Director, DBS Leader - Lean

Danaher · Richmond, IL

Level: Director+
Team: Lean / CI
Base pay: $180k–$200k
Travel: 25%
Degree: Required (or equivalent experience)
Experience asked: 7+ years
Industry: Pharma & life sciences
Posted: 30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A director-level continuous improvement role at Danaher (pharma & life sciences) in Richmond, IL. We empower clinicians with innovative, reliable solutions so they can give patients timely, accurate answers when they need them most.

They ask for: 7+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
Tools it names: Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen
Base pay: $180k–$200k
Day to day: about 25% travel

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

It asks for 7+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone on the team first.

At a glance

Overnight travel

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

Your game plan for this job

Most people just hit Apply. Do these first and you show up with someone on the inside.

1
Find 2–3 people on the Lean / CI team at this site
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply most.
2
Send a short, curious note
Ask about the work, not for a referral. We write it for you.
3
Have a 15-minute chat
Good questions for this role:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is CI run from the plant floor or from a corporate OpEx group?
- Which metrics does leadership actually watch: OEE, scrap, cost per unit?
- The posting says about 25% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
4
Apply, ideally with a referral
Ask if they'd refer you or introduce you to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link and tell them the day you apply.
5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

About the role

In this role, you will have the opportunity to

◆Serve as Lean Danaher Business System (DBS) Subject Matter Expert to our Richmond, Illinois manufacturing site; drive sustained operational improvements and Kaizen results that impact Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through facilitation of DBS activities and mentorship of Leaders, Associates, and Kaizen teams.
◆Drive results across the dimensions of Safety, Quality, Delivery and or Cost with the DBS Fundamentals and the DBS Tools within the Lean Segment. Leverage a solid understanding of DBS Fundamentals combined with Lean tools from four (4) different areas: Reliability, Operations, Supply Chain, and Materials.
◆Develop and continuously improve processes within Operations at the Richmond, Illinois site as a member of the site leadership team.
◆Create and lead prioritized Kaizen Funnel and Certified Practitioner plan to close KPI gaps with appropriate Visual & Daily Management and Leadership engagement. Improve DBS training and facilitation by pursuing certification in DBS tools for yourself and others.
◆Facilitate and Lead PSP (Problem Solving Process) Teams in everyday Problem Solving. Install and facilitate Visual & Daily Management at Gemba across the Richmond, Illinois site.

The essential

It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in

✓Master’s Degree in Business, Engineering, or Science
✓Knowledge of key DBS Lean Tools: Operations, Danaher Reliability System, Supply Chain, and the Danaher Materials System.
✓Certified Practitioner in a minimum of one appropriate Lean DBS Tool.
✓Experience managing people and/or projects

Travel (approximated by overnight stays per week)

✓Willingness to travel approximately 25% of the time; predominantly domestic with some international travel as needed

Leica Biosystems, a Danaher operating company, offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it’s a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info.

We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

Join our winning team today. Together, we’ll accelerate the real-life impact of tomorrow’s science and technology. We partner with customers across the globe to help them solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring t

Show full description ↓

Bring more to life.

Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology?

At Leica Biosystems, one of Danaher’s 15+ operating companies, our work saves lives—and we’re all united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact.

You’ll thrive in a culture of belonging where you and your unique viewpoint matter. And by harnessing Danaher’s system of continuous improvement, you help turn ideas into impact – innovating at the speed of life.

At Leica Biosystems, we’re not just shaping the future of cancer diagnostics — we’re transforming lives. Our mission of “Advancing Cancer Diagnostics, Improving Lives” is the driving force behind everything we do. As a global leader with the most comprehensive portfolio spanning from biopsy to diagnosis, we empower clinicians with innovative, reliable solutions so they can give patients timely, accurate answers when they need them most. When you join Leica Biosystems, you’re not just taking a job; you’re becoming part of a passionate team that knows every moment matters when it comes to cancer. You’ll help develop diagnostic solutions that turn anxiety into answers, and aid the acceleration of next-generation, life-changing therapies. Surrounded by a diverse and collaborative global community, you’ll be inspired each day to stretch, grow, and make an impact.

Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible.

The Director, DBS Leader - Lean is responsible for promoting and leading the successful implementation of Lean Danaher Business System (DBS) in Leica Biosystems’ Richmond, Illinois site. They will be a key business partner and sit on the local leadership team, who is results driven with a strong ability to drive effective use of DBS.

This position reports to the Global Director of DBS Lean and is part of the global DBS Lean team; the associate will be located in Richmond, IL and will be an on-site role.

of the job include

•Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
•7+ years of experience in Operations, Engineering, Lean, or combined experience in a related continuous improvement role.
•Proven hands‑on experience implementing improvements within a structured continuous improvement environment (e.g., DBS, Lean Six Sigma, TPS) in line management or consulting settings.
•Practitioner‑level mastery of DBS Fundamentals with strong proficiency in Lean tools across operations and transactional processes; certification preferred.
•Demonstrated ability to partner strategically with business leaders, influence without authority, and deliver measurable, time‑bound improvements tied to business metrics