Continuous Improvement Engineer
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 115,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Working at Abbott
At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:
Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.
The Opportunity
This position works out of our Roseville, MN location in the Cardiac Rhythm Management medical device division, supporting the Distribution Center. The Continuous Improvement Engineer partners with inbound, outbound, and value-added services teams to drive operational excellence through process analysis, Lean implementation, and data-driven problem solving. This role supports productivity, quality, space utilization, standardization, lead time reduction, and capacity planning initiatives while utilizing Lean Six Sigma tools.
Additionally, this position supports labor and demand forecasting, capacity modeling, staffing analysis, budgeting activities, and business reporting to ensure operational readiness and efficient resource utilization. The engineer will collaborate with cross-functional teams to investigate operational issues, support corrective and preventive actions, respond to production disruptions, and identify opportunities to improve material flow and overall warehouse performance.
This role offers an excellent opportunity for an engineer who is passionate about continuous improvement, Lean methodologies, and operational problem solving. The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience leading improvement initiatives, facilitating change across all levels of the organization, and contributing to a safe, compliant, and high-performing distribution environment while building strong technical and leadership capabilities.
What You’ll Work On
Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence
Focus: Process improvement, Lean/Six Sigma, quality, productivity, and operational problem solving.
- Utilize tools like DMAIC, A3, SPC, Gage R&R
- Support productivity, quality, process efficiency, space utilization, standardization, and lead time improvement efforts
- Identify opportunities and incorporate Lean tools such as: 5S, Gemba walks, Time studies, Line balancing, Standard work, Material flow
- Production down response for mechanical and digital systems
- May be responsible for corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) and investigation management
- Collaborates with cross-functional teams as required
Workforce Planning, Capacity & Financial Analysis
Focus: Resource planning, forecasting, budgeting, and business performance.
- Provides input into departmental budgeting processes and cost-benefit analyses
- Demand and labor forecasting for business planning and monthly reporting
- Labor and capacity analysis/planning: Staffing models, Recovery plans, Day-after-holiday plans, Robot/staffing needs analysis
- Monthly demand reporting collaboration with Finance
Leadership, Compliance & Stakeholder Engagement
Focus: Coaching, communication, safety, regulatory compliance, and organizational collaboration.
- Coaches and facilitates presentations to all levels of the organization
- Understands work environment issues (OSHA, etc.) and partners with EHS to ensure a safe work environment
- Complies with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, other regulatory requirements, Company policies, operating procedures, processes, and task assignments.
- Maintains positive and cooperative communications and collaboration with all levels of employees, customers, contractors, and vendors.
- Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned
Required Qualifications
- Associates Degree (± 13 years)
- Minimum 1 year relevant experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous experience in a regulated manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, medical device, pharmaceutical, or related environment preferred.
- Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping, 5S, SPC, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt preferred; Green Belt a plus.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio.
- Experience analyzing large data sets and presenting findings to support business decisions.
- Strong problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and support continuous improvement initiatives.
Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: www.abbottbenefits.com
Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.
The base pay for this position is $50,700.00 – $101,300.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.