Lean Engineer (Open also To Protected Categories, Law 68/99)

Location: Gorgonzola, Italy

Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar.

Gorgonzola hosts Navigations Air Systems (NAS) domain. The activity of NAS domain: avionics, navigation and radar systems for civil air traffic and technologies supporting the activities of civilian and military pilots, ATC controllers and technicians of several airlines, air traffic control agencies and Air Force around the world. Italy is the Group’s Competence center for the design, production and delivery of Navigation Aids products and Competence Centre for the delivery of non-Radar Surveillance Products.

Role Overview

We are seeking an energetic and proactive Lean Engineer to join our operational excellence effort, reporting to the Operations Manager. This role is designed for someone in the early stages of their
career, with a few years of practical experience, who is passionate about driving measurable, real world improvements through process redesign, Lean methodologies, and digital, data-driven approaches.

The Lean Engineer will play a pivotal role in continuous improvement, ensuring that proposed changes are implemented sustainably and effectively.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the redesign of processes across a range of operational areas, applying Lean principles and tools to improve efficiency and eliminate waste
• Use process mining techniques and digital tools to analyze workflows, identify bottlenecks, and measure results using robust KPIs.
• Employ statistical tools and data analysis techniques to validate process changes and ensure improvements are measurable.
• Act as a hands-on change agent: organize and run meetings, workshops, and training sessions to engage stakeholders and drive adoption of new practices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to supervise piloting and implementation of improvement projects, ensuring solutions are not only documented but truly embedded in operations.
• Negotiate with stakeholders and mediate discussions to secure buy-in and address resistance to change.
• Monitor, review, and report on progress of transformation activities, highlighting achievements and identifying further areas for improvement.
• Facilitate and manage PDCA cycles, Kaizen events to foster a culture of continuous improvement
• Stay informed of best practices in Lean office, digital transformation, and operational excellence; recommend new approaches and tools as appropriate.

Qualifications and skills

• 3-6 years’ experience in process improvement roles, preferably in Lean environments.
• Deep familiarity with Lean methodologies, Lean office, and process redesign techniques.
• Strong knowledge and practical experience of Lean tools (PDCA, VSM, 5S, etc)
• Certification in Six Sigma (Green Belt or higher preferred), with proven experience executing DMAIC projects.
• Experience with process mining tools and digital analytics platforms.
• Data-driven mindset: ability to define, collect, and interpret KPIs to guide actions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to organize meetings, influence stakeholders, and drive change across all levels.
• Confident communicator, both verbal and written; skilled at presenting findings and recommendations in clear, actionable formats.
• Proactive, pragmatic, and hands-on approach; willing to spend time on the ground to ensure lasting impact.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Great journeys start here, apply now!