Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Daniels Health is on a mission to make healthcare safer by providing reusable medical waste containers. The Continuous Improvement Specialist will support initiatives that drive efficiency and cost reduction across U.S. operations, focusing on the practical application of Lean and continuous improvement principles to enhance operational performance.
Responsibilities
- Apply Lean Manufacturing, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and other structured problem-solving methodologies to eliminate waste, and drive measurable cost savings
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance across processing plants and transfer stations
- Teach, lead, and develop capabilities within cross-functional teams on loss elimination tools and methodology
- Influence and engage individuals at all organizational levels — from frontline team members to senior leaders — to participate in ideation, active problem-solving, prioritization, solution development, testing, and full-scale deployment
- Coach and train site teams on Lean principles, structured problem-solving, and root cause analysis methodologies (e.g., PDCA, DMAIC, AMD, Loss Analysis, 8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone)
- Develop internal CI champions and sustainment mechanisms to ensure long-term success of initiatives
- Support process design improvements, automation projects, and infrastructure optimization initiatives that reduce costs and increase throughput
- Work directly with site teams to deliver initiatives that lower operational expenses through improved process efficiency, waste minimization, and resource optimization
- Closely partner with frontline leadership to cultivate a data-driven decision-making and evidence-based mindset
- Develop and train sites on best practices that improve reliability, reduce variability, and enhance overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
- Lead project teams onsite in business units to deliver savings while developing site problem solving capabilities
- Travel approximately 50 - 70% of the time to different business units
Skills
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or equivalent experience
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in continuous improvement, process engineering, or operational excellence roles in manufacturing, logistics, or industrial environments
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
- Proven experience applying structured problem-solving approaches such as PDCA, DMAIC, DFSS, or 8D within a manufacturing or distribution setting
- Demonstrated success in implementing structured loss elimination projects that delivered measurable cost savings
- Strong analytical, communication, and project management skills, with the ability to influence at all organizational levels
- Proven ability to lead change across multi-site or regional operations
- Comfortable with hands-on work in plant and transfer station environments
- Experience collaborating with engineering and maintenance teams on process optimization projects
- Background in a Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) environment (or equivalent framework)
- Experience in healthcare, environmental services, food & beverage, or other regulated industries
- Familiarity with ERP systems and analytics tools (e.g., SAP, Power BI, Tableau)
Benefits
- 401K Matching: 50% employer match on up to 6% contribution (up to 3% employer contribution), with match starting Day 1, 5-year vesting schedule
- Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage effective Day 1; paid short-term disability; company-sponsored life insurance; and more
Company Overview
MAKING HEALTHCARE SAFER The philosophy that guides Daniels - striving to make a safer environment for everyone involved in healthcare. It was founded in 1986, and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA, with a workforce of 501-1000 employees. Its website is https://www.danielshealth.com/.