Senior Site Operations Excellence Lead

Thermo Fisher Scientific • Carlsbad, CA

13h • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Site Operations Excellence Lead provides strategic leadership for Operational Excellence across Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Carlsbad site, driving business transformation, organizational capability, and sustainable manufacturing performance. The role partners with site leadership to deploy Thermo Fisher’s Practical Process Improvement (PPI) Business System and translates business strategy into operational execution through Lean methodologies, scientific problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making. It is a key member of the site leadership team, leading high-impact manufacturing and continuous-improvement initiatives and fostering accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

The role leads governance of the site’s Operational Excellence portfolio, establishes project priorities and performance measures, and communicates operational and financial performance. It supports PPI deployment in daily operations, coaches leaders and teams on the manufacturing floor, develops organizational capability, and removes barriers to improvement. It also provides technical leadership for complex manufacturing projects, new product introductions, technology transfers, validation, and scale-up, using scientific, engineering, statistical, and visualization methods to improve process performance and business results.

The position is based in Carlsbad, California. Relocation assistance is not provided. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship and pass a comprehensive background check, including a drug screen. The work schedule is standard Monday through Friday in a laboratory and office setting, with some PPE required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, operations, or a related technical discipline.
• 12 or more years of relevant industry experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device/diagnostics, or life science industries, with advancing roles in operations, supply chain, quality, or product management.
• At least 5 years of hands-on Lean practitioner experience with a track record of continuous improvement that delivers business value.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing executive stakeholders in highly matrixed organizations.
• Expertise in Lean Manufacturing, the Thermo Fisher PPI Business System, Strategy Deployment, and continuous-improvement methodologies.
• Strong scientific, engineering, and statistical problem-solving skills, including expertise in Quality Management Systems, validation, CAPA, and regulated manufacturing.
• Ability to influence leaders, build partnerships, and drive results across cross-functional, matrixed organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to coach leaders, develop organizational capability, and foster accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Strong financial and operational acumen, including ability to translate data and operational improvements into measurable business value.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and influencing skills, including ability to lead organizational change and drive sustainable results.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Must pass a comprehensive background check, including a drug screen.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or MBA.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Master Black Belt, or equivalent Operational Excellence certification.
• Direct leadership experience.
• Experience with Strategy Deployment/X-Matrix, value stream maps, visual management/5S, Kanban, standard work, tier daily management metric boards, gemba, and project funnel development.
• Expertise in problem-solving using a formal program or process.
• Hands-on leadership experience in change-management situations.
• Experience using statistical and visualization tools such as JMP, Minitab, Power BI, or Tableau.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Site Operations Leader and PPI Senior Manager to translate business strategy into operational execution through Strategy Deployment (X-Matrix/A3).
• Lead governance of the site’s Operational Excellence portfolio, including project prioritization, performance metrics, executive dashboards, and risk management.
• Measure and communicate operational and financial performance, ensuring continuous-improvement initiatives deliver sustainable business value.
• Enable deployment and sustainment of the Thermo Fisher PPI Business System and embed Operational Excellence into daily operations and leadership practices.
• Maintain a visible, hands-on presence on the manufacturing floor; coach leaders and teams, remove barriers, and drive accountability.
• Build organizational capability through training, mentoring, and development of leaders and teams.
• Provide technical leadership for complex manufacturing projects, new product introductions, technology transfers, validation, and manufacturing scale-up.
• Facilitate or own complex manufacturing and operational-improvement projects from planning through execution, aligning cross-functional teams and delivering technical, operational, and business results.
• Apply scientific, engineering, and analytical methods to address manufacturing challenges, optimize process performance, and enable data-driven decisions.

Benefits

• Competitive remuneration and a variable annual incentive plan bonus.
• Choice of national medical and dental plans and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs.
• Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement.
• At least 120 hours of paid time off and 10 paid holidays annually.
• Paid parental leave, including 3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave.
• Accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy.
• 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan.
• Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan offering eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount.
• Career and development prospects.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior