H-1B Visa Production Lead Jobs
Production Lead roles qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship when the position requires a bachelor's degree in engineering, operations management, or a related technical field. Employers in manufacturing, food processing, and industrial operations regularly file LCAs for these roles. Prevailing wage compliance and specialty occupation documentation are the two hurdles most applicants encounter.
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Get Access To All JobsProduction Group Lead - US
Location:
Bedford, PA, US, 15522
On-site or Remote: Onsite
REQ ID: 48537
About Kennametal
With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Production Group Lead
Bedford, PA 1st shift: 7am - 3pm (M-F)
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:
This position works under the supervision of the Manufacturing Manager and/or Plant Manager and/or shift manufacturing supervisor as needed. Duties are performed without constant supervision. Assignments are made daily and results are reviewed daily.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
- High school diploma or general equivalent diploma
- Minimum of 5 years experience in a Mfg. setting
- Minimum of 3 years in all Braze or Machining dept. as team lead
- Ability to understand written and oral instructions and communicate with leaders, manager, supervisors and coworkers
- Forklift operator license required
- Computer experience required (Microsoft products and SAP preferred)
- People leadership skills
- First aid / First responder training will be required for this role
KEY JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:
- Act as working lead/trainer across the functional area; provide daily leadership with minimal to no supervision.
- Drive continuous improvement projects (cycle time reduction, scrap mitigation, ergonomics, layout/flow).
- Own shift staffing plans, job rotations, and cross-training aligned to demand and skills matrix.
- Lead tier meetings; communicate KPIs (SQDC), priorities, and escalations; ensure action closure.
- Conduct skills/performance assessments; provide coaching/feedback and document development plans.
- Partner with supervisors and engineers on changes to programs, tooling, and process controls.
- Ensure compliance to EHS requirements, audits, and incident response; champion 5S and housekeeping.
- Maintain audit readiness—documentation accuracy, gauge controls, lot traceability, and labeling/packaging.
- Train all tasks across Levels 1–4; maintain training matrices and certification records.
- Manage SPC stations.
- Manage Tool Boss.
- Assist maintenance when moving machines.
- Perform run off at factory for Acme Gridley rebuilds.
- Install cams and rolls for Acme Gridley machine during rebuilds at factory.
- Help with designing fixtures for CNC area.
- Demonstrate all Level 4 tasks successfully.
Kennametal Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
Nearest Major Market: Somerset
Job Segment: Machinist, Industrial, Materials Science, Warehouse, Forklift, Manufacturing, Science
Production Group Lead - US
Location:
Bedford, PA, US, 15522
On-site or Remote: Onsite
REQ ID: 48537
About Kennametal
With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Production Group Lead
Bedford, PA 1st shift: 7am - 3pm (M-F)
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:
This position works under the supervision of the Manufacturing Manager and/or Plant Manager and/or shift manufacturing supervisor as needed. Duties are performed without constant supervision. Assignments are made daily and results are reviewed daily.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
- High school diploma or general equivalent diploma
- Minimum of 5 years experience in a Mfg. setting
- Minimum of 3 years in all Braze or Machining dept. as team lead
- Ability to understand written and oral instructions and communicate with leaders, manager, supervisors and coworkers
- Forklift operator license required
- Computer experience required (Microsoft products and SAP preferred)
- People leadership skills
- First aid / First responder training will be required for this role
KEY JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:
- Act as working lead/trainer across the functional area; provide daily leadership with minimal to no supervision.
- Drive continuous improvement projects (cycle time reduction, scrap mitigation, ergonomics, layout/flow).
- Own shift staffing plans, job rotations, and cross-training aligned to demand and skills matrix.
- Lead tier meetings; communicate KPIs (SQDC), priorities, and escalations; ensure action closure.
- Conduct skills/performance assessments; provide coaching/feedback and document development plans.
- Partner with supervisors and engineers on changes to programs, tooling, and process controls.
- Ensure compliance to EHS requirements, audits, and incident response; champion 5S and housekeeping.
- Maintain audit readiness—documentation accuracy, gauge controls, lot traceability, and labeling/packaging.
