Job Description
Job DescriptionRole summary
We have an exciting opportunity for an Operational Excellence / Continuous Improvement Specialist to drive measurable gains in safety, quality, delivery and cost at ADEM Precision LLC. You will work side by side with the Shop President and the VP of Operational Excellence, leading improvement events on the floor and coaching the team to sustain results. This is a dynamic, doing role, not a reporting role: expect to spend most of your time facilitating tangible benefits on the manufacturing floor rather than at a desk.
About Talon Precision and ADEM
Talon Precision is a group of precision manufacturing shops serving the aerospace and defense, semiconductor, space and medical device end markets. Our customers help keep the world safe, connected, healthy and prosperous. Our mission is to restore manufacturing excellence here at home. ADEM is one of Talon's operating businesses. Each Talon business operates with its own president and team, supported by a common Talon operating system for continuous improvement, standard KPIs and shared best practice.
This role is ADEM's on-site improvement lead and a key link to the wider Talon CI network.
Key responsibilities
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Partner with the Shop President and VP of Operational Excellence to set ADEM's improvement priorities and translate them into a practical, quarter-by-quarter plan.
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Lead and facilitate kaizen events, SMED setup reduction, 5S, standard work and value stream mapping on the shop floor.
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Run Green Belt-level DMAIC projects on quality and process problems, using data to find root causes and verify fixes.
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Observe machining, finishing and assembly operations directly, capturing waste, setup and flow opportunities.
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Build and maintain visual management, tiered daily huddles and shop KPI boards aligned to Talon's standard KPIs.
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Coach operators, leads and supervisors in lean tools and problem solving so improvements are owned by the team.
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Support quality systems work (AS9100 corrective actions, PFMEA, control plans) with structured problem solving.
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Track project savings and results, and report progress to the Shop President and VP of Operational Excellence.
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Share learnings and standard methods with CI colleagues across the other Talon shops.
Required qualifications
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5+ years of continuous improvement, lean or manufacturing/industrial engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
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Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, or equivalent demonstrated Green Belt-level skills and completed projects.
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Proven track record leading kaizen events and improvement projects with measurable results.
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Hands-on working knowledge of lean tools: SMED, 5S, standard work, VSM, visual management, root cause analysis (5 Why, fishbone, A3).
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Comfortable with data: Excel, basic statistics, and turning shop data into clear decisions.
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Strong facilitation and coaching skills, with the credibility to work alongside operators and the Shop President alike.
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Willingness to spend the majority of the working day on the shop floor.
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Ability to work on ITAR-controlled programs (U.S. person status required).
Preferred qualifications
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Experience in aerospace, defense, semiconductor, space or medical precision machining, special processes or similar high-mix, low-volume environments.
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Familiarity with AS9100 and ISO 13485 quality systems and the requirements of aerospace, defense and medical customers.
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Bachelor's degree in industrial, mechanical or manufacturing engineering, or related field.
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Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, or progress toward one.
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Experience with ERP/MRP systems and shop-floor data collection.
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Experience supporting improvement in a multi-site or recently acquired business.
Compensation Range: $110K - $135K