Senior Continuous Improvement Specialist

The Company

Cognex is the global leader in the exciting and growing field of machine vision. With over $900 million of cash in the bank and no debt, we are a financially strong international company with a culture that maintains the fast-paced, creative environment of a startup. Our employees, proudly called "Cognoids," take their work seriously, but don't take themselves seriously. Our Work Hard, Play Hard, Move Fast culture recognizes our employees for their innovation, perseverance and hard work in a fun, rewarding, and quirky environment.

We are working on a hybrid schedule.

The Team

As part of the CFO organization, the Continuous Improvement team drives a culture of operational excellence by applying Lean Six Sigma principles to eliminate waste, streamline processes, and improve outcomes for customers, vendors, and employees. This high-impact role delivers measurable gains in quality, speed, and cost through structured problem-solving and close partnerships across the business. We also build organizational capability by providing training, mentorship, and exposure to executive leadership, preparing future leaders while delivering sustainable results.

Job Description

The Senior Continuous Improvement Specialist will sit in the Commercial Strategy & Analytics team, taking direction from the Senior Continuous Improvement Manager, and will play a crucial role in shaping operational excellence at Cognex. As CI is new to the organization, we seek someone experienced in driving change, balancing the roles of teacher, analyst, and change mentor. You will lead the adoption of tools and methodologies that improve workflows, apply theory of constraints to accelerate outcomes, and deliver measurable cost savings. This role also offers significant exposure to senior leadership and strong opportunities for career growth.

Essential Functions

• Develop and Implement Core Methodologies: Build and deploy continuous improvement tools to drive targeted results in our end-to-end processes aligned with organizational goals.

• Lead Complex Process Improvement Initiatives: Facilitate teams in setting goals, benchmarking, and delivering measurable performance gains.

• Manage Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships to ensure sustainability and adoption of improvements.

• Facilitate Performance Assessment: Conduct assessments of performance data, interpreting analyses, and translating insights into actionable recommendations.

• Identify Opportunities for Improvement: Use analytics to uncover inefficiencies and apply methods like Kaizen for ongoing enhancement.

• Lead Change Management Initiatives: Utilize your understanding of business dynamics and continuous improvement to guide change management efforts across multiple functions.

• Coordinate Cross-Functional Implementation: Oversee end-to-end implementation of complex process changes with clear documentation and controls.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Deep knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen principles with proven application in diverse business settings.

• Proficiency with data analysis tools to evaluate processes, uncover inefficiencies, and translate insights into strategic improvements

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to dissect complex processes and develop actionable, efficiency-focused solutions.

• Experience leading cross-functional teams, inspiring engagement, and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement.

• Skilled in project and change management, ensuring alignment of initiatives with organizational strategies.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced environments with flexibility and resilience.

Minimum Education and Work Experience Required

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field

• Experience: 5+ years of relevant experience in process management, execution, optimization, or related areas (e.g., data analytics)

• Certifications: Lean, Business Process Management Professional, Change Management (e.g., Prosci), Six Sigma, and/or Agile certifications; Green Belt preferred.

• Travel Requirements: Ability to travel up to 50% to achieve key business outcomes.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cognex is an equal opportunity employer. Cognex evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic.