Training Specialist

Gotion, Inc.•Manteno, IL

10d•$75,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

Gotion Inc. is seeking a detail-oriented, operationally driven Training Specialist to design, coordinate, and deliver training for its U.S. new energy manufacturing facility in Manteno, Illinois. The role supports workforce capability building across production operators, maintenance technicians, quality inspectors, engineers, and expatriate staff, aligning programs with OSHA, EPA, and industry-specific safety standards while supporting the facility’s operational ramp-up. The Training Specialist develops onboarding, on-the-job training, and continuous upskilling programs; creates role-based learning paths and competency milestones; and delivers instructor-led, virtual, classroom, and shop-floor training. The position partners with EHS, Quality, and Engineering to maintain technical, safety, quality, and environmental compliance curricula; administers the LMS and training records; and coordinates training logistics and vendors. The role also supports cross-cultural onboarding for China-based expatriates and U.S. employees assigned to China, manages vendor relationships and training budgets, and evaluates training needs and effectiveness. The position is based at the Manteno plant site and reports to the U.S. HR Director of Training. It works closely with the plant Manager, EHS Manager, Quality Manager, Engineering Managers, and China HQ Training Center. The stated expected pay range is $75,000–$90,000 USD.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Education, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
At least 3 years of training or learning and development experience in a manufacturing environment.
Proven track record of building shop-floor technical training for blue-collar and skilled-trade populations.
Hands-on experience with a Learning Management System.
Strong instructional design ability, including converting SOPs and engineering specifications into digestible training content.
Excellent facilitation and presentation skills, with comfort training groups of 5–50 on the production floor.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
Ability to build training reports in Excel or Google Sheets and analyze completion rates, test scores, and skills gaps.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the new energy, automotive, or battery industry.
Bilingual English and Mandarin Chinese ability.
Experience with e-learning authoring tools such as Articulate 360 or Adobe Captivate.
ATD Master Trainer, CPTD, or equivalent instructional design certification.
OSHA 10-Hour or 30-Hour certification or Train-the-Trainer credentials.
Six Sigma Yellow or Green Belt or lean manufacturing training background.
Experience in a startup or greenfield manufacturing facility or plant launch.
Familiarity with battery cell manufacturing processes, including mixing, coating, calendaring, slitting, winding, assembly, formation, and module or pack integration.
Prior exposure to unionized workforce training protocols or joint labor-management apprenticeship programs.
Knowledge of U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeship frameworks.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement onboarding, on-the-job training, and continuous upskilling programs for hourly and salaried employees across production, process engineering, quality, EHS, and warehouse logistics.
Build role-based learning paths with competency milestones and certification criteria.
Deliver instructor-led training, coordinate virtual and hybrid sessions, and facilitate classroom and shop-floor practical instruction.
Partner with EHS, Quality, and Engineering to create and maintain safety, battery-specific, quality systems, and environmental compliance training modules.
Track compliance training completion and send timely renewal reminders.
Administer the Learning Management System by uploading content, assigning curricula, tracking completions, and generating monthly training dashboards for leadership.
Maintain training records in accordance with ISO standards, customer audit requirements, and state and federal labor regulations.
Manage training logistics, including scheduling, room and equipment booking, material printing, vendor coordination, and attendance tracking.
Coordinate technical and cultural onboarding for China-expatriate engineers and managers, including workplace English, local safety norms, and U.S. labor culture orientation.
Support reverse-assignment programs by preparing pre-departure briefings and cross-cultural communication guides.
Evaluate and manage external training vendors, prepare annual training budgets, track spending, and negotiate contracts.
Conduct training needs analysis using surveys, supervisor interviews, and skills-gap assessments.
Measure training effectiveness through Kirkpatrick Level 1–3 evaluations and revise curricula accordingly.