Sr. Operational Excellence Engineer

Legend Biotech is a global biotechnology company dedicated to treating, and one day curing, life‑threatening diseases. Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, we develop advanced cell therapies across a diverse array of technology platforms, including autologous and allogenic chimeric antigen receptor T‑cell, T‑cell receptor (TCR‑T), and natural killer (NK) cell‑based immunotherapy. From our three R&D sites around the world, we apply these innovative technologies to pursue the discovery of safe, efficacious and cutting‑edge therapeutics for patients worldwide.

Legend Biotech entered into a global collaboration agreement with Janssen, a pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson, to jointly develop and commercialize ciltacabtagene autolecuel (cilta‑cel). This strategic partnership combines the strengths and expertise of both companies to advance the promise of an immunotherapy in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

This position will provide operational excellence continuous improvement support to the cGMP Clinical and Commercial Cell Therapy Manufacturing plant. The individual will lead continuous improvement initiatives across various site functions to support personalized cell therapy production through safe and compliant manufacturing operations in accordance with cGMP requirements. The role will own, drive, and deliver cost savings and efficiency improvements, ensuring alignment with the plant’s overall objectives and priorities.

Proven lean leadership with disciplined problem‑solving and effective continuous improvement communication, coordination and collaboration across cross‑functional groups are essential to establish a strong culture that enables robust production, testing and release of product to patients.

• Owns, plans, leads, develops, provides expertise, trains, coaches, drives, and executes against a holistic continuous improvement and problem‑solving program to improve safety, compliance, cost, process stability, build quality and efficiency into processes and improve lead times and reliability in delivery to patients.
• Executes the continuous improvement program using lean and Six Sigma methodologies such as DMAIC, standard and standardized work, metrics, visual tools, PDCA, Kanban, pull systems, SMED, Pareto, FMEA, A3 thinking, time studies, poka‑yoke, process mapping and other techniques.
• Leads, facilitates and teaches others to lead and participate in kaizen events and increase continuous improvement skills.
• Facilitates value stream analysis and hoshin planning events.
• Mentors selected plant team members to become yellow or green belts.
• Performs voice of the customer (VOC) through process capability and defect elimination.
• Applies and teaches change management methodology in all aspects of the plant operational excellence efforts.
• Routinely engages functional plant leaders to develop a continuous improvement culture.
• Uses authority to coach others to upskill and to define approach and methodology.
• Leverages authority to engage appropriate departments for cost savings initiatives, define problems, map current and future states, obtain alignment, and request resources from PMO, with review by direct supervision.
• Engages functions for larger continuous improvement system implementation and improvements, developing implementation approach while reviewing major collaborations with direct supervisor.

• BS in engineering required. MS in engineering or MBA desirable.
• Minimum 10+ years of experience leading and supporting continuous improvement efforts in a manufacturing environment with BS in Engineering.
• Minimum 8+ years of experience leading and supporting continuous improvement efforts in a manufacturing environment with MS in Engineering or MBA.
• Demonstrated completion of multiple significant cost savings or efficiency gains across production, engineering, facilities, maintenance, QA, QC, etc.
• Proven knowledge and demonstrated experience designing, leading, implementing, and operating tiered meetings with KPIs and metrics, problem‑solving and driving improvement.
• Implemented systems…