---
title: 'Senior Engineer Operational Excellence #4891 at GRAIL'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-engineer-operational-excellence-4891-grail-durham-4tp2bx6py6mc'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Senior Engineer Operational Excellence #4891 at GRAIL

- **Company:** GRAIL
- **Location:** Durham, NC
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-21
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/grailbio/5b811bb6-bc3f-4908-996e-5772fe6f5da3

## Job description

Our mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. We are working to change the trajectory of cancer mortality and bring stakeholders together to adopt innovative, safe, and effective technologies that can transform cancer care.

We are a healthcare company, pioneering new technologies to advance early cancer detection. We have built a multi-disciplinary organization of scientists, engineers, and physicians and we are using the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS), population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to overcome one of medicine’s greatest challenges.

GRAIL is headquartered in the bay area of California, with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. It is supported by leading global investors and pharmaceutical, technology, and healthcare companies.

For more information, please visit grail.com

The Senior Engineer, Operational Excellence will support continuous improvement initiatives within our sequencing-based cancer screening operations. This role will work at the intersection of data, process, and operations to enhance efficiency, quality, and scalability across laboratory and operational workflows. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, data-savvy, and experienced in Lean methodologies, with a strong inclination toward solving complex operational problems through structured analysis and experimentation.

This role works on-site full-time at our office located in Durham, NC

Responsibilities:

- Operational Data & Reporting
- Develop and maintain operational dashboards and visualizations to track performance across workflows
- Support generation and automation of KPI reporting, ensuring data integrity and usability
- Collaborate with stakeholders to refine metrics and improve visibility into operational performance
- Process Analysis & Monitoring
- Perform data exploration and statistical analysis to identify trends, variation, and potential process deviations
- Apply Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Quality Control (QC) methods to monitor and improve process stability
- Identify leading indicators of performance issues and recommend proactive interventions
- Continuous Improvement Execution
- Execute and support Lean initiatives, including 5S, Kaizen events, and Six Sigma projects
- Conduct root cause analyses (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone) and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs)
- Partner with operations teams to pilot, measure, and scale process improvements
- Issue Tracking & Prioritization Support
- Capture and document operational issues, risks, and improvement opportunities
- Maintain structured tracking systems (e.g., backlogs, ticketing tools) for visibility and accountability
- Lead prioritization of improvement efforts in collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Operations, Engineering, Software, and Product teams to implement process improvements
- Translate operational needs into clear requirements for technical teams
- Provide feedback loops to ensure solutions effectively address root causes

Required Qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Industrial Engineering, or related field
- 6+ years of experience in process engineering, operations, or continuous improvement roles, ideally in biotech, diagnostics, or manufacturing
- Working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen methodologies (certification a plus)
- Experience with data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Excel, SQL, Python, Tableau, Power BI)
- Familiarity with SPC/QC tools and statistical analysis techniques
- Strong problem-solving skills with attention to detail and data accuracy
- Effective communicator with the ability to collaborate across teams
- Experience in NGS, clinical laboratory operations, or diagnostics workflows
- Familiarity with regulated environments (CLIA, CAP, FDA) preferred

Preferred Qualifications:

- Strong problem-solving skills with attention to detail and data accuracy
- Effective communicator with the ability to collaborate across teams

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

- Work performed across office, production, and executive settings.
- Exposure to manufacturing environments, including noise, chemicals, and production equipment.
- Extended or flexible hours may be required to meet organizational goals.
- Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including safety glasses, gloves, and hearing protection, required in designated areas.

## About GRAIL

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: GRAIL develops a multi-cancer early detection blood test (Galleri) that screens for many of the deadliest cancer types before symptoms appear.
- **Entity Type**: Public (ticker: GRAL on Nasdaq Global Select Market)
- **Headquarters**: Menlo Park, California, USA
- **Founded**: Not publicly available from provided sources
- **Founders**: Not publicly available from provided sources

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Healthcare diagnostics / biotechnology
- Target customers: B2B (health systems, employers, insurers) and B2C (individuals aged 50+ with elevated cancer risk)
- Mission: "To detect cancer early, when it can be cured."

