Janicki Industries is an innovative, family-owned aerospace company located at the foot of the Cascades. We focus on engineering and manufacturing complex projects for companies in the aerospace, defense, and space industries. We are looking for a Operational Excellence Engineer to join our growing team.
The Operational Excellence (OE) team partners with every part of Janicki to drive improved documentation, training, and standardization in support of our engineering and manufacturing processes. We identify inefficiencies, build scalable solutions, and equip teams across the organization to do their best work as Janicki continues to grow. We're hiring an Operational Excellence Engineer to serve as the technical backbone of how we capture, standardize, and scale operational knowledge across our engineering and manufacturing teams. This is a hands-on, cross-functional role that partners directly with engineers, technicians, and operators to translate deep technical know-how into clear, usable standards that drive performance. This is not a back-office documentation role. You will spend time on the floor, in design reviews, and alongside subject matter experts — building the SOPs, work instructions, and training that keep our operations consistent, compliant, and continuously improving. You will also identify where our standards and training fall short and lead the work to close those gaps. This role has a clear growth path into continuous improvement, process engineering, or program management within our broader Operational Excellence organization.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
This position is located on-site in Hamilton, Washington State.
The following essential job functions are performed as an Operational Excellence Engineer:
- Partner with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to develop and maintain standard operating procedures, work instructions, and process documentation.
- Translate tacit knowledge from subject matter experts into clear, repeatable standards that hold up on the shop floor.
- Own the lifecycle of internal training programs: maintain existing content, develop new materials, and facilitate training with technical audiences.
- Identify gaps in documentation and training by analyzing quality data, audit findings, support requests, and direct observation of operations.
- Partner with stakeholders to author and refine requirements for documentation, training, and process improvement work; sequence that work against competing priorities; and validate at implementation that the requirements have been met and the intended outcomes delivered.
- Lead initiatives to close those gaps — scoping the work, partnering with the right SMEs, and validating that improvements actually moved the needle.
- Support New Product Introduction (NPI) and process change activities by ensuring documentation and training are in place before launch.
- Contribute to continuous improvement projects, kaizen events, and root cause analyses as part of the broader OE team.
- Champion documentation and training as strategic tools for quality, safety, and operational performance — not as administrative overhead.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline (mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, quality, or related) — or equivalent technical experience in a manufacturing or engineering environment.
- Minimum 3 years of experience in a manufacturing, engineering, or technical operations environment.
- Demonstrated ability to write clear technical documentation — SOPs, work instructions, training materials, or equivalent.
- Comfort presenting and delivering training to technical audiences, including engineers, operators, and technicians.
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to identify root causes, patterns, and systemic gaps.
- Due to our ITAR and EAR regulations, applicants must be a US Citizen or of Legal Permanent Resident Status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b (a) (3).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience developing controlled documents in a regulated environment (ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485, GMP, or similar).
- Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or above).
- Experience leading or participating in kaizen events, value stream mapping, or 5S/standard work rollouts.
- Background in quality engineering, process engineering, or manufacturing engineering.
- Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI), new line launches, or major process changes.
- Experience designing or delivering technical training programs.
- Familiarity with document control systems, knowledge management platforms, or learning management systems (LMS).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Salary range for this role is between $83,000 - $145,000, plus discretionary bonus, 401(k) matching, vacation, and health benefits. Employees can also receive additional pay for off shifts. The range provided is Janicki’s estimate of the base compensation for this role. Actual amount offered will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as experience, location, education, training, skills, and abilities
- By applying for this job, you are expressing interest in this position and could be considered for other career opportunities where similar skills and requirements have been identified as a match. Should this match be identified, you may be contacted for this and future openings
BENEFITS
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contribution
- Disability insurance as well as Life/AD&D insurance
- HSA (Health Savings Account) with employer contribution and FSA (Flexible Savings Account)
- 401k with employer matching
- Paid time off and paid holidays (including two floating holidays)
- Education reimbursement program
- Several shift options
- Premium pay for off-shifts
Not sure that you’ll be the perfect fit for this role? You should still apply! We’ll review your application for other opportunities. We are always on the lookout for talented people!
Janicki Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Janicki Industries does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age, retaliation, veteran/military service status, or any other legally protected status. Janicki is proud to be a military friendly employer.
Applicants or employees wishing to view a copy of Janicki Industries’ Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should notify the Human Resources Department at (360) 404-1997.
As a federal government contractor and a recipient of federal funding, Janicki is required to abide by federal drug testing requirements (including preemployment drug testing for cannabis). Additionally, because of Janicki’s work on aerospace products and the high volume of safety sensitive positions, Janicki takes the safety of its employees very seriously and requires that employees pass a preemployment drug test prior to starting employment.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
