OPT Production Lead Jobs
Production Lead roles on OPT require demonstrating hands-on supervisory experience in manufacturing, logistics, or operations environments. Most employers file H-1B visa or E-3 visa sponsorship for strong performers. Your 12-month OPT window, extendable to 36 months for STEM-eligible graduates, gives you time to prove your value on the floor.
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Get Access To All JobsAbout Ingredion:
Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create.
Location: Indianapolis, IN.
Workplace type: Onsite
Schedule: Rotating 12 hrs shifts
Ingredion is seeking a highly motivated Shift Lead to provide leadership and coordination for off-shift, weekend, and holiday plant operations. This role serves as the primary site contact during non-traditional operating hours, helping ensure employees remain safe, productive, and engaged while supporting operational excellence across the facility. The Plant Coordinator works closely with Operations, Engineering, EHS, and Maintenance teams to drive effective communication, support business objectives, and facilitate continuous improvement initiatives.
As a Shift Lead you will…
Serve as the primary plant leader during assigned off-shift operations, coordinating resources, supporting employees, responding to operational challenges, and ensuring safe and efficient plant performance. You will collaborate across functions to maintain operational continuity, support growth initiatives, and foster a culture of safety, engagement, and teamwork.
What you will do:
- Serve as the primary plant contact during off-shift, weekend, and holiday operations.
- Act as Incident Commander during environmental, health, and safety-related emergencies and coordinate response activities as required.
- Provide first responder support within training and qualification requirements and engage internal and external emergency resources when necessary.
- Coordinate emergency maintenance activities and allocate resources to minimize operational disruptions and ensure safe resolution of issues.
- Monitor plant operations and identify operating issues, performance gaps, or emerging trends requiring intervention or escalation.
- Partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and EHS teams to facilitate timely issue resolution and support operational goals.
- Identify opportunities to improve safety, productivity, reliability, quality, and cost performance across the manufacturing process.
- Support implementation of training, communication, continuous improvement initiatives, and capital projects.
- Help drive employee engagement by maintaining visibility on the production floor and providing leadership support to operating teams.
- Promote effective communication and information sharing across shifts and functional teams.
- Collaborate with site leadership to support business growth initiatives and operational objectives.
- Participate in and lead committees, project teams, and site improvement efforts as needed.
- Foster a positive, collaborative work environment that promotes teamwork, accountability, and operational excellence.
What you will bring:
- Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering
- Minimum of 3 years of manufacturing experience, including experience leading teams or coordinating operational activities.
- Experience working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with responsibility for operational decision-making.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to lead meetings, communicate operational updates, and support standard operating procedures.
- Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities while maintaining a strong focus on safety and operational performance.
- Availability to work off-shifts, weekends, holidays, rotating schedules, and overtime as required.
Who you are:
- A confident leader who remains calm and makes sound decisions during dynamic or high-pressure situations.
- A strong communicator who effectively builds relationships and collaborates across departments and organizational levels.
- A proactive problem solver who identifies improvement opportunities and works with stakeholders to implement solutions.
- A highly organized professional capable of balancing multiple priorities and responding quickly to changing plant needs.
- A team-oriented leader who promotes employee engagement, accountability, and operational excellence.
- Results-driven and committed to continuous improvement, safety, and business performance.
Preferred Qualifications
- SAP experience.
- Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Food Safety principles.
- Mechanical troubleshooting and problem-solving experience.
- Experience supporting continuous improvement initiatives in a manufacturing environment.
- Emergency response leadership or incident management experience within an industrial setting.
Why Join Ingredion?
Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exceptional rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive. Create the future with us and enjoy:
- Total Rewards Package – Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success
- Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support – Health, long-term savings, and resources for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being
- Career Growth – Learning, training, and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement
- Employee Recognition Program – A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally
- Employee Discount Program – Provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services, and travel
Relocation Available:
Yes, Within Country
Pay Range:
$84,400.00-$112,533.33 Annual
This pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data and applicable bargaining agreement (if any).