## Products & Services
- **[Galleri® Test]**: A multi-cancer early detection (MCED) blood test that uses next-generation sequencing, machine learning, and a proprietary methylation platform to identify cancer signals and predict the tissue of origin. Available by prescription in the U.S. as a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory-developed test (not yet FDA cleared).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available from provided sources (publicly traded; market cap fluctuates)
- **Key Metric**: Over 250,000 Galleri tests commercially delivered as of November 2024; >380,000 participants enrolled across clinical studies; >300 scientific publications and presentations
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Providence, Quest Diagnostics, athenahealth, Samsung, AstraZeneca, BeniComp, Curative Insurance Company
- **Growth Signals**: Private placement financing of $325 million (October 2025); first healthcare system (Providence) to offer Galleri; collaboration with Samsung for Asia expansion; REACH study enrolling diverse Medicare populations; long-term data from NHS-Galleri trial and PATHFINDER 2 study showing >7-fold increase in cancer detection when added to standard screenings

## Competitive Advantages
- First-of-its-kind multi-cancer early detection test that screens for cancers without recommended screening tests
- Proprietary methylation-based platform combined with machine learning and large-scale clinical data
- Extensive clinical program with >380,000 participants and >300 publications
- CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified lab facilities with >170,000 square feet and capacity for multi-year growth
- Strong IP portfolio and regulatory experience

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling commercial access through health system partnerships, employer/insurer benefits, and digital ordering platforms
- Expanding clinical evidence for diverse populations (REACH study, veterans)
- International expansion (e.g., Asia via Samsung collaboration)
- Building operational foundation as an independent public company post-Illumina spin-off
- Advancing next-generation platform and risk classification tests (e.g., lung cancer study with AstraZeneca)

## Why Work Here
- Mission-driven culture focused on solving a high-impact problem (early cancer detection)
- Recognized as a 2025 Best Place to Work by Built In and BioSpace; Fortune Change the World list (2023)
- Multidisciplinary team spanning biotech, genomics, data science, clinical development, and commercial operations
- Benefits include competitive salaries, comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision), and flexible time off
- Emphasis on collaboration, agility, courage, and data-driven decision-making
- Remote/hybrid policy not specified in provided sources; office locations include Menlo Park, CA

## Sources
1. [grail.com/careers](https://grail.com/careers/)
2. [grail.com](https://grail.com/)
3. [grail.com/about-us](https://grail.com/about-us/)
4. [jobs.lever.co/grailbio](https://jobs.lever.co/grailbio)
5. [investors.grail.com (SEC Filing)](https://investors.grail.com/static-files/6f7d7c6d-1d22-4045-a6b3-bf4893548649)

## Other roles at GRAIL

- [GRAIL Galleri Consultant 1 (Fort Lauderdale) #4947](https://feeny.ai/job/grail-galleri-consultant-1-fort-lauderdale-4947-grail-fort-lauderdale-gzq8drbf80gk) — Fort Lauderdale, FL
- [Data Engineer 1, Operational Technology - Operations #4941](https://feeny.ai/job/data-engineer-1-operational-technology-operations-4941-grail-durham-ptks220z9cmw) — Durham, NC
- [Head of Employment Law and Litigation #4939](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-employment-law-and-litigation-4939-grail-sunnyvale-jz799ffzf11k) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Health System Partnerships Associate Director # 4932 (Eastern U.S.)](https://feeny.ai/job/health-system-partnerships-associate-director-4932-eastern-u-s-grail-united-0jyba15gt6kr) — United States
- [Health System Partnerships Associate Director # 4931 (Western U.S.)](https://feeny.ai/job/health-system-partnerships-associate-director-4931-western-u-s-grail-united-k6hahc9fstxg) — United States
- [Senior Scientist, Operations Investigation Team (OIT) #4936](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-scientist-operations-investigation-team-oit-4936-grail-durham-zcz4f510fq9y) — Durham, NC
- [Senior Corporate Counsel, Compliance (Healthcare) #4927](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-corporate-counsel-compliance-healthcare-4927-grail-sunnyvale-tgkznfat42w8) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Director/ Associate Director, International Regulatory Affairs #4809](https://feeny.ai/job/director-associate-director-international-regulatory-affairs-4809-grail-7xm7ycajd3sr) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Director, Regulatory Affairs - Advertising, Promotional and Labeling #4810](https://feeny.ai/job/director-regulatory-affairs-advertising-promotional-and-labeling-4810-grail-0sy0qr0b6srt) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Vice President, People #4921](https://feeny.ai/job/vice-president-people-4921-grail-sunnyvale-dzh8jcbr40e3) — Sunnyvale, CA