Weekend Production Team Lead at Elplast America Inc – Cedar Rapids/Hiawathia/Marion, Iowa

SUMMARY: The Production Team Lead supports and guides production staff collectively with the production team to effectively manufacture quality products within the specified time limits while maintaining a safe and complaint work environment. This role ensures daily operations follow all required standard.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Schedule: Saturday 12 hour shifts 7 am – 7 pm or 7 pm to 7 am, two 8-hour shifts to be scheduled Monday – Friday 2nd or 3rd shift

Oversees/executes shared responsibility for equipment operation set up, start, monitor, and shut down on production line in collaboration with the Production Trainer

Verify correct material preparation, resin selection, and proper line configuration prior to production runs, in collaboration with the Production Trainer and Production Operator

Responsible for performing resin changeovers and making required material connections in the mixing room, in collaboration with the Production Trainer, and in a timely manner.

Ensure equipment is operated according to established SOPs, safety protocols and defined process parameters in collaboration with the Production Trainer and Production Operator

Ability/knowledge to adjust machine settings such as temperature profiles, line speed, and cooling

Identify equipment issues then follow all Safety and Lockout/tagout procedures

Recognize safety concerns, near misses, OSHA and has full scope of procedure knowledge, re-education, training and ability to effectively shut down equipment safely during an emergency, evacuate if needed and direct operators to safety meeting location, and ensure everyone is accounted on the roll call board shared responsibility with management and Production trainee

Demonstrate, monitor Production Operators on use forklifts, hoists, and/or carts safely (follows certification guidelines)

Maintain and/or enforce a clean, organized, and audit-ready workspace in alignment with 5S and environmental standards including coaching and corrective action (as appropriate in collaboration with Human Resources)

Ensure accurate and timely completion of production logs, quality forms, downtime reports, resin usage records, and shift handover notes

Communicate key updates, concerns, or operational changes clearly to team members and leadership

Serve as a on shift resource for operational questions, supporting company decision / process decision and handling escalation issues

Escalating and/ or responding to issues / address solutions to the appropriate department Maintenance, Quality, Human Resources, Warehouse, Administration, Production Trainers, Operations, and Audit teams

Works closely with Production Coordinator, Quality, Operations, Management, Production Trainer and Human Resources on various stages of the Quality Improvement process

Troubleshoots and corrects quality issues, equipment, and product line defect timely in collaboration with the Production Trainer

Provide clear communications during shift handovers, meetings, floor interactions, and cross departments

Promote a positive, professional, and cooperative team environment

Ensure consistent employee productivity and line productivity so that employees are engaged during work time while Production Operators are maintaining all appropriate breaks according to federal/state laws

Participates in root cause analysis, process improvement, solves product line problems, coaches, evaluates and executes corrective action plans for defects, downtime, compliance violations, audit concerns, and process deviation

Works closely with Production Coordinator, Quality Control, Operations, Management, Production Trainer and Human Resources on various stages of the Quality Improvement process

Supports Quality Control, Warehouse staff, Operation team, Production Coordinator Production trainer, and Operation Coordinator in their roles and work in a respectful, professional manner

Verify completion of all in-process quality checks and documentation in collaboration with the Production Trainer and Quality Control

Enforce quality expectations and immediately escalate non-conformances in collaboration with Production Trainer, Production Coordinator, and Human Resources including trainings, coaching, performance reviews, monitoring production outputs, monitoring floor, reducing scrap, and adjusting workflow

Troubleshoots and corrects product and line problems and defects in collaboration with the Production Trainer and Production Coordinator

Maintain compliance with GMP, food safety, and other rules or policies

Always demonstrates personal compliance and coach employees and reinforce accountability including corrective action (with collaboration and approval from Human Resources) of full compliance with PPE standards and procedures including but not limited to:

Wears all required personal protective equipment

Properly stores tools, materials, chemicals

Ensures workstation is free of debris, spills, obstructions

Maintains proper hygiene and personal cleanliness to prevent contamination

Compliance with nut free facility

Participates in and provides input for daily production meetings

Knows evacuation routes and alarm types

Equipment operation set up, start, monitor, and shut down extrusion lines according to procedure

Ability/knowledge to adjust machine settings such as temperature profiles, line speed, and cooling

Inspect infrastructure and equipment and notify management when maintenance is required

Identify equipment issues then follow all Safety and Lockout/tagout procedures

Understands how to shut down equipment safely during an emergency

Use forklifts, hoists, and/or carts safely (follows certification guidelines)

Support smooth shift handovers with accurate documentation, communication, report abnormal conditions and completing shift switch cards

Resolves problems to ensure progress, this requires continuous involvement in the manufacturing and inspection process, it requires presence on the floor on a regular basis

Develops work procedures, prepares production schedules, and directs workflow through ongoing process monitoring and adjustments to ensure efficient progression to completion

Encourages collaboration and maintains positive working relationship within the team

Communicate regularly with the Production Manager to provide updates on shift operations, employee performance, and overall status

Assigns duties and examines work as it is processed for exactness, neatness, and conformance to policies and procedures

Interprets specifications and job orders for workers and assigns duties

Adjusts work and assignments to meet production needs

Meets production schedules, quality, safety and output metrics

Supports the Quality Assurance and Sanitation standards and trains employees on same

Knows evacuation routes and alarm types

Participate/collaborate/initiate in continuous improvement activities and line throughput

Leads by example in safety, accountability, and behavior

Support peers, team leads and employees by training others on acquired skills and knowledge

Communicate and interact with other employees and management in a respectful manner

Actively supports, promotes, and models company values

Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications:
• High School diploma or equivalent required
• 1 year of experience with manufacturing processes
• This role requires extreme attention to detail
• Ability to learn new skills, follow instructions, ask questions
• Ability to stand for a twelve-hour work shift
• Ability to safely lift 60 to 85 pounds

Preferred:

• Mechanical aptitude and trouble-shooting skills
• Ability to use measuring and research devices such as calipers, microscopes, heat sealer etc.
• Knowledge of packaging processes preferred

LANGUAGE SKILLS

· Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.

· Ability to effectively communicate with co-workers and management and respond to questions.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

· Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

· Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITIES

· Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.

· Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

N/A

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Standing: Over 2/3 time of a workday

Walking: Between 1/3 and 2/3 time of a workday

Sitting: Less than 1/3 time of a workday

Use hands to finger, handle, or feel: Over 2/3 time of a workday

Reach with hands and arms: Over 2/3 time of a workday

Twist, turn, bend crouch and squat: Over 2/3 time of a workday

Talk or hear: Over 2/3 of a workday

Taste or smell: Between 1/3 and 2/3 of a workday

Lifting items of weight

Must be able to lift or transfer 65 lbs. often; 66-80 lbs. rarely.

Must be able to push or pull 65 lbs. often; 66-80 lbs. rarely.

Must have good hearing - well enough for safety purposes due to working in a production environment.

Vision Requirements

· Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less)

· Distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more)

· Color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors)

· Peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point)

· Depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships)

· Ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus)

Noise Level

· Loud (manufacturing facility)

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Wet or humid conditions (non-weather): Between 1/3 and 2/3 of workday time

Work near moving mechanical parts: Over 2/3 of workday time

Work in high, precarious places: Between 1/3 and 2/3 of workday time

Fumes or airborne particles Under 1/3 of workday time

Toxic or caustic chemicals Under 1/3 of workday time

Outdoor weather conditions Between 1/3 and 2/3 of workday time

Risk of electrical shock Between 1/3 and 2/3 of workday time