Incentive Compensation:
As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Ingredion Annual Incentive Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus.
Benefits:
Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental and vision coverage as well as a 401(k) plan with a competitive company match.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Ingredion seeks to provide a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability—mental or physical—marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability resulting from military service, or any other classification protected by law (“protected classifications”). We are committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.
Ingredion uses AI-enabled tools to support parts of the recruitment process, including resume screening and interview scheduling. These tools help match candidate skills to job requirements and streamline communication. All AI-assisted decisions are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team to ensure fairness and compliance with applicable laws. By applying, you acknowledge that AI may be used to support your application journey.
About Ingredion:
Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create.
Location: Indianapolis, IN.
Workplace type: Onsite
Schedule: Rotating 12 hrs shifts
Ingredion is seeking a highly motivated Shift Lead to provide leadership and coordination for off-shift, weekend, and holiday plant operations. This role serves as the primary site contact during non-traditional operating hours, helping ensure employees remain safe, productive, and engaged while supporting operational excellence across the facility. The Plant Coordinator works closely with Operations, Engineering, EHS, and Maintenance teams to drive effective communication, support business objectives, and facilitate continuous improvement initiatives.
As a Shift Lead you will…
Serve as the primary plant leader during assigned off-shift operations, coordinating resources, supporting employees, responding to operational challenges, and ensuring safe and efficient plant performance. You will collaborate across functions to maintain operational continuity, support growth initiatives, and foster a culture of safety, engagement, and teamwork.
What you will do:
- Serve as the primary plant contact during off-shift, weekend, and holiday operations.
- Act as Incident Commander during environmental, health, and safety-related emergencies and coordinate response activities as required.
- Provide first responder support within training and qualification requirements and engage internal and external emergency resources when necessary.
- Coordinate emergency maintenance activities and allocate resources to minimize operational disruptions and ensure safe resolution of issues.
- Monitor plant operations and identify operating issues, performance gaps, or emerging trends requiring intervention or escalation.
- Partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and EHS teams to facilitate timely issue resolution and support operational goals.
- Identify opportunities to improve safety, productivity, reliability, quality, and cost performance across the manufacturing process.
- Support implementation of training, communication, continuous improvement initiatives, and capital projects.
- Help drive employee engagement by maintaining visibility on the production floor and providing leadership support to operating teams.
- Promote effective communication and information sharing across shifts and functional teams.
- Collaborate with site leadership to support business growth initiatives and operational objectives.
- Participate in and lead committees, project teams, and site improvement efforts as needed.
- Foster a positive, collaborative work environment that promotes teamwork, accountability, and operational excellence.
What you will bring:
- Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering
- Minimum of 3 years of manufacturing experience, including experience leading teams or coordinating operational activities.
- Experience working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with responsibility for operational decision-making.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to lead meetings, communicate operational updates, and support standard operating procedures.
- Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities while maintaining a strong focus on safety and operational performance.
- Availability to work off-shifts, weekends, holidays, rotating schedules, and overtime as required.
Who you are:
- A confident leader who remains calm and makes sound decisions during dynamic or high-pressure situations.
- A strong communicator who effectively builds relationships and collaborates across departments and organizational levels.
- A proactive problem solver who identifies improvement opportunities and works with stakeholders to implement solutions.
- A highly organized professional capable of balancing multiple priorities and responding quickly to changing plant needs.
- A team-oriented leader who promotes employee engagement, accountability, and operational excellence.
- Results-driven and committed to continuous improvement, safety, and business performance.
Preferred Qualifications
- SAP experience.
- Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Food Safety principles.
- Mechanical troubleshooting and problem-solving experience.
- Experience supporting continuous improvement initiatives in a manufacturing environment.
- Emergency response leadership or incident management experience within an industrial setting.
Why Join Ingredion?
Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exceptional rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive. Create the future with us and enjoy:
- Total Rewards Package – Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success
- Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support – Health, long-term savings, and resources for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being
- Career Growth – Learning, training, and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement
- Employee Recognition Program – A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally
- Employee Discount Program – Provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services, and travel
Relocation Available:
Yes, Within Country
Pay Range:
$84,400.00-$112,533.33 Annual
This pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data and applicable bargaining agreement (if any).
Incentive Compensation:
As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Ingredion Annual Incentive Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus.
Benefits:
Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental and vision coverage as well as a 401(k) plan with a competitive company match.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Ingredion seeks to provide a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability—mental or physical—marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability resulting from military service, or any other classification protected by law (“protected classifications”). We are committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.
Ingredion uses AI-enabled tools to support parts of the recruitment process, including resume screening and interview scheduling. These tools help match candidate skills to job requirements and streamline communication. All AI-assisted decisions are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team to ensure fairness and compliance with applicable laws. By applying, you acknowledge that AI may be used to support your application journey.
See all OPT Production Lead Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Production Lead Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Production Lead
Target manufacturers with established OPT pipelines
Large-scale manufacturers in automotive, electronics, and food production regularly hire international graduates and have HR teams familiar with OPT authorization. Smaller operations may hesitate, so prioritize employers with a documented history of sponsoring production staff.
Align your degree field with production operations
Employers and USCIS both care that your degree connects to the role. Industrial engineering, manufacturing systems, or operations management degrees map cleanly to Production Lead responsibilities and strengthen your case for STEM OPT extension eligibility.
Document your supervisory and output metrics
Quantify your impact on the production floor before interviews. Throughput improvements, defect rate reductions, and team size managed are the specific numbers that production-focused hiring managers and future visa sponsors look for when evaluating candidates.
Raise OPT authorization early in the process
Bring up your OPT status before the offer stage, not after. Explain your authorized work period, your STEM extension eligibility if applicable, and your H-1B visa sponsorship timeline. Informed employers are far less likely to withdraw interest over authorization concerns.
Pursue Lean, Six Sigma, or safety certifications
Credentials like Lean Six Sigma Yellow or Green Belt signal practical production competency beyond your degree. They also differentiate you from domestic candidates, giving employers a concrete reason to invest in sponsorship for your continued employment.
Connect your academic projects to real production environments
If your coursework included process optimization, supply chain labs, or capstone manufacturing projects, frame these explicitly in your resume and interviews. Employers need to see that your OPT work authorization is grounded in directly relevant, field-specific education.
Production Lead OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Production Lead on OPT?
Yes, if your degree field relates directly to the role. Production Lead positions under industrial engineering, manufacturing systems, or operations management degrees qualify as practical training. Your job duties must connect to your field of study, so document that alignment clearly in your OPT application and employment records.
Does a Production Lead role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not your job title. If you graduated with a STEM-designated degree such as industrial engineering or manufacturing engineering technology, and your employer meets the E-Verify requirement, you can apply for a 24-month STEM extension. The role itself must continue to relate to that degree field.
How do I find Production Lead employers who are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters for employers who are open to sponsoring international candidates. Searching there saves time compared to applying broadly to roles where your authorization status will immediately disqualify you. Focus on mid-size to large manufacturers with dedicated HR departments.
Will employers sponsor H-1B for a Production Lead after OPT?
Many do, particularly in automotive, aerospace, and consumer goods manufacturing. Production Leads with measurable performance records and technical degrees are strong H-1B candidates. Specialty occupation status for production management roles is supportable when the position requires a degree in a specific technical field, so document your responsibilities carefully from day one.
What happens to my OPT status if I get promoted from Production Lead to a higher role?
A promotion generally does not jeopardize your OPT status as long as the new role still relates to your degree field. You do not need to update USCIS when your title changes, but your employer must update your records and you should keep documentation showing the continued connection to your field of study.