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Sr Continuous Improvement Business System Specialist

Thermo Fisher Scientific · Frederick, MD

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Level
Senior
Team
Lean / CI
Base pay
$103k–$155k
Travel
25%
Degree
Preferred
Experience asked
6+ years
Certification
Black Belt preferred
Industry
Pharma & life sciences
Posted
Yesterday

The role in 30 seconds

A senior continuous improvement role at Thermo Fisher Scientific (pharma & life sciences) in Frederick, MD. In a safe manner and obeys all safety policies and procedures.

They ask for
6+ years · degree preferred · Black Belt preferred
Tools it names
Lean, Six Sigma, Black Belt, Kaizen, 5S, Value stream mapping
Base pay
$103k–$155k
Day to day
some off-shift / weekend coverage · about 25% travel

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Continuous Improvement roles in Maryland: typical posted base $103k–$172k. This one lists $103k–$155k.

Median of the low and high ends of 4 live postings that list pay, out of 4 continuous improvement openings in Maryland, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Maryland plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 328 other live lean / ci postings in the US.

Base pay
In line with similar roles

Typical $102k–$145k, from 116 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (6+ vs 5+)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ Lean 85%
  • ✓ Six Sigma 55%
  • ✓ Kaizen 52%
  • ✓ Value stream mapping 50%
  • Root cause 45%
  • ✓ 5S 33%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for FDA / GMP, Power BI / Tableau, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 6+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Off-shift / weekend coverage

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

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Lean / CI team at Thermo Fisher Scientific

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • 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?
    • How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
    • The posting says about 25% travel. Between which sites?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 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.

Full description from Thermo Fisher ScientificAs posted on their careers site.Show

Significant Duties/Responsibilities

  • ◆Serve as a key member of the North America Logistics team, specifically as the subject matter expert in continuous improvement and data analytics.
  • ◆Manage and support North America productivity targets and project funnels
  • ◆Collaborate with regional and distribution site leaders to implement effective strategies across North America.
  • ◆Data mining and analysis for various distribution centers and providing recommendations to regional leaders to drive excellence in quality, productivity, safety and budget adherence.
  • ◆Maintain and support Power BI reporting for Logistics group crafting standardized and ad-hoc dashboards across all regions
  • ◆Generate monthly analytics for scorecards, productivity measurements, and month-end performance indicators.
  • ◆Partner with multiple functions to lead/support business and automation integrations
  • ◆Manage data to track major productivity initiatives and capital projects
  • ◆Lead Kaizens and other Practical Process Improvement (PPI) initiatives
  • ◆Performs all job duties in a safe manner and obeys all safety policies and procedures.
  • ◆Performs all job duties consistent with the Code of Ethics and the 4-I Values.
  • ◆Performs all job duties within ISO standards, regulatory or statutory requirements.
  • ◆Performs other duties and responsibilities, as needed.

Requirements

  • ✓Advanced Degree plus 6 years of experience, or Bachelor's Degree plus 8 years of experience implementing continuous improvement programs in manufacturing, clinical, pharmaceutical or regulated environments
  • ✓Preferred Fields of Study: Engineering, Science, Operations, Business or related field
  • ✓Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification preferred
  • ✓PMP or equivalent project management certification desirable
  • ✓Demonstrated expertise in lean tools including value stream mapping, 5S, standard work, visual management, and kaizen methodologies
  • ✓Strong project management skills with proven experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives
  • ✓Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Project
  • ✓Excellent financial acumen with ability to evaluate and validate project savings
  • ✓Strong communication and presentation skills with ability to connect at all organizational levels
  • ✓Experience guiding and mentoring teams in continuous improvement methodologies
  • ✓Demonstrated success in supporting organizational change
  • ✓Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities using data-driven approaches
  • ✓Ability to work independently while collaborating across functions
  • ✓Strong relationship-building skills with demonstrated ability to build trust
  • ✓Experience in GMP/regulated environments preferred
  • ✓Ability to travel up to 25% as needed to support multiple sites
  • ✓Fluency in English required; additional languages beneficial for international roles

This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:

  • ✓A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
  • ✓Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
  • ✓At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
  • ✓Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
  • ✓Employees’
Show full description ↓

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.

Description

The Sr. PPI Business Systems Specialist is a strategic partner in operations with responsibility for leading and implementing the continuous improvement strategy to achieve required business results across North America. The position is directly responsible for standardizing and implementing continuous improvement projects and metrics supporting productivity, quality, and safety. The Sr. Staff Business Systems Specialist provides leadership guidance that enables Global Distribution to achieve customer focused and financial goals. The Sr. Staff Business Systems Specialist applies lean foundational principles to the process of distributing consumer goods and services in order to build a more efficient infrastructure.

Working across the organization, you'll implement lean management systems, facilitate kaizen events, and apply structured problem-solving methodologies to optimize processes and reduce inefficiencies. You'll support operational excellence by guiding teams in the application of PPI tools while developing their capabilities through training and mentorship.

Your expertise will help enhance operations, improve efficiency, and create sustainable process improvements that directly impact our mission of enabling customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer. This position offers the opportunity to create meaningful impact by leading cross-functional initiatives and supporting a culture of continuous improvement across the organization.

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