Lean Manufacturing Engineer
Takeda
Summary
You will contribute in ensuring ongoing safety, product quality, and compliance, while optimizing complex processes across the entire value stream. Focusing on large-scale, automated, multi-step batch processes with manual operations, we are looking for knowledge in mathematical, physical, and social sciences, and engineering analysis and design principles. You will analyze processes, make opportunities for improvement visible, and guide next steps to accomplish those improvements. These efforts are critical to improving productivity across the site, and in the production environment. You will help interpret Takeda's standard 'lean operating system' and guide its application with a clear focus on adding value. You will also collaborate with other sites and global support teams to improve those operating system standards. You will report to the Associate Director of Lean Deployment.
Job description
About the role
You will contribute in ensuring ongoing safety, product quality, and compliance, while optimizing complex processes across the entire value stream. Focusing on large-scale, automated, multi-step batch processes with manual operations, we are looking for knowledge in mathematical, physical, and social sciences, and engineering analysis and design principles. You will analyze processes, make opportunities for improvement visible, and guide next steps to accomplish those improvements. These efforts are critical to improving productivity across the site, and in the production environment. You will help interpret Takeda's standard 'lean operating system' and guide its application with a clear focus on adding value. You will also collaborate with other sites and global support teams to improve those operating system standards. You will report to the Associate Director of Lean Deployment.
How you will contribute
- Understand strategic context, current state and analysis of relevant systems to identify opportunities aligned with strategy.
- Create (and enhance existing) models to give insights.
- Ensure outcomes are achieved, visible and sustained.
- Connect and collaborate with global, regional and OpU groups to bring good practices to the site and to share our good practices with others.
- Develop others through leading Lean implementations.
- Enhance existing pull systems and continue to replace push with flow and pull.
- Demonstrate important skills in root-cause and continuous improvement.
- Integrate organizational change management into every improvement.
- Research and test improvements to processes, ensuring safety, quality and compliance with regulation/standards.
- Play an important role in the planning the 2025 and 2027 production capacity increase, ensuring scalability and sustainability.
- Have a demonstrated experience with challenging the status quo and trying to improve operations.
- Proficient in manufacturing system and statistical analysis.
- Demonstrated structured, logical, critical and analytical thinking.
- Comfortable coaching, leading and guiding people.
- Must have organizational and project management abilities along with knowledge of manufacturing processes and continuous improvement approaches.
- Can train others and work with employees on all levels.
- Can work extended hours and multiple shifts.
What you bring to Takeda
- Typically requires bachelors' degree in science, engineering or other related technical field with 6+ years of related experience.
- Six Sigma Green Belt.
- 5+ years' experience deploying and coaching lean as part of a manufacturing/industrial engineering role.
- Experience in the biotechnology / pharmaceutical industry is desirable.
- Experience in process industry an advantage.
Important Considerations
At Takeda, our patients rely on us to deliver quality products. As a result, we must follow strict rules in our manufacturing facilities to ensure we are not endangering the quality of the product. You may:
- In general your work will be a combination of sedentary work and walking around observing conditions in the facility.
- On Site Position.
- Must be able to lift, push, pull and carry up to 10 lbs.
- May work in a confined area.
- Some Clean Room and cool/hot storage conditions.
- May work in a controlled environment requiring special gowning and wear protective clothing over the head, face, hands, feet and body. This may include additional hearing protection for loud areas.
- Will need to remove all make-up, jewelry, contact lenses, nail polish and artificial fingernails while in the manufacturing environment.
- May work in a cold, hot or wet environment.
- May work around chemicals such as alcohol, acids, buffers and Celite that may require respiratory protection.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in science, engineering or other related technical field
- 6+ years of related experience
- Six Sigma Green Belt
- 5+ years' experience deploying and coaching lean as part of a manufacturing/industrial engineering role
- Experience in the biotechnology / pharmaceutical industry is desirable
- Experience in process industry an advantage
Company overview
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited is a Japanese multinational pharmaceutical company founded in 1781 and incorporated in 1925. As one of the world's top 20 largest pharmaceutical companies by revenue and the third largest in Asia, Takeda specializes in developing and commercializing innovative medicines across several therapeutic areas including oncology, rare diseases, neuroscience, gastroenterology, plasma-derived therapies, and vaccines. With approximately 49,095 employees globally, the company operates research and development centers, manufacturing facilities, and commercial operations across 39 U.S. states and numerous countries worldwide. Takeda maintains dual headquarters in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, with significant operations in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where it serves as the largest life sciences employer in the state. The company's patient-focused approach is guided by its Takeda-ism values of Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance, emphasizing a commitment to delivering life-transforming treatments while advancing sustainable healthcare solutions. Takeda's extensive portfolio includes both innovative biologics and small molecule drugs, supported by strategic acquisitions and partnerships that have expanded its capabilities in areas such as immuno-oncology and rare disease treatments.