- Train all tasks across Levels 1–4; maintain training matrices and certification records.
- Manage SPC stations.
- Manage Tool Boss.
- Assist maintenance when moving machines.
- Perform run off at factory for Acme Gridley rebuilds.
- Install cams and rolls for Acme Gridley machine during rebuilds at factory.
- Help with designing fixtures for CNC area.
- Demonstrate all Level 4 tasks successfully.
Kennametal Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
Nearest Major Market: Somerset
Job Segment: Machinist, Industrial, Materials Science, Warehouse, Forklift, Manufacturing, Science
See all 155+ H-1B Visa Production Lead Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Production Lead Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Production Lead
Verify your role meets specialty occupation
USCIS requires a direct relationship between your degree and the Production Lead duties. Pull the O*NET profile for your specific industry, food manufacturing, electronics assembly, or chemicals, and confirm the listed education requirement is a bachelor's degree in a specific field, not a general management degree.
Target manufacturers with active LCA histories
Use Migrate Mate to filter Production Lead roles by employers who have filed H-1B Labor Condition Applications for this occupation code. Employers with repeated LCA filings for production or operations roles already understand the specialty occupation argument and won't need convincing.
Document supervisory scope before the offer
H-1B petitions for Production Lead positions face RFEs when the job description reads as a skilled-trades supervisor rather than a specialty occupation role. Before accepting an offer, get a written job description that specifies the technical degree requirements and the engineering or process-improvement responsibilities you hold.
Check prevailing wages by shift and industry code
Production Lead wages vary significantly across Standard Occupational Classification codes. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up wages under the correct SOC code for your specific industry before negotiating your offer, an employer filing at the wrong wage level risks a DOL audit.
Clarify cap-exempt status with the employer early
Most production employers are cap-subject, meaning your petition enters the H-1B lottery. If your current employer is a university, nonprofit research organization, or government entity, ask USCIS whether a concurrent cap-exempt filing is possible before you transition to a manufacturing role.
Account for LCA posting requirements on the shop floor
DOL requires the employer to post the LCA at each worksite where you'll work. If your Production Lead role covers multiple shifts or facilities, confirm the employer has posted at every location, missing a posting is one of the most common DOL compliance failures for multi-site production roles.
H-1B Visa Production Lead: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Production Lead role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
It depends on how the job is defined. A Production Lead role qualifies when the position genuinely requires a bachelor's degree in a specific technical field, such as industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, or operations management. Roles framed as team lead or floor supervisor positions, where any bachelor's degree is accepted, are more likely to receive an RFE challenging specialty occupation status. The job description needs to connect degree-level knowledge to specific daily duties.
Which industries hire Production Leads with H-1B sponsorship most consistently?
Semiconductor fabrication, pharmaceutical manufacturing, food and beverage production, and aerospace components assembly have the strongest LCA filing histories for Production Lead and related operations roles. These industries typically require process engineering knowledge that supports the specialty occupation argument. You can browse employers in these sectors with verified H-1B filing history on Migrate Mate to target your applications efficiently.
What happens to my H-1B status if I get promoted from Production Lead to Production Manager?
A material change in job duties, title, or worksite requires the employer to file an amended H-1B petition with USCIS before the change takes effect. A promotion to Production Manager typically changes your SOC code and may shift the prevailing wage requirement. Failing to file an amended petition puts your status at risk, even if you're still with the same employer.
Can a Production Lead job at multiple plant locations create H-1B compliance problems?
Yes. If your role requires you to work at more than one facility, DOL requires a separate LCA for each worksite and physical posting at each location. Employers who treat multi-site coverage as a single worksite are out of compliance. Confirm the employer has LCAs covering all facilities before your start date, since violations can affect your status and the employer's ability to sponsor future petitions.
How should I evaluate whether an employer's H-1B filing process is reliable for a Production Lead role?
Look for employers who have filed LCAs specifically for production, manufacturing, or operations roles, not just tech or corporate positions. An employer who has only sponsored engineers or software developers may not understand how to document specialty occupation for a Production Lead. Reviewing an employer's LCA history by occupation code before accepting an offer gives you a clearer picture of their H-1B experience with roles like yours.