Operation Excellence Technician - 1st Shift

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 2 Oct 2026 Careers that change lives start here. Medtronic is a global leader in healthcare technology with a Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. Our 95,000 employees work across more than 150 countries to put patients first — developing innovative medical technologies that improve the lives of 72+ million patients each year.

Your unique talents will help shape the future of healthcare while building a career grounded in purpose, growth, and impact. A Day in the Life At Plymouth Nathan Lane, we manufacture life-sustaining stents, catheters, and medical devices supporting Medtronic's Peripheral Vascular Health Operating Unit. The Operational Excellence (OPEX) team partners closely with Manufacturing Operations to drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety, quality, delivery, and productivity across the site.

This role is based in Plymouth, Minnesota and requires hands-on support within the manufacturing environment. The position is onsite five days per week and collaborates with production, engineering, and operations teams to implement lean manufacturing solutions and improve operational performance. The Operational Excellence Technician I supports manufacturing improvement initiatives by applying lean manufacturing principles, conducting shop floor observations, and implementing practical solutions that improve efficiency and workflow.

This role works closely with operations and engineering teams to identify opportunities, support problem‑solving activities, and sustain continuous improvement efforts across the manufacturing floor.

• Support deployment of lean manufacturing initiatives across manufacturing operations.
• Implement and sustain 5S, visual management, cable management, and other workplace organization systems.
• Participate in kaizen events and continuous improvement projects to improve operational performance.
• Conduct cycle time studies, work observations, and process analysis to identify improvement opportunities.
• Assist engineering and operations teams in developing and implementing manufacturing improvements.
• Support problem‑solving activities using structured improvement methodologies.
• Install, repair, maintain, or upgrade manufacturing aids and infrastructure that support production operations.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to sustain improvements and standard work practices.

• 0 years of relevant technical experience
• No Minimum Education requirement.
• For Baccalaureate degrees earned outside of the United States, a degree that satisfies the requirements of 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A) is required.

• Experience applying lean manufacturing tools and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Knowledge of 5S principles, visual management, and the eight wastes of lean manufacturing.
• Experience conducting cycle time studies, work measurement, or process analysis activities.
• Yellow Belt certification or experience supporting structured problem‑solving initiatives.
• Effective communication and presentation skills when working with cross‑functional teams.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Word.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position. The physical demands described within the Responsibilities section of this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential…