability.
• Analyze operational data to identify improvements and track results.
• Support capital projects and new product/process introductions with Lean principles.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Continuous improvement

Industrial engineering

A3 problem solving

Cross-functional teams

Communication skills

Green Belt

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

VSM

Kaizen

SMED

5S

Standard work

Takt time

Flow

Pull systems

Job description

Lean Technical Specialist

About Us

Silent-Aire, a division of Johnson Controls, is a global leader in owner equipment manufacturing (OEM) dedicated to providing custom solutions for data center customers. Our product line includes large-scale equipment such as air handling units and modular data centers. We pride ourselves on innovation, quality, and delivering tailored solutions to meet our clients' unique needs.

What you will do

The Lean Technical Specialist is a subject‑matter expert responsible for leading Lean transformation activities, facilitating structured improvement processes, and providing technical guidance across manufacturing operations. This role leads Kaizen events, conducts value stream mapping, drives problem solving, and directs the moonshine prototyping function to ensure improvements are implemented effectively and sustainably.

How you will do it

• Support Lean events, including Kaizen workshops, SMED, 5S, standard work development, and flow creation.
• Participate and lead Value Stream Mapping and develop actionable future‑state implementation plans.
• Drive structured problem solving using A3, PDCA, root cause analysis, and other Lean methodologies.
• Partner with operations, engineering, and leadership to embed Lean principles into daily management systems.
• Provide technical direction to the Moonshiner, ensuring prototypes support Lean design intent, ergonomics, and safety.
• Support 3P (Production Preparation Process) activities, including concept development, layout optimization, and process simulation.
• Develop and maintain Lean standards, visual management systems, and performance metrics.
• Coach and mentor employees at all levels to build organizational Lean capability.
• Analyze operational data to identify improvement opportunities and track results.
• Support capital projects and new product/process introductions with Lean design principles.

What we look for

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Industrial Technology, or related field preferred.
• 3–7 years of experience in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or industrial engineering.
• Demonstrated expertise in Lean tools: VSM, Kaizen facilitation, SMED, 5S, standard work, takt time, flow, pull systems.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with experience using A3 or similar methodologies.
• Ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence without authority.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and coaching skills.
• Experience working in a high‑mix, fast‑paced manufacturing environment is an asset.
• Green Belt Certified preferred

HIRING SALARY RANGE: $60,000 - $80,000 (Salary to be determined by the education, experience,knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with marketdata.) This position includes a competitive benefits package. The posted salary range reflectsthe target compensation for this role. However, we recognize that exceptional candidatesmay bring unique skills and experiences that exceed the typical profile. If you believe yourbackground warrants consideration beyond the stated range, we encourage you to apply. Tosupport an efficient and fair hiring process, we may use technology assisted tools, includingartificial intelligence (AI), to help identify and evaluate candidates. All hiring decisions areultimately made by human reviewers. For details, please visit the About Us tab on theJohnson Controls Careers site at https://jobs.johnsoncontrols.com/about-u