2nd Shift Supervisor in Waterbury, Connecticut at MICROBEST INC

Role Summary

The 2nd Shift Manufacturing Supervisor leads daily for our 2nd shift, ensuring safety, quality, delivery, and cost goals are met while building a high-performing, engaged team. This leader drives standard work, coordinates resources across cells (e.g., CNC machining, grinding, inspection, secondary ops), and models a results-driven, people-first culture.

People Leadership & Culture

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of leads and operators; conduct daily stand-ups, Gemba walks, and regular 1:1s.

• Set clear performance expectations; give timely feedback, recognition, and corrective coaching.

• Build a reliable staffing plan: coordinate assignments, breaks, rotations, and cross-training to cover demand.

• Foster an inclusive, respectful environment for a diverse workforce (including ESL team members).

• Upholds company policies and values.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Own daily safety: enforce PPE/housekeeping, safe machine operation, and incident/near-miss reporting.

• Ensure work is performed to spec: drawings, routings, and control plans; support in-process inspections.

• Partner with Quality to contain defects, complete 8D/5-Why investigations, and prevent recurrence.

• Support compliance with ISO/AS quality systems and applicable customer/regulatory requirements.

Production Execution

• Translate the production schedule into actionable plans by cell/line; balance labor and machine capacity.

• Monitor hour-by-hour performance and remove roadblocks to hit OEE, throughput, and on-time delivery targets.

• Escalate equipment downtime; coordinate with Maintenance for rapid response and preventive maintenance windows.

• Verify material availability and WIP flow; maintain accurate transactions and FIFO discipline.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive daily problem solving and kaizen: waste walks, SMED/setup reduction, visual management, 5S.

• Standardize best practices into work instructions; ensure training and certification are kept current.

• Use data (scrap, rework, cycle times, labor efficiency) to prioritize improvements and sustain results.

Systems & Communication

• Use ERP/MES to manage labor reporting, dispatch lists, inventory moves, and schedule attainment.

• Provide clear shift handoffs and concise status updates to leadership.

Success Metrics (KPIs)

• Safety: TRIR/near-miss participation, 5S audit scores

• Quality: First-pass yield, scrap/rework rates, customer rejects

• Delivery: Schedule attainment, on-time to promise, queue/backlog health

• Productivity: Labor efficiency, OEE/uptime, setup time reduction

• People: Turnover, attendance, training/cross-skill coverage, engagement indicators

5+ years in high-volume precision manufacturing; 2+ years leading teams in a multi-cell environment.

• Working knowledge of CNC machining and/or grinding; comfortable reading blueprints and using basic metrology.

• Manufacturing, Mechanical or Industrial Engineering experience preferred.

• Demonstrated experience with lean/continuous improvement (5S, standard work, visual mgmt, PDCA/8D, SMED).

• Proficiency with ERP/MES and MS Office; able to interpret schedules, routings, and quality data.

• Strong communication and coaching skills; able to lead a diverse, multilingual workforce.

• Proven track record of meeting SQDC targets while developing people.

• Nice to have: Aerospace/defense customer experience; ISO/AS system familiarity; bilingual English/Spanish or other language.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Manufacturing floor environment with regular exposure to machine noise; frequent walking/standing; occasional lifting up to 35 lbs.

• Must wear required PPE and follow all safety rules.

Schedule & Compensation

• Full-time, 2nd shift; occasional weekend coverage as needed.

• Competitive pay (salary supervisor, DOE) with bonus eligibility; comprehensive benefits.

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.