Operational Excellence Engineer

Overview

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio spans diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines, with 114,000 colleagues serving people in more than 160 countries.

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

Our Vascular location in St. Paul, MN currently has an onsite opportunity for an Operational Excellence Engineer. Abbott Vascular provides innovative, minimally invasive, and cost-effective products for the treatment of vascular disease.

We’re looking for a passionate change agent to lead our Operational Excellence (OpEx) efforts and help shape a culture of continuous improvement. In this role, you’ll be responsible for designing, implementing, and sustaining key elements of our OpEx program using Lean Six Sigma, value stream mapping, visual management, and change management tools. You’ll serve as a technical leader and trusted advisor, guiding teams through impactful projects that streamline operations, enhance performance, and deliver measurable results.

In this role, you’ll identify improvement opportunities, coach sponsors in crafting effective charters, and drive initiatives from concept to execution. You’ll manage cross-functional teams, apply structured problem-solving methodologies, and ensure alignment with broader business goals. This role requires a strategic mindset, strong collaboration skills, and the ability to navigate integration challenges across processes and departments. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy empowering others to succeed, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.

• Champion the Operational Excellence (OpEx) strategy across the site, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and lean thinking.
• Collaborate with site leadership to identify and prioritize high-value projects focused on cost reduction, cycle time improvement, and waste elimination.
• Lead and execute process improvement initiatives using Lean Six Sigma and other OpEx methodologies to drive measurable results.
• Define project goals, develop execution plans, and ensure alignment with Abbott Vascular’s strategic objectives.
• Deliver impactful training and coaching on lean tools, supporting Green Belt candidates and building site-wide capability.
• Conduct value stream mapping, statistical analysis, and process optimization to uncover performance opportunities.
• Promote visual management and data transparency throughout the site to enhance operational decision-making.
• Act as a change agent, inspiring and guiding teams through transformation in a continuous improvement environment.
• Share best practices and benchmark performance across Abbott Vascular and other Abbott sites to elevate operational standards.
• Communicate project progress and OpEx insights to senior leadership, influencing strategic direction and execution.

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Minimum 2 years demonstrated success in applying continuous improvement / lean / Six Sigma tools
• Minimum 2 years in manufacturing operations, business improvement
• Change Management experience
• Project management and team leadership experience essential
• Demonstrated performance in delivering results
• Exceptional analytical skills
• Highly motivated process thinker that drives customer focused solutions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and group facilitation skills
• Excellent computer skills

• Industrial Engineering experience a plus

Apply Now

Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives:

Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.

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The base pay for this position is $75,300.00 – $. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.