Continuous Improvement Specialist - Manufacturing

NOTICE: This is a remote role when not traveling in the field.

About Maneva

Maneva, a startup founded by an ex-Google Deepmind researcher, is an AI service provider revolutionizing manufacturing operations with cutting-edge AI solutions for autonomous factory operation and optimization. Our solution generates AI-powered actions and insights using off-the-shelf hardware or existing vision systems for real-impact manufacturing problems in products and equipment inspection, production efficiency, safety, and more.

Position Overview

The Continuous Improvement Specialist - Manufacturing role is designed to support the founding and scaling of early customer acquisition in the local region. We are seeking a dynamic and results-driven professional with extensive experience in the manufacturing sector. The ideal candidate will have experience engaging onsite with plant managers and technical teams, conducting problem discovery processes, and introducing Maneva's vision AI solutions to address uncovered problems such as operational efficiency, quality, and safety. This role focuses on bridging manufacturing clients with cutting-edge AI.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Process Discovery and Improvement: Conduct in-depth, onsite assessments with plant managers and technical teams to identify inefficiencies, quality issues, safety concerns, and other operational challenges in manufacturing processes.
2. Client Relationship Building: Develop and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with local manufacturing clients by understanding their specific operational challenges and aligning Maneva's AI solutions to their needs.
3. Solution Development: Collaborate with Maneva's internal AI solution specialists to design and recommend tailored, vision-based AI applications that address identified client challenges, driving measurable improvements in efficiency, quality, and safety.
4. Opportunity Discovery: Conduct on-site or virtual assessments to identify high-impact areas where AI solutions can drive operational improvements, such as quality control, waste reduction, production flow and efficiency, and workplace safety.
5. ROI Assessment: Partner with clients to analyze and present the potential financial and operational benefits of AI implementation, emphasizing clear ROI to support decision-making.
6. Implementation Support: Provide hands-on support to clients during the deployment and adoption phases of AI-powered solutions, ensuring successful integration into existing workflows.
7. Continuous Improvement Advocacy: Apply Lean Six Sigma and other continuous improvement methodologies to help clients implement sustainable process improvements and maximize the impact of AI solutions.
8. Training and Support: Provide clients with onboarding and support, guiding them through the AI deployment process and ensuring smooth adoption of solutions.
9. Knowledge Sharing: Stay updated on advancements in AI and manufacturing technologies and serve as a thought leader, sharing insights with clients and the Maneva team to continuously refine solution offerings.
10. Executive Presence: Work closely with Maneva's leadership, including the CEO and CTO, to establish and scale relationships with early manufacturing customers and partners in the region.
11. Business Development: Build and manage a robust pipeline of regional manufacturing clients, leading all stages of engagement, from initial prospecting and solution presentations to negotiation and closing deals.

Requirements

Qualifications:

1. Experience: 3+ years of proven experience in roles such as continuous improvement, field sales, or engineering within manufacturing or adjacent industries (e.g., OEMs or system integrators) that directly interact with manufacturers.
2. Preferred Background: Experience in industries such as food manufacturing, CPG, materials, automotive, or other sectors with significant production processes is a strong plus.
3. Industry Expertise: Deep understanding of manufacturing processes, including operational efficiency, quality control, and safety standards, with experience addressing challenges in these areas.
4. Continuous Improvement Skills: Hands-on experience with methodologies like Lean, Six Sigma, or similar frameworks to analyze and enhance manufacturing workflows.
5. Analytical and Problem-Solving Abilities: Strong proficiency in data-driven decision-making, including conducting ROI calculations and developing actionable insights to support client success.
6. Technical Aptitude: Ability to quickly learn about technical solutions, particularly vision AI, and effectively translate their technical benefits into client-focused value propositions.
7. Client Engagement: Demonstrated success in building and managing relationships with manufacturing clients, including plant managers and technical teams, to identify challenges and implement tailored solutions is a plus.
8. Business Development Acumen: Proven track record of identifying opportunities, building a sales or improvement pipeline, and successfully leading engagements from discovery through implementation is a plus.
9. Travel Flexibility: Willingness and ability to travel to client sites within the region as required.

Benefits

Why Join Us?

1. Opportunity to work with cutting-edge AI technology in manufacturing and transform the industry.
2. Competitive salary with a commission structure and professional growth opportunities.
3. Flexible, remote work with local travel for client engagements.