Operations & Continuous Improvement Analyst (Purchasing, Manufacturing Processes & AI-Enabled Improvement)

Variable
Variable

Software Engineering, IT, Operations, Data Science · Full-time

Chattanooga, TN, USA

USD 55k-70k / year

Posted on Nov 11, 2026
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Own meaningful work. Improve how things run. Grow with the business.

We’re looking for an analytical, motivated person who enjoys figuring things out and making them work better.

In this role, you’ll keep parts purchasing organized and reliable while helping improve how we manufacture and assemble our products. You’ll work directly with the CEO and alongside our production team to solve practical problems, standardize processes, reduce quality issues, and put useful technology to work.

We’re hiring for curiosity, judgment, logic reasoning, and follow-through. You don’t need years of experience or an extensive list of certifications. We can teach you our products, processes, and systems. You bring the willingness to learn, ask good questions, and take responsibility for results.

What you’ll own

Keep purchasing running smoothly

  • Request and compare supplier quotes, considering price, delivery, quality, and reliability.
  • Place orders within agreed purchasing limits, track deliveries, and follow up with suppliers.
  • Maintain accurate purchasing information and flag potential shortages or delays early.
  • Coordinate with the team to understand what parts are needed and when.

Make purchasing more efficient

  • Identify repetitive tasks, unnecessary steps, and gaps in information.
  • Improve purchasing workflows, tracking tools, and documentation.
  • Use company-approved AI and automation tools to reduce manual effort and improve visibility.
  • Check that new tools and processes produce accurate, reliable results.

Purchasing—including time spent improving and automating it—is expected to occupy approximately 20–25 hours per week once you’re trained. As those improvements prove effective, we expect more time to become available for manufacturing improvement projects.

Improve manufacturing processes

  • Learn how work happens by observing production and listening to the people doing it.
  • Conduct time studies to understand cycle times, setup times, delays, and bottlenecks.
  • Work with production employees to document standard work and create clear, useful work instructions.
  • Help test improvements to work methods, material flow, and organization.
  • Measure results and update documentation so improvements become part of everyday work.

Help prevent quality problems

  • Track recurring defects, incorrect parts, and rework.
  • Help investigate causes and develop practical corrective actions.
  • Incorporate useful quality checks into purchasing and production processes.
  • Confirm whether changes reduce problems while maintaining safety and product quality.

You’ll tackle a focused set of priorities, with guidance from the CEO and experienced team members. Your independence and responsibility will grow as your knowledge and judgment develop.

What will help you succeed
  • Analytical thinking: You use numbers, observations, and evidence to understand problems.
  • Curiosity: You want to understand why something happens and how it could work better.
  • Logical reasoning: You break problems into clear steps, question assumptions, and use evidence to reach sound conclusions.
  • Follow-through: You keep track of commitments, communicate progress, and finish what you start.
  • Attention to detail: You check your work and recognize when a small error could create a bigger problem.
  • Practical judgment: You know when to investigate further, ask for help, or move forward.
  • Respect for others: You listen to coworkers and involve them in changes that affect their work.
  • Interest in technology: You enjoy exploring AI and automation and checking whether they actually help.
  • Willingness to be hands-on: You’re comfortable working at a computer and spending time on the production floor.

Early-career candidates are welcome. Internships, school projects, part-time jobs, skilled trades, military experience, and personal projects can all demonstrate relevant ability. No specific degree is required.

Experience with spreadsheets, purchasing, manufacturing, inventory, time studies, quality improvement, or automation is helpful. You do not need experience in all of these areas, and Lean or Six Sigma certification is not required.

What success looks like
  • Parts purchasing is dependable, and potential problems become visible early.
  • Purchasing takes less manual effort as better processes and tools are introduced.
  • Production employees have clear work instructions that reflect effective practices.
  • Improvement projects produce measurable reductions in delays, errors, rework, or wasted effort.
  • You take increasing ownership and bring well-supported recommendations to the CEO.
Where this role can lead

You’ll gain experience across purchasing, manufacturing improvement, and production operations while receiving direct coaching from the CEO and learning from experienced coworkers.

Over the next two to three years, we anticipate a need for more dedicated purchasing, process improvement, and assembly leadership roles. This position can provide a foundation for growth in any of those directions, depending on your strengths, interests, performance, and business needs.

You don’t need to choose your long-term specialty on day one. We’re looking for someone who wants to contribute, develop, and build a career with the company.

How to apply

Send your résumé and a short example of a problem you solved or something you improved. Tell us what you noticed, what you did, and what happened. Examples from work, school, or personal projects are welcome.

Pay range: $55,000 - $70,000 depending on experience

Location: Chattanooga, TN

Job Type: Full-time

Reports to: CEO

Company: Variable, Inc.

About Us: Variable, Inc. makes reliable color measurement and matching accessible, helping people work faster, make confident color decisions, and deliver consistent results. We envision a world where color can be measured, shared, and reproduced confidently for each product, team, and workflow.

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