Associate Director, Operational Excellence (Biotech)

Location: On-site full-time in Durham, NC, United States

Company

hirify.global operates in diagnostics and regulated laboratory environments.

What you will do

• Design and maintain operational dashboards, data visualizations, KPI reports, and reporting frameworks.
• Analyze operational data to identify trends, anomalies, control limits, early warnings, and predictive indicators for SPC and QC.
• Lead Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, and Kaizen initiatives across operational teams and track their sustained impact.
• Maintain a centralized backlog of operational issues, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Software, Lab, and Operations stakeholders to prioritize initiatives and remove execution barriers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Operations, Data Science, or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred.
• 12+ years of experience in operational excellence, process improvement, or analytics, ideally in biotech, diagnostics, or regulated environments.
• Expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen methodologies; Green Belt or Black Belt certification is preferred.
• Experience with Tableau, Power BI, Looker, SQL, Python, R, or similar data visualization and analysis tools.
• Experience with SPC/QC frameworks, operational performance metrics, and cross-functional leadership.
• Experience in NGS, clinical laboratory operations, or diagnostics workflows; familiarity with CLIA, CAP, or FDA environments is preferred.

Culture & Benefits

• Work across office, production, and executive settings in a regulated operational environment.
• Use required PPE, including safety glasses, gloves, and hearing protection, in designated areas.
• Flexible hours may be required to meet organizational goals.
• Benefits include flexible time off or vacation, a 401(k) plan with employer match, and medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Additional mindfulness programs and potential annual bonus or incentive compensation may be available.