Graveyard Layup & Softwoods Mentor

The Graveyard Layup & Softwoods Production Mentor provides day-to-day floor leadership, training, technical expertise, and operational support for the Layup and Softwoods Departments during Graveyard shift.

The Softwoods area includes Core Prep, veneer drying, material handling, veneer preparation, and associated production equipment and processes. The Layup area includes veneer preparation and assembly, spreaders, layup operations, presses, material handling, and associated production equipment and processes.

The Mentor works closely with the responsible Value Stream Manager(s) to execute established priorities and support achievement of departmental goals for safety, quality, production, on-time delivery, labor utilization, waste, training, equipment performance, and continuous improvement.

This position serves as a hands-on leader and subject matter expert on the manufacturing floor and is expected to actively support production while developing employees, reinforcing standards, identifying problems, and driving improvements. The Mentor plays a key role in training and employee development using Training Within Industry (TWI) principles and Job Instruction (JI) methods.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Ensure all employees work in a safe, productive, and quality-focused manner and follow established safety policies, procedures, and work practices.

Serve as a floor-level leader, trainer, and technical resource