Continuous Improvement Specialist - Chemical Manufacturing

At Corbion, we exist to champion preservation in all its forms, preserving food and food production, health, and our planet.

Corbion’s Integrated Continuous Improvement through Continuous Innovation (CICI) program is central to driving operational excellence across our global manufacturing network. At our Rayong site, the CiCi Specialist plays a key role in elevating performance by applying TRACC and other continuous improvement methodologies to real operational challenges.

You will diagnose site losses, design and lead improvement interventions, and embed routines that enable sustainable, measurable impact across Operations, Technology, Maintenance & Reliability, Quality, and enabling functions.

This role reports directly to the CiCi Manager (or designated site leadership).

Key Responsibilities

Site Diagnosis

• Lead structured assessments of end‑to‑end performance using TRACC, loss trees, downtime/yield analysis, variability mapping, and flow constraint analysis.

• Quantify and prioritize improvement opportunities using agreed cost‑impact logic (e.g., scrap, rework, downtime proxies, maintenance cost avoidance, energy intensity, throughput stability).

• Translate diagnostic findings into a clear CI pipeline with defined scope, owners, timelines, and expected outcomes.

Technical Design & Execution

• Architect and implement TRACC‑aligned interventions, including daily management, tiered routines, structured problem solving, standard work, stabilization, and loss elimination initiatives.

• Lead cross‑functional teams through disciplined execution—from baseline to control—ensuring clear problem statements, hypotheses, countermeasures, and control plans.

• Ensure improvements are safe, practical, compliant, and technically robust.

Sustainment & Operating System Embedding

• Embed mechanisms that secure long‑term stability: standard work, visual management, abnormality escalation, audit routines, and coaching rhythms.

• Ensure process owners (Operations, M&R, Quality, Technology, etc.) are fully accountable for control points and KPI monitoring after handover.

• Maintain CI toolkits, templates, and minimum‑rigor standards to ensure repeatable, high‑quality execution.

Capability Building & Coaching

• Coach site leaders and frontline teams in TRACC routines and CI tools through hands‑on application and structured learning sessions.

• Facilitate workshops/kaizens and develop internal CI champions to scale CI capability through line ownership.

• Partner with HR to embed CI capability into training plans, competence frameworks, and development pathways.

Benefit Quantification

• Ensure operational teams own the measurement, verification, and reporting of benefits delivered through CI initiatives.

• Support accurate data collection, baseline definition, and benefit validation in alignment with global CiCi standards.

Who We’re Looking For

You are a practical, hands‑on continuous improvement practitioner with the ability to influence across functions and work effectively on the shop floor. You combine methodological rigor with a pragmatic approach and are committed to delivering verified, sustainable operational results.

You bring:

• 8–12 years’ experience in manufacturing, operations excellence, or continuous improvement roles in a multinational or industrial environment.

• Master’s degree or higher in Engineering, Science, or a related technical discipline.

• Proven leadership of cross‑functional improvement initiatives with validated operational impact.

• Strong grounding in CI methodologies (TRACC, Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, structured problem solving).

• Solid understanding of manufacturing flow, process stability, and operational loss analysis.

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate variability and losses into actionable priorities.

• Ability to influence stakeholders in shared‑ownership environments without formal authority.

• A disciplined, execution‑focused style—acting as a method owner, integrator, and coach.

Why Join Corbion?

• Deliver visible impact: Play a pivotal role in driving step‑change performance at the Rayong site.

• Be the method specialist: Apply TRACC and CI rigor while partnering closely with Operations, M&R, Technology, Quality, and support teams.

• Operate close to the business: Work directly with site leadership to translate operational strategy into sustainable improvements.

• Grow your career: Build a strong foundation for advancement into CI, operations excellence, or site‑level leadership roles within a globally governed, innovation‑driven organization.

About Corbion 
 

Corbion is the global market leader in lactic acid and its derivatives, and a leading supplier of emulsifiers, functional enzyme blends, minerals, vitamins, and algae ingredients. We use our unique expertise in fermentation and other processes to deliver sustainable solutions for the preservation of food and food production, health, and our planet. For over 100 years, we have been uncompromising in our commitment to safety, quality, innovation and performance. Drawing on our deep application and product knowledge, we work side-by-side with customers to make our cutting-edge technologies work for them. Our solutions help differentiate products in markets such as food, home & personal care, animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and bioplastics. In 2025, Corbion generated annual sales of €1,267.4 million and had a workforce of 2,408 FTE. For more information: www.corbion.com

Corbion is an equal opportunity employer and committed to a diverse workplace.  All applicants will be considered equally.

Corbion does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third party recruiting agencies in response to job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers. All candidates must be submitted by approved Corbion vendors who have been expressly requested to make a submission by our Talent Acquisition team for a specific job opening. No placement fees will be paid to any firm unless such a request has been made by the Corbion Talent Acquisition team and such candidate was submitted to the Corbion Talent Acquisition Team.