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General Summary

Team Leader, Production at Michelman serve as both Senior Chemical Operators and temporary frontline leaders. In addition to safely performing production tasks and supporting batch execution, they assume full supervisory authority in the absence of the Production Supervisor. They safeguard safety, quality, and productivity across the plant, ensuring production schedules are met and standard procedures are enforced.

Beyond their own task execution, Team Leader, Production monitor all production employees, coach team members, and reinforce adherence to EHS, quality, and housekeeping standards. They provide guidance during incidents, escalate issues appropriately, and support investigations to maintain compliance and continuous improvement. They are trusted to uphold Michelman’s values, train new hires, and step into leadership with accountability and authority whenever required.

Team Leader, Production manufacture cold blend batches, emulsion center batches, reactor batches, and work independently in one or more areas, including but not limited to wastewater treatment, packaging, extrusion operation, or material handling.

Primary Responsibilities

• Act as equipment and area owner, maintaining ownership over assigned equipment and in absence of Shift Supervisor, assume duties for his or her responsibilities.
  Analyze operational performance gaps and develop corrective action plans.
• Assign shift personnel to work areas in accordance with production schedule, balancing staffing across competing priorities, and making real-time decisions about production priorities when conflicts arise.
• Complete transactional work order tasks and material movements across multiple software.
• Ensure readiness of utilities for unit operation (e.g., heat exchanger, hot-water-on-demand).
• Follow SOPs to safely operate equipment including reactors, kettles, mixers, pumps, filtration, forklifts, and utilities.
• Drive participation in engagement or culture-building initiatives.
• Foster a culture of safety, respect, and teamwork on shift.
• Load, unload, and package materials per instructions, completing all documentation.
• Manufacture batches per work orders and adjust as needed to meet specifications.
• Mediate interpersonal conflicts among operators.
• Monitor and interpret process parameters, record data in real time, and escalate abnormal conditions or trends.
• Operate process systems (e.g., extruders, packaging lines, wastewater treatment, boiler) in compliance with safety, quality, and efficiency standards.
• Participate in shift handoffs and daily tier meetings to support production continuity.
• Perform equipment calibrations in accordance with gauge standards.
• Record inventory transactions accurately in ERP.
• Support product trials and help refine batch procedures.
• Track and report shift-level performance metrics (safety, quality, yield, productivity, cost).
• Use checklists to perform equipment changeovers, line clearances, and task verifications.
• Use checklists to prepare and perform equipment cleaning and/or sanitization, changeovers, line clearances, and task verifications.
• Verify raw material identity, lot codes, and quantities before staging for production.

General Responsibilities

• Access digital tools for just-in-time learning and job guidance.
• Address performance or behavior issues promptly and in alignment with company policies.
• Ask clarifying questions to ensure task understanding and reduce operational risk.
• Communicate effectively with team leaders, support staff, and managers to address safety, quality, and production concerns.
• Complete required training, certifications, and assessments on time.
• Follow all EHS and Quality policies to maintain a safe and compliant workplace.
• Lead and train new and existing operators by modeling standard work and reinforcing best practices.
• Keep work areas clean and organized to meet housekeeping and GMP standards.
• Provide peers with constructive feedback to improve safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Recognize and reward team member contributions to reinforce desired behaviors.

Environmental, Health, & Safety Responsibilities

• Actively engage in safety meetings and toolbox talks.
• Lead and participate in shift-level near-miss and incident reviews.
• Maintain situational awareness of all work occurring within the assigned area. Ensure that concurrent activities do not create safety risks or operational conflicts.
• Review and follow hazard labels and chemical handling procedures.
• Segregate and dispose of waste materials per environmental guidelines.
• Stop work when undue health, safety, or environmental risks are present. Step back and get help before proceeding.
• Support safe work execution in coordination with Maintenance, Engineering, Project Teams, and peers.
• Wear required PPE in accordance with procedures and safety data sheets (SDSs).

Quality Responsibilities

• Perform quality control tests and adjust batches to meet specifications.
• Collaborate with the quality team to resolve product or customer issues.
• Review batch records and follow deviation and escalation procedures.
• Lead and support problem-solving efforts to prevent or correct quality defects.
• Select appropriate scale to confirm material weights before addition.

Continuous Improvement Responsibilities

• Identify and report ways to reduce scrap, waste, or energy use.
• Lead or participate in continuous improvement activities.
• Lead or participate in cycle counts to improve inventory accuracy.
• Lead or support root cause investigations (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone) as a subject matter expert.
• Share improvement ideas and recommend updates to SOPs or work instructions.
• Autonomous Maintenance Responsibilities
• Authorize and monitor work permits.
• Identify and troubleshoot minor mechanical or instrumentation issues before escalation.
• Perform preventive maintenance tasks according to autonomous maintenance (AM) guidelines.
• Submit maintenance work requests.
• Prepare equipment for maintenance and/or projects.
• Notify affected personnel of changes in equipment status or area accessibility due to ongoing work or preparation activities.

Critical Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Works effectively and respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and education levels, collaborating to solve problems and achieve shared goals.
• Proactively identifies and acts on opportunities to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and personal performance, while following all established procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Prioritizes and manages multiple operational tasks in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, making sound, time-sensitive decisions that maintain safety, compliance, and product quality.
• Reads and interprets safety data sheets (SDS), standard operating procedures, and production schedules to execute tasks accurately.
• Understands how daily activities and decisions affect production costs, yield, and overall business results, and uses this awareness to drive process efficiency and resource stewardship.
• Recognizes and mitigates chemical, mechanical, and environmental hazards, escalating concerns promptly.
• Communicates clearly in verbal and written form for shift handovers, incident reporting, and process documentation.
• Applies basic troubleshooting methods to identify and correct process or equipment deviations, ensuring minimal disruption to operations.

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED required
• 5+ years of hands-on chemical manufacturing experience, including equipment ownership, and batch ownership.
• Demonstrated leadership in guiding peers, supporting new hire training, and reinforcing standard operating procedures.
• Experience coordinating with Maintenance, Quality, or Engineering teams to resolve operational issues.
• Strong understanding of safety systems, work permits, and area readiness for concurrent activities.
• Prior exposure to autonomous maintenance, continuous improvement initiatives, or shift leadership preferred.

Work Hours

Michelman’s standard work hours for this role are subject to shift.

Note: The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to the job. They are not construed to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

About Michelman

Michelman is proud of the values-focused work environment that we have crafted. We pride ourselves in our focus on our values of integrity, respect, and success. With our dedication to your technical and professional growth in addition to our rigorous onboarding experience, we guarantee that you will find yourself challenged in new ways. We offer an excellent salary, incentive, and benefits package in a dynamic, empowered team environment.

No phone calls, please. Michelman does not hire individuals who use tobacco products. All candidates will receive a drug test prior to beginning employment which will include a test for tobacco products.

For more information about Michelman, please visit https://www.michelman.com/.

It is Michelman, Inc. policy to seek and employ qualified persons in all jobs in a manner which will ensure equal employment opportunity as well as administer personnel actions in a manner as to not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation or disability. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Michelman is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.