Production Supervisor

IDEX•Boulder, CO

13d•Onsite

About The Position

Advanced Thin Films (ATF) designs and manufactures high-performance optical components for advanced laser applications in commercial and defense markets. The Production Supervisor leads daily manufacturing operations within the Precision Programming Value Stream, focusing on safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and employee performance. The supervisor provides direct leadership to production employees, translates production priorities into daily execution, develops team capability, and drives continuous improvement on the manufacturing floor. Working closely with the Operations Manager and cross-functional partners, this hands-on role prioritizes work, addresses production issues, and supports customer commitments in a fast-paced, technical manufacturing environment. Work is performed primarily on-site in a manufacturing environment, with regular presence on the production floor. The role requires moving throughout the facility and actively engaging with employees, equipment, and production processes. Work may take place in cleanroom, ESD-controlled, or other controlled environments, requiring compliance with applicable gowning, PPE, and safety requirements. The position may involve exposure to manufacturing equipment, chemicals, noise, and other conditions typical of precision optical manufacturing. Certain positions may require access to controlled goods and technologies regulated by ITAR or EAR. Applicants for those positions may need to qualify as a U.S. Person under the applicable regulations.

Requirements

At least 7 years of experience in a technical manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated ability to lead employees in a manufacturing environment and establish clear expectations and accountability.
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, including the ability to prioritize competing production demands.
Ability to coach, develop, and manage employee performance.
Ability to use production data and KPIs to identify issues and drive action.
Strong judgment and decision-making skills in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Ability to communicate effectively across production teams, leadership, and cross-functional partners.
Ability to assess when issues can be resolved within the team and when escalation or cross-functional support is required.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
Ability to work effectively in cleanroom and ESD-controlled manufacturing environments.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, Management, Optics, or a related field; equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience will be considered.
Previous supervisory or direct people leadership experience.
Experience with Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
Experience in a low-volume, high-mix or precision manufacturing environment.
Experience supporting production planning, scheduling, and capacity management.
Experience with ERP systems; JD Edwards experience preferred.
Experience in cleanroom, ESD-controlled, or other controlled manufacturing environments.
Optical manufacturing, coatings, defense, or other precision-engineering manufacturing experience.

Responsibilities

Lead daily manufacturing operations to meet safety, quality, delivery, and productivity objectives.
Translate production schedules and business priorities into clear daily team expectations; prioritize work based on customer demand, operational constraints, staffing, and available resources.
Monitor production performance, identify execution risks, and escalate issues or adjust priorities as needed.
Lead daily production meetings, communicate priorities and performance, and ensure effective shift handoffs and timely issue resolution or escalation.
Partner with the Operations Manager and Planning on production requirements, resource needs, and capacity constraints.
Promote safe work practices, ensure compliance with safety policies and applicable requirements, identify hazards, support corrective actions, and participate in safety improvement initiatives.
Ensure production meets quality standards, process requirements, and customer expectations; participate in MRB activities and ensure approved dispositions are followed.
Work with Quality and Engineering to investigate manufacturing issues and implement corrective actions; reinforce process controls, standard work, 5S, and quality requirements.
Lead, coach, and develop production employees; establish expectations and accountability; provide feedback, recognition, and performance management.
Partner with HR and Operations leadership on employee relations and performance matters as needed.
Support onboarding, training, interviewing, selection, and workforce planning; identify development needs and support cross-training, skill development, and succession planning.
Participate in the IDEX Talent Review process and other employee development initiatives.
Lead and participate in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement activities to improve safety, quality, delivery, throughput, and efficiency.
Use production data and KPIs to identify performance gaps and opportunities; partner with Operations, Engineering, and Quality to improve processes, reduce waste, and address recurring constraints.
Develop, implement, and sustain standardized work and manufacturing best practices; ensure employees are trained on current work instructions and procedures.
Identify documentation gaps and partner with appropriate functions to keep manufacturing documentation accurate and effective.
Collaborate with Planning, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Commercial, and other functions to resolve production challenges and support customer commitments.
Communicate production risks, resource constraints, quality concerns, and issues requiring cross-functional support.
Provide input to workforce, resource, and capacity planning, and participate in cross-functional problem solving and business improvement initiatives.
Perform other duties as assigned.