Lead Operator - Packaging - 2nd Shift
About The Position
Interested in a career that matters? Are you passionate about leading people, driving operational excellence, and ensuring products are manufactured safely and efficiently? At Novonesis, our production teams play a critical role in delivering innovative biosolutions that help address some of the world's biggest challenges. As a Lead Operator, you will be a hands-on leader who supports daily production activities, promotes a strong safety culture, and helps develop a high-performing team. This structure and headline follow the Novonesis Recruiter Guide for blue-collar roles. The Role & Your Impact As a Lead Operator, you will be responsible for supporting production performance, maintaining quality standards, and fostering a collaborative and accountable team environment. You will serve as a key resource for Operators and Supervisors while helping drive continuous improvement initiatives across the operation.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent required.
- Previous manufacturing, production, biotech, food, pharmaceutical, or related industry experience.
- Experience leading or coordinating production teams in a manufacturing environment.
- Knowledge of inventory management processes and electronic MRP systems.
- Experience with process documentation, quality systems, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, and root cause analysis capabilities.
- Ability to effectively communicate across functions and provide constructive coaching and feedback.
- Commitment to safety, quality, compliance, and operational excellence.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while managing multiple priorities.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement programs.
- GMP, food safety, biotechnology, fermentation, or regulated manufacturing experience.
- Experience supporting internal or external audits.
- Training development or facilitation experience.
- Exposure to new product commercialization or customer trial activities.
- Forklift certification or other manufacturing-related certifications.
Responsibilities
- Demonstrate a safety-first, quality-always mindset and promote the same standards across the team.
- Identify and document process non-conformances and equipment failures while supporting root cause investigations and corrective actions.
- Manage inventory activities, including cycle counts, physical inventory, and inventory discrepancy investigations.
- Utilize electronic MRP systems to maintain accurate inventory and production records.
- Maintain and update procedures, process documentation, and controlled forms.
- Schedule and assign work, establish priorities, and evaluate results.
- Coach team members, provide feedback, support performance discussions, and contribute to employee development.
- Partner with Planning to meet customer demand and optimize production capacity.
- Champion continuous improvement through process standardization and lean manufacturing principles.
- Support employee training programs and develop training materials.
- Participate in new product introductions, customer trials, audits, and compliance activities.
- Maintain required certifications and ensure training compliance for yourself and the operational team.
Benefits
- 401(k) with up to a 9% company contribution.
- Minimum of 3 weeks of vacation plus 12 holidays and 2 weeks of Wellness Time.
- Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance.
- Healthcare Savings Account option.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Parental Leave.
- Tuition Reimbursement.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
High school or GED
