<p>The Continuous Improvement & Data Systems Specialist is an individual contributor responsible for supporting, guiding, and enabling Continuous Improvement (CI) activities across the manufacturing organization. This role combines classic CI methodology with hands-on development of systems for accurate data collection and performance analysis. The specialist will help teams identify waste, improve processes, develop standardized workflows, and build the foundational data infrastructure that allows the business to measure scrap, throughput, quality, and other key operational metrics.</p> <p>This position requires strong analytical capabilities, curiosity, an affinity for manufacturing processes, and the ability to collaborate effectively with Production, Engineering, Quality, and Operations leadership. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to first seek to understand before making recommendations for improvement that align with Whelen's culture and Production best practices.</p> <p>Continuous Improvement (Primary Function)</p> <ul> <li>Support CI projects across multiple manufacturing departments, focusing on waste elimination, improved flow, and standard work. </li><li>Facilitate or participate in root cause analysis using tools such as, but not limited to, 5 Whys and Pareto charts. </li><li>Participate in or lead Kaizen events under the direction of operations or senior CI leadership. </li><li>Assist in developing and maintaining process documentation, SOPs, and visual management tools. </li><li>Track the effectiveness of CI initiatives through appropriate KPIs and follow-up activities. </li><li>Provide on-floor support to identify and validate improvement opportunities. </li></ul> <p>Data & Systems Development (Secondary Function)</p> <ul> <li>Lead the development of systems and mechanisms to accurately collect operational data, including scrap, throughput, downtime, and process metrics. </li><li>Identify, create, or refine data sources-machine-level data, operator inputs, digital forms, ERP/MES fields-that enable reliable downstream reporting. </li><li>Work directly with production teams to ensure that data collection processes are practical, sustainable, and accurately represent real manufacturing conditions. </li><li>Partner with the IT Data/BI team by defining reporting requirements, specifying needed data structures, and clarifying business logic for performance and scrap reporting. </li><li>Validate reporting outputs by tracing metrics back to underlying data sources, ensuring alignment between system data and floor reality. </li><li>Support data governance and standardization efforts, including establishing definitions, measurement methods, and data entry procedures. </li><li>Assist in the deployment and refinement of digital tools used to support CI and operations performance tracking. </li></ul> <p>Cross-Functional Collaboration</p> <ul> <li>Work closely with operators, engineers, planners, supervisors, and quality teams to understand processes and identify improvement opportunities. </li><li>Translate operational needs into clear requirements for IT, engineering, or data teams. </li><li>Communicate findings and recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. </li><li>Support training efforts related to CI concepts, data literacy, and new digital tools or processes. </li></ul>