Senior Engineer, Operational Excellence – Biotech Lean & Data

GRAIL; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 94,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Flexible time-off

401(k) with match

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Mindfulness programs

Job summary

GRAIL is seeking a Senior Engineer, Operational Excellence to advance continuous improvement across sequencing‑based cancer screening workflows at our Durham, NC site. The role blends data, process, and operations to boost efficiency, quality, and scalability.

Ideal candidates bring Lean expertise and a track record of data‑driven problem solving. The role is on‑site, full‑time in Durham, NC, with responsibilities spanning dashboard development, KPI reporting, SPC/QC, root cause analyses, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• 6+ years of experience in process engineering, operations, or continuous improvement.
• Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen methodologies experience (certification a plus).
• Experience with data analysis and visualization tools (Excel, SQL, Python, Tableau, Power BI).
• Familiarity with SPC/QC tools and statistical analysis techniques.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Effective communicator with the ability to collaborate across teams.
• Experience in NGS, clinical laboratory operations, or diagnostics workflows.
• Familiarity with regulated environments (CLIA, CAP, FDA) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain operational dashboards and visualizations to track performance across workflows.
• Support generation and automation of KPI reporting, ensuring data integrity and usability.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to refine metrics and improve visibility into operational performance.
• Perform data exploration and statistical analysis to identify trends, variation, and potential process deviations.
• Apply SPC and QC methods to monitor and improve process stability.
• Execute and support Lean initiatives, including 5S, Kaizen events, and Six Sigma projects.
• Conduct root cause analyses (5 Whys, Fishbone) and implement CAPAs.
• Partner with operations teams to pilot, measure, and scale process improvements.
• Capture and document operational issues, risks, and opportunities; maintain backlog tracking.
• Work with cross-functional teams to implement process improvements.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

Data analysis

Operational comms

NGS/Diagnostics

Data visualization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Industrial Engineering

Job description

GRAIL is seeking a Senior Engineer, Operational Excellence to advance continuous improvement across sequencing‑based cancer screening workflows at our Durham, NC site. The role blends data, process, and operations to boost efficiency, quality, and scalability.

Ideal candidates bring Lean expertise and a track record of data‑driven problem solving. The role is on‑site, full‑time in Durham, NC, with responsibilities spanning dashboard development, KPI reporting, SPC/QC, root cause analyses, and