Manufacturing Lead/Supervisor

Job Description

Job Description

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Lead/Supervisor to support our forging and manufacturing operations. This position will be responsible for leading shop floor employees, supporting production flow, improving processes, and helping document critical manufacturing knowledge within company systems.

A key responsibility of this role will be to capture, document, and standardize tribal knowledge related to forging processes, equipment, tooling, setup practices, troubleshooting methods, and overall manufacturing flow. The goal is to improve consistency, training, efficiency, safety, and long-term operational support.

The ideal candidate will have strong forging experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably in fastener manufacturing. Aerospace forging experience is a plus. This person must be hands-on, mechanically inclined, comfortable working on the shop floor, and able to work closely with production, quality, maintenance, engineering, and management.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and support forge operators and manufacturing personnel to ensure safe, efficient, and quality-driven production.

Capture and document key forging processes, setup procedures, machine knowledge, tooling practices, troubleshooting methods, and production standards.

Enter and maintain tribal knowledge in company systems, work instructions, setup sheets, training documents, and process notes.

Assist with daily production priorities, machine assignments, scheduling needs, and workflow through the forging department.

Monitor jobs to ensure parts are produced according to work orders, drawings, specifications, customer requirements, and quality standards.

Support setup, changeover, troubleshooting, and process improvement activities on forging equipment.

Review and verify that proper tooling, dies, inserts, fixtures, and materials are being used for each job.

Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, improve setup times, and eliminate unnecessary operations.

Ensure employees are following documented procedures, safety practices, inspection requirements, and proper reporting methods.

Use measuring instruments to verify product quality, including calipers, micrometers, height gauges, and other standard inspection tools.

Communicate production issues, tooling concerns, machine problems, material issues, and quality concerns to the appropriate departments.

Assist in training new and existing employees on forging processes, equipment operation, inspection practices, and company procedures.

Support continuous improvement efforts related to productivity, quality, safety, tooling, documentation, and employee development.

Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area while ensuring the team follows company safety requirements.

Work closely with Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Toolroom, and Production Management to resolve manufacturing issues.

Required Qualifications

Previous forging experience in a manufacturing environment is required.

Experience in fastener manufacturing is strongly preferred.

Strong understanding of forging operations, tooling, dies, machine setup, material flow, and production troubleshooting.

Ability to read and understand work orders, manufacturing routers, drawings, specifications, and basic tolerances.

Working knowledge of measuring instruments, including calipers, micrometers, gauges, and other standard inspection tools.

Strong mechanical aptitude and hands-on problem-solving ability.

Ability to lead, train, and hold team members accountable in a production environment.

Strong communication skills and the ability to document processes clearly.

Must be organized, detail-oriented, and able to convert shop floor knowledge into clear procedures and training documents.

Ability to work with production systems, basic computer programs, and documentation tools.

Strong commitment to safety, quality, productivity, and continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

Aerospace forging experience is a plus.

Toolmaker experience or strong knowledge of tooling, dies, fixtures, and machine setup is a plus.

Experience with hot forging, cold forging, heading, trimming, straightening, or related manufacturing processes.

Experience working with alloy steels, stainless steels, nickel alloys, or aerospace/oilfield materials.

Familiarity with quality systems, traceability requirements, first article inspection, and in-process inspection.

Prior lead, supervisor, or department leadership experience.

Experience documenting work instructions, setup sheets, standard operating procedures, or training materials.

Physical Requirements

Ability to work in a manufacturing/shop environment.

Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and move throughout the production area for extended periods.

Ability to lift and handle tooling, parts, gauges, and production-related materials as required.

Ability to work around forging equipment, heat, noise, forklifts, cranes, and other industrial equipment while following all safety procedures.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader with strong forging knowledge, solid mechanical ability, and the discipline to document processes clearly. This person should be comfortable working on the shop floor, leading employees, solving production problems, improving processes, and helping build a stronger, more consistent manufacturing operation.