Senior Lean Six Sigma Engineer – Pharma Operations

Cambrex Corp.; Charles City (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Cambrex is seeking a Principal Engineer, Operational Excellence to lead high-impact improvements across manufacturing and support functions in a regulated pharmaceutical environment. You will apply Lean, Six Sigma, and data-driven problem solving to remove constraints, optimize performance, and deliver measurable business results.

The role partners with cross-functional teams to improve process robustness, equipment utilization, and efficiency, while guiding DMAIC/Kaizen initiatives and

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and operational excellence systems.
• Strong chemical engineering fundamentals and the ability to apply them in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, cross-functional improvement initiatives with measurable results.
• Understanding of process capability, variation reduction, bottleneck management, and waste elimination.
• Strong project leadership, facilitation, coaching, and change-management skills.
• Financial acumen and the ability to quantify, communicate, and validate business impact.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop improvements that release incremental capacity from existing assets, systems, workflows, and labor resources.
• Collaborate with cross functional teams to improve process robustness, equipment utilization, reliability, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Apply statistical analysis, root-cause analysis, FMEA, process capability analysis, regression, and Design of Experiments to complex operational problems.
• Analyze process flow, chemistry, variability, constraints, and resource utilization to improve manufacturing predictability and performance.
• Lead DMAIC, PDCA, Kaizen, and other structured problem-solving efforts.
• Evaluate automation, digital, and emerging technology opportunities that simplify work and improve operational visibility or control.
• Support process transfers, scale-up, capital projects, technology implementation, and operational readiness activities.
• Establish baselines, define success measures, and validate realized savings and operational benefits with process owners and Finance.
• Mentor Lean Six Sigma practitioners, and cross-functional project teams to strengthen site capability.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Operational excellence

Chemical engineering fundamentals

Cross-functional leadership

Project leadership

Financial acumen

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher

Job description

Cambrex is seeking a Principal Engineer, Operational Excellence to lead high-impact improvements across manufacturing and support functions in a regulated pharmaceutical environment. You will apply Lean, Six Sigma, and data-driven problem solving to remove constraints, optimize performance, and deliver measurable business results.

The role partners with cross-functional teams to improve process robustness, equipment utilization, and efficiency, while guiding DMAIC/Kaizen initiatives and