OPT Production Supervisor Jobs
Production Supervisor jobs are open to F-1 OPT students with degrees in industrial engineering, manufacturing, operations management, or related fields. Most roles qualify as STEM OPT extensions. Employers in this field regularly sponsor H-1B visas, making it a strong long-term path for international students.
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Company Statement: Graham Packaging is a people, planet and values-based company and a leader in sustainable packaging manufacturing. From the kitchen to the laundry room, Graham Packaging is part of your everyday life. For employees at Graham, our Blue Culture is part of their everyday lives, too. In other words, Blue is how we do things here. At Graham, we are united by a clear vision. We know our part and help those around us know theirs, encouraging one another to continuously improve. We create a safe, challenging environment to innovate by supporting creative ideas and new ways of thinking. We take the initiative to cultivate our individual growth and help others do the same, while keeping ourselves and one another accountable. And we actively promote cooperation, collaboration, integrity and respect across regions and teams to foster an engaged, diverse and connected workforce. We value our employees, and a Blue Culture allows for the most rewarding employee experience as part of the Graham family. Blue is how we feel about what we do—together—to create a better tomorrow. Working at Graham means you lead constructively with clear goals, use diverse thinking to drive excellence, accountability, innovation, as well as demonstrating collaboration, embracing learning, and taking action for continuous improvement and growth.
Overview:
Production Supervisors are responsible for supervising hourly employees engaged in all phases of the manufacture of all blow molded containers. Duties include safety, quality, customer service, housekeeping, training, performance management, plant productivity, labor utilization, warehousing, and control of raw materials. This position is located in West Chicago (St. Charles) area and is a rotating 12-hour night shift position with hours of 6pm-6am.
The primary duties of a Production Supervisor include:
- Understands, follows and enforces all established safety, health, quality GMP and Company policies, procedures and recognized practices.
- Understands, follows and enforces all established policies, procedures and recognized practices.
- The majority of the time will be responsible for exercising authority and independent judgment on the shift in the interest of the Company to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, discipline or adjust complaints or effectively to recommend such action by following established policies, procedures, and practices.
- Responsible for the following shift functions; personnel training, development, safety, security, quality, inventory, good housekeeping, and general management of Company policies and procedures.
- Resolves all production and resulting quality problems that occur on their shift. Responsible for frequent checks of product quality.
- Accountable for providing shift documentation on decisions, shift issues, actions and status updates for the shift for the purpose of compliance and continuous quality improvement (CQI).
- Attends all production meetings and safety meetings and conducts all shift meetings as required.
- Responsible for reviewing and authorizing proper time records for all employees on the shift.
- Manages temporary staffing assignments for the shift to achieve plant production and labor objectives.
- Manages machine utilization to meet or exceed efficiency goals and recommends or directs necessary personnel, maintenance or engineering changes to help achieve those goals.
- Develops new methods and procedures to optimize manufacturing efficiencies, maximize labor utilization, and reduce operating costs as part of CQI objectives.
- Assists Production, Operations or Plant Manager in reviewing shift operations and makes recommendations relative to changes in operations, staffing, equipment, and procedures.
- Assists performing all physical inventories in accordance with Company procedures.
- Maintain a supportive and productive work atmosphere through professional conduct and effective communication with internal and external customers, including vendors, coworkers, subordinates, and other supervisors.
- Participates in job safety training and personally follows all plant rules and work procedures to ensure a safe and healthy work environment is developed and supported.
- Executes leader standard work as designed on a daily basis.
Qualifications
A Bachelor’s Degree and/or related operations experience; or equivalent combination of education and related operations experience is required. A minimum of 2 years’ experience in an operations supervisory or management role in a manufacturing environment with demonstrated leadership skills strongly preferred.
Production Supervisors are required to interact with other managers, employees, vendors, and customers. Therefore, the following skills and proficiencies are also essential requirements of the position:
- Ability to maintain regular, predictable, and punctual attendance.
- Computer usage and typing skills are essential.
