Technical Manufacturing Supervisor

Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc.•Portland, ME

About The Position

The Technical Manufacturing Supervisor is responsible for the planning, coordination, and supervision of immunoassay manufacturing activities within the components, conjugation, and Testing production functions. This includes oversight of ELISA, Lateral Flow Device (LFD), conjugates, buffers and particles production, ensuring consistent quality, optimized workflows, and a safe, collaborative work environment. The Technical Manufacturing Supervisor plays a critical role in driving operational excellence, team development, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, or related scientific field
5+ years of experience in manufacturing or a related technical field, with at least 2 years in a leadership role
Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and driving operational improvements
Strong working knowledge of immunoassay manufacturing, reagent conjugation, and analytical testing
Experience with ERP systems, data analysis tools, and quality management systems
Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree a plus.
Lean Six Sigma certification or equivalent preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a high-performing team of Production Scientists and Technicians, fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
Conduct daily team standup meetings to review visual management performance boards to promote communication and help the team achieve the day, every day.
Supervise daily manufacturing operations for ELISA, including ELISA reagents, LFD, and production testing, ensuring adherence to production schedules and quality standards.
Coordinate production schedules and hour-by-hour execution in collaboration with schedulers, managers, and other supervisors.
Ensure quality materials are supplied to the process and maintain appropriate inventory levels using Kanban and supermarket systems.
Verify production batch records and ensure meticulous quality in all production functions.
Monitor and verify routine and preventive equipment maintenance.
Work closely with R&D, Quality, Engineering, and Supply Chain teams to support product transfers, documentation reviews, pilot production, and scale-up.
Partner with internal stakeholders to ensure effective training on products, processes, and safety protocols.
Provide guidance on reagent preparation, conjugation procedures, gold nanoparticle synthesis and the gold conjugate and nitrocellulose prep & spray process.
Perform functional testing of in-process and completed products; analyze and trend performance data.
Use laboratory equipment including pH meters, balances, and spectrophotometers.
Identify and document all non-compliant scenarios via non-conformance reports (NCRs) with emphasis on implementing countermeasures to avoid repeating the same scenario.
Utilize IFS ERP system for job creation, material issuance, labor tracking, inventory receipt, and job completion.
Draft and review SOPs and standard work documentation.
Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives using EBOS (Ensign-Bickford Operating System) tools and lean manufacturing principles.
Build a culture of process and documentation discipline. All production processes and actions should be supported by appropriate documentation, especially when intentionally building outside of the production specifications.
Facilitate daily continuous improvement and Kaizen activities.
Live and lead in a manner consistent with our company values and the Operations team’s cultural norms.
Promote a culture of safety, quality, and delivery excellence across all operational functions.
Lead with authenticity and empathy to build trust, open communication, and psychological safety.
Develop and mentor high-performing teams, driving engagement, retention, and continuous learning.
Execute performance management processes including goal setting, coaching, feedback, and development planning.
Build high-performing teams to accelerate business performance and growth by hiring top talent, engaging and retaining talent within the core operations organization, and addressing low/lower performers.
Develop yourself and your team through Ensign-Bickford Operating System (EBOS) tools to foster training and professional development of all associates.
This role will at times be expected to directly participate in the EnviroLogix production process. While not a primary responsibility, this is a standard expectation in the Operations team to support seasonal demand variation.
Ensure strong accountability to our performance metrics and standards while simultaneously increasing employee engagement.