Operational Excellence Specialist – Lean Labs (Contract, 12 months minimum) Pharmaceutical Manufacturer, Inverin, Co.
Galway A leading global pharmaceutical manufacturer in Inverin, Co.
Galway is seeking an experienced Operational Excellence Specialist to lead hands-on Lean and continuous improvement projects within its QC laboratories.
This is a key contract role in a small, high-impact OpEx team, focused on building a lean lab environment from the ground up.
About the role Own and deliver Lean / OpEx projects within the labs to reduce testing lead-times and improve overall lab performance.
Spend significant time on the lab floor with analysts to understand current processes, map workflows and identify waste.
Implement practical improvements across testing processes, inventory and consumables management, and productivity, with an eye on both service and cost.
Use Lean Six Sigma tools (e.g. value stream mapping, root-cause analysis, standard work, 5S) to design and implement sustainable solutions.
Track and report on key metrics (lead time, throughput, right-first-time, waste, etc.) to demonstrate impact and support decision making.
Work closely with the Site OpEx Lead, lab leadership and wider stakeholders to embed a continuous improvement mindset in the labs.
What you will bring Lean / Six Sigma Green Belt desirable; equivalent hands-on Lean / CI experience will also be considered.
Black Belt is an advantage but not essential.
Meaningful experience applying Lean / CI in a laboratory, QC or highly regulated technical environment (pharma, biopharma or medical devices strongly preferred).
Proven track record of leading end-to-end improvement projects, not just facilitating workshops or training.
Comfortable working in less-mature Lean environments: able to deal with ambiguity, "ground-up" improvement and sometimes chaotic situations.
Strong stakeholder skills: able to build trust with lab analysts and managers, influence without authority and communicate clearly at all levels.
Highly hands-on, pragmatic and data-driven, with the resilience and patience to deliver change in a busy operations setting.
Working arrangements Location: On-site in Inverin, Co.
Galway.
Contract: Full-time contract, with an expectation of at least 4 days per week on site.
Hours: Monday–Friday; flexibility to align with lab operations, including early starts around 8am to attend lab meetings and observe daily work as needed.
What's on offer Opportunity to lead a "blank canvas" Lean lab transformation within a global healthcare organisation with a strong Irish presence.
Exposure to cross-functional stakeholders in a small, visible OpEx team where your work has direct impact.
Apply directly should you be interested in learning more.