- Excellent verbal and written communication, including the ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers.
- Must be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines, while maintaining a positive attitude and providing exemplary customer service.
- Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices.
- Communicates effectively: conveys facts and information clearly both verbally and orally.
- Collaborates well with others: proactively contributes to group objectives; volunteers to help others.
Compensation:
The standard compensation for this role is $61,700 - $92,500. Salary offers will be determined based on final candidate qualifications, experience, skillset, and other relevant factors.
Compensation Statement: The expected salary range for the position described in this posting is made in accordance with the legal mandates of certain jurisdictions within the United States. The final agreed-upon compensation is based on individual qualifications and experience.
Benefits Statement: Benefits include medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance. Employees are able to enroll in the company’s 401K Employee Saving Plan and may participate in its Employee Wellness Program. Employees will also receive paid time off in accordance with company policy and state law requirements.
Graham Packaging is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, religion, creed, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Production Supervisor
Target manufacturers with established HR infrastructure
Large manufacturers like automotive OEMs, aerospace contractors, and consumer goods companies have dedicated immigration teams. They sponsor H-1B visas regularly and understand OPT timelines, making them far more likely to support your status transition.
Clarify your STEM OPT eligibility upfront
If your degree is in industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, or operations research, you likely qualify for 24-month STEM OPT extension. Mentioning this early removes a common employer hesitation about the short standard OPT window.
Frame your degree in terms of production outcomes
Employers want supervisors who reduce defects, improve throughput, and control costs. Connect your engineering coursework and any lean manufacturing or Six Sigma training directly to those outcomes during applications and interviews.
Pursue Lean or Six Sigma certification before applying
A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Yellow Belt certification signals practical process improvement knowledge. It differentiates your application in a competitive field and demonstrates commitment to manufacturing quality standards that production roles demand.
Apply to companies with active H-1B filing histories
Publicly available Department of Labor disclosure data shows which employers have filed H-1B petitions for production and manufacturing roles. Prioritize companies with consistent filing histories over several years, not just isolated single-year sponsorships.
Treat OPT as a working interview for sponsorship
Most Production Supervisor sponsorships come from converting OPT employees, not external hires. Deliver measurable results during your OPT period, document your impact, and have a direct conversation with your manager about H-1B sponsorship before your deadline approaches.
Production Supervisor OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Production Supervisor role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title. If you graduated with a degree in industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, systems engineering, or operations research, you likely qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. A general business or management degree typically does not qualify. Confirm your CIP code with your DSO before applying to roles that assume STEM eligibility.
Do Production Supervisor roles typically come with H-1B sponsorship?
Many do, particularly at large manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, electronics, and food processing. These companies have legal teams experienced with H-1B petitions and understand OPT-to-H-1B transitions. Smaller manufacturers or contract production shops are less consistent. Searching Migrate Mate filters for sponsorship-confirmed Production Supervisor openings saves significant time compared to applying broadly and asking later.
Can I work as a Production Supervisor on OPT if my degree is in industrial engineering?
Yes. Production Supervisor is considered a specialty occupation when the role requires engineering knowledge to manage processes, quality systems, or technical production lines. An industrial engineering degree directly supports this classification. You should ensure the job description reflects technical responsibilities, not purely administrative ones, to maintain a clear connection between your degree and the position.
What should I do if my OPT expires before my employer files my H-1B?
If you have STEM OPT, your 24-month extension provides enough runway to cover one full H-1B cap cycle. If you are on standard 12-month OPT and your employer misses the April filing window, you will need to stop working when OPT expires. Start H-1B conversations with HR at least eight months before your OPT end date to ensure they meet the March registration window.
Is production experience required, or can I apply for these roles directly after graduation?
Entry-level Production Supervisor roles exist, but most employers prefer at least one to two years of manufacturing or operations experience, including internships and co-ops. Graduates who completed internships on production floors or in quality roles are significantly more competitive. Some companies also run structured rotational programs specifically designed to develop new graduates into supervisor roles within 12 to 18 months.