Manufacturing Supervisor

We work a "9/80" schedule-- 9 hours a day / 80 hours every 2 weeks; we are closed every other Friday

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Supervisor to lead and manage daily production operations in a defense manufacturing environment. This position is responsible for supervising manufacturing personnel, maintaining production schedules, monitoring labor hours, ensuring work meets customer and quality requirements, and maintaining a safe, organized, and efficient production operation.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience in manufacturing operations, production scheduling, employee supervision, quality control, and labor management , with a demonstrated ability to understand and follow detailed written instructions, maintain consistent production performance, and lead a team while working closely with Production, Quality, Engineering, Materials, and Planning.

Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, dependability, and the ability to proactively identify and resolve problems are essential to success in this position.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise, train, and develop manufacturing employees.
• Plan, coordinate, and assign daily production work based on production priorities, work orders, and delivery requirements.
• Monitor production capacity, labor hours, schedules, efficiency, and overall manufacturing performance.
• Ensure work is completed according to engineering drawings, specifications, written instructions, work orders, and customer requirements.
• Maintain a clear understanding of production schedules and ensure employees understand assigned tasks, priorities, and deadlines.
• Monitor employee productivity and ensure labor hours are accurately recorded and appropriately managed.
• Identify production delays, inefficiencies, and potential schedule problems and take corrective action before they affect delivery commitments.
• Ensure employees consistently follow established manufacturing procedures and approved work instructions.
• Verify that production work is performed accurately, consistently, and in accordance with established quality standards.
• Monitor work in progress and ensure production moves efficiently through assigned manufacturing operations.
• Coordinate employee assignments and available resources to meet changing production priorities.
• Maintain accurate work-order documentation and ensure required paperwork is completed before work moves to the next operation.
• Work closely with Quality to resolve workmanship issues, rework, nonconformances, and other production-related concerns.
• Identify recurring production problems and implement corrective actions to improve efficiency, quality, and consistency.
• Monitor rework, scrap, and unnecessary labor expenditures and identify opportunities to reduce each.
• Coordinate with Materials and Purchasing to identify material shortages and minimize their impact on production schedules.
• Ensure employees have the necessary materials, tools, equipment, and instructions to complete assigned work.
• Work with Engineering and Quality when drawings, specifications, work instructions, or manufacturing requirements are unclear.
• Ensure employees do not deviate from approved manufacturing processes or instructions without appropriate authorization.
• Maintain an organized, efficient, and safe manufacturing environment.
• Enforce company safety requirements, PPE requirements, and established manufacturing procedures.
• Participate in production meetings and communicate production status, labor performance, schedule risks, and resource requirements.
• Support audits and maintain compliance with applicable ISO, customer, defense, and quality-system requirements .
• Maintain clear communication with Management regarding employee performance, production challenges, and delivery commitments.
• Lead by example and maintain accountability for attendance, productivity, workmanship, accuracy, and adherence to procedures.

Required Experience

• 5+ years of manufacturing experience , preferably in industrial, aerospace, defense, or other quality-controlled manufacturing environments.
• 2+ years of supervisory or lead experience preferred.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of:
• Manufacturing operations and production workflows
• Production scheduling and work-order management
• Employee supervision and labor management
• Manufacturing quality standards
• Production efficiency and productivity monitoring
• Labor-hour tracking and accountability
• Manufacturing documentation and recordkeeping
• Problem identification and resolution
• Production planning and resource allocation
• Rework prevention and process improvement
• Demonstrated ability to read, comprehend, and consistently follow detailed written instructions, work orders, production schedules, and manufacturing procedures .
• Experience reading and following engineering drawings, specifications, work instructions, and process documentation .
• Experience working in a quality-controlled manufacturing environment .
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to ensure manufacturing requirements are followed accurately and consistently.
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple production activities while maintaining delivery commitments.
• Strong understanding of labor-hour management, productivity expectations, and production accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise employees, provide clear direction, resolve problems, and hold personnel accountable for performance.
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Dependable, proactive, and capable of making sound decisions in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Defense/Aerospace Experience Preferred

Candidates with experience working in defense, aerospace, military equipment, or other high-specification manufacturing environments are strongly preferred.

Experience with requirements involving:

• Military and defense manufacturing specifications
• Engineering drawings and technical documentation
• Detailed manufacturing work instructions
• Production work orders and routing requirements
• Manufacturing scheduling and delivery commitments
• Labor-hour tracking and production efficiency
• Quality management systems
• ISO-based manufacturing requirements
• Corrective Action Requests (CARs) and nonconformance processes
• First Article Inspection requirements
• Material traceability and lot control
• Manufacturing process controls
• Production documentation and recordkeeping
• Customer or government inspections
• Manufacturing audits and quality compliance

Leadership Expectations

The Manufacturing Supervisor is expected to be a working leader , not simply an administrator. The supervisor should be comfortable spending significant time on the production floor, understanding what employees are working on, monitoring progress against production schedules, identifying problems early, and helping employees find practical solutions.

The successful candidate will:

• Hold employees accountable for quality, productivity, attendance, labor hours, and adherence to procedures .
• Communicate clearly with Production, Quality, Engineering, Materials, and Management.
• Understand production priorities and ensure employees are working efficiently toward established deadlines.
• Identify schedule problems before they become missed delivery commitments.
• Demonstrate strong comprehension of written instructions and ensure employees consistently follow established requirements.
• Maintain a high level of organization and attention to detail across daily manufacturing activities.
• Make decisions based on approved processes, work instructions, and production requirements.
• Stop work when instructions, materials, or manufacturing requirements are unclear and obtain appropriate clarification before proceeding.
• Address performance issues promptly and consistently.
• Train employees to understand why a process or requirement is necessary, not simply tell them what to do.
• Proactively identify inefficiencies and implement improvements to production performance.
• Maintain high standards for workmanship, documentation, and operational consistency.
• Demonstrate dependability, sound judgment, and personal accountability.

Education / Certifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Technical training in manufacturing, industrial operations, production management, or a related field preferred.
• Additional education or certification in manufacturing supervision, production management, lean manufacturing, or continuous improvement is a plus.
• OSHA or other industrial safety training is a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in a manufacturing/production-shop environment.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to spend significant time on the production floor supervising manufacturing activities.
• Ability to wear required PPE, including safety glasses, hearing protection, and other protective equipment as required.
• Ability to occasionally lift and handle manufacturing materials, tools, or equipment.
• Ability to work around industrial machinery, production equipment, and manufacturing operations in accordance with required safety procedures.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who has actually managed manufacturing operations and supervised production employees , not simply someone who has experience working in a manufacturing environment.

The ideal candidate understands that in defense manufacturing, following instructions, maintaining quality, controlling labor hours, and meeting production schedules are all critical to success . Manufacturing operations require consistency, organization, attention to detail, accountability, and the ability to identify and resolve problems before they affect production or delivery commitments.

We are seeking a supervisor who is dependable, proactive, highly organized, and capable of holding employees accountable , while providing the direction and support necessary to maintain consistent manufacturing performance.

A candidate who has worked in defense, aerospace, military vehicle, specialized equipment, industrial fabrication, or other high-specification manufacturing would be especially valuable.

Notice pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act:

Any job offer is contingent upon completion of a criminal background check. Wenzlau Engineering will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Wenzlau Engineering is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act/.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $85,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person