Improvement Specialist I

Schedule:
Monday - Friday (40 hrs/wk)
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Department: Quality Systems & Support - 252

Primary Purpose:

This position is responsible for facilitating process improvement efforts in both an individual and team environment to improve efficiency, effectiveness, accuracy, timeliness, safety and cost. Provides coaching and training in problem solving methodologies, assists in the creation of infrastructure.

About ARUP:

ARUP Laboratories is a national clinical and anatomic pathology reference laboratory and an enterprise of the University of Utah and its Department of Pathology. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

ARUP proudly hires top talent to create a work environment of diversity, professional growth and continuous development. Our workforce is committed to the important service we provide to over one million patients each month. We always strive for excellence and have a strong desire to have involvement with the advances in medicine and the role laboratory services plays within each patient's life. We never forget that there is a patient behind every specimen we receive.

We are looking for individuals who want to contribute to ARUP's culture of accountability, integrity, service, and excellence. Consider joining our dynamic team.

Essential Functions:

Designs and develops:

• enterprise-wide process improvements with management and staff
• projects that employ current improvement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma, using industry-standard tools including Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Kanban etc., as appropriate to the context
• personal and team knowledge of industry developments in the field of continual and continuous improvement

Coach and train:

• staff at all levels of the organization on the principles and application of industry-standard improvement tools, such as Lean and Six Sigma
• improvement teams in methods for optimizing workflow and identifying solutions that are attainable, measurable, relevant, and sustainable

Support, facilitate, and assist:

• team progression through the standard PDCA or DMAIC process
• teams to achieve defined performance goals through productivity improvement programs

Assess and advise:

• by performing Lean assessments to identify improvement opportunities
• by recommending improvements to processes, systems, and designs that improve quality and productivity

Apply skills:

• by performing time and motion studies, data collection, and data analysis
• by providing written process guidelines and procedures as required
• by preparing Value Stream Maps, flow charts, project tracking documents, and others to support and document project and improvement teams

Perform other functions:

• by maintaining open and effective communication with personnel in work teams, especially the administrative team of the focus group and with members of other teams throughout the organization
• by demonstrating adaptability by embracing changes in the laboratory with a positive attitude
• by demonstrating professional demeanor, in personal appearance and behavior, in all work-related interactions inside and outside of the laboratory
• as assigned.

Physical and Other Requirements:

• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Mobility: The person in this position needs to occasionally move between work sites and inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Communicate: Frequently communicate with others.
• PPE: Biohazard laboratory environment that requires use of personal protective equipment in accordance with CDC and OSHA regulations and company policies.

ARUP Policies and Procedures: To conduct self in compliance with all ARUP Policies and Procedures.

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

Fine Motor Control: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.

Vision: Having close, far, and peripheral visual acuity to perform a variety of tasks such as make general observations of depth and distance

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)