Fabrication Operator

Description:
Job Title: Fabrication Operator
Department: Fabrication
Reports To: Shift Supervisor
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Travel: 0
Job Summary
The Fabrication Operator is responsible for safely operating fabrication equipment to manufacture products that meet customer specifications and company quality standards. This position performs machine setup, operation, inspection, packaging, and routine equipment maintenance while maintaining a safe, clean, and efficient work environment. The Fabrication Operator plays a critical role in ensuring quality, productivity, and continuous improvement throughout the manufacturing process.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
* Operate fabrication equipment used to cut, shape, laminate, assemble, or finish expanded foam products.
* Read and interpret work orders, production schedules, drawings, and specifications to ensure accurate product fabrication.
* Set up and adjust machinery according to product requirements and operating procedures.
* Monitor machine performance during production and make minor adjustments as needed to maintain quality and efficiency.
* Inspect finished products to verify dimensional accuracy, appearance, and compliance with quality standards.
* Package, label, and stage finished products for shipment or the next production process.
* Perform routine preventative maintenance and basic troubleshooting of fabrication equipment.
* Report equipment malfunctions, quality concerns, or safety hazards promptly to the supervisor or maintenance department.
* Accurately complete production reports, quality documentation, and other required records.
* Assist with material handling, inventory movement, and production support activities as needed.
* Maintain an organized and clean work area using 5S and good housekeeping practices.
* Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to improve safety, quality, productivity, and waste reduction.
* Cross-train in other production areas as assigned.
Requirements:
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education Requirement/Work Experience
* High school diploma or GED preferred.
* Previous manufacturing or fabrication experience preferred.
* Experience operating production machinery is preferred; EPS manufacturing experience is a plus.
* Ability to accurately read tape measures, rulers, and basic production drawings.
* Basic mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting skills.
* Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality products.
* Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
* Strong communication and problem-solving skills.
Competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
* Integrity: Behaves in an honest, fair, and ethical manner. Speaks openly and truthfully with team members and accepts responsibility for actions. Understands the importance of maintaining confidentiality and fosters an environment where integrity, honesty and accountability flourish. Promotes transparent and accountable actions and acts decisively against dishonest conduct. Demonstrates the ability to gain confidence of their employees and customers by respecting the confidentiality and privacy of their concerns and needs and encourages collaboration, trust, foresight and listening between team members. Considerate of others' points of view and treats others with courtesy and professionalism.
* Accountability: Takes personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work and achieves results with little to minimal supervision. Consistently meets all deadlines and follows through on completing tasks while holding self and other accountable for actions and/or appointed responsibilities and manages one's own performance to proactively ensure team accountability.
* People Centric/Teamwork: Capable of being approached and easy to work with. Contributes to the success of the team, communicates clearly individually and in group settings while treating others with respect. Listens to others and works well within diverse groups. Consistently places team needs over individual needs and seeks input from people with different experiences and perspectives and recognizes the differences of opportunities to learn and gain by working together. Values and encourages unique skills and talents.
* Problem Resolution: Demonstrates the ability to effectively solve problems and set priorities while delivering results in a timely manner and effectively obtains results through planning and delegation. Analyzes problems skillfully and uses data to reach solutions while demonstrating the ability to appropriately take calculated risks or escalates decisions to consult with others when appropriate.
* Communication: Creates an environment of open communication amongst team members while providing regular, consistent, and meaningful information. Actively listens carefully to others and ensures messages are understood. Demonstrates the ability to communicate information clearly, concisely, and thoroughly in a timely manner. Has the ability to tailor communication styles to the subject matter and to the needs of the recipient. Is credible and confident through communication and presentations and persuasively presents thoughts and ideas to the audience.
* Job Knowledge: Demonstrates relevant job knowledge and essential skills, such as work practices, policies, procedures, quality assurance, and technical abilities. Demonstrates self-improvement efforts to enhance skills and knowledge with changes impacting the job while adhering to workplace rules as well as to traditional or socially expected methods of doing business following processes and procedures.
* Continuous Improvement: Consistently finds ways to improve methods, processes and/or procedures to improve quality of work and to maximize efficiency. Quickly identifies process inefficiencies and takes independent action to make improvements. Willing supports new ideas while energizing others within the workforce to embrace changes that enhance efficiency. Understands and applies formal methods to analyze and eliminate non- value-added work and support process environments. Willingly seeks opportunities and shares different approaches to address problems while generating practical ideas and workable solutions to solve problems or address issues. Identifies and accepts failures as learning opportunities.
* Initiative: Ability to assess and initiate things independently with limited supervision required. Has the ability to manage resources to achieve results, while possessing the ability to manage multiple activities to accomplish goals. Actively seeks and does more than required or requested in the job and plans ahead for upcoming problems or opportunities and takes appropriate action when required.
* Planning & Organizing: Manages resources to ensure work is completed timely and accurately. Proactively anticipates potential problems and develops contingency plans to overcome obstacles. Anticipates deviations and plan and actively reorganizes work as necessary. Demonstrates the ability to manage time expertly to complete work ahead of schedule while utilizing available resources to complete work efficiently.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
The employee must frequently lift and carry up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk and required to reach with hands and arms and stoop/crouch, bend or twist. The employee is occasionally required to push, pull, and/or move material and work in awkward positions, such as underneath equipment, or working around machines in operations area.
Work Environment
The work environment is typical of most manufacturing environments. The noise level in the work environment is usually high with ear protection required as posted. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
Disclaimer
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by those assigned to a particular position. This document in no way states or implies that this is as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required and personnel may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. The Company reserves the right to change, modify, amend, add to or delete from, any section of this document as it deems, in its judgment, to be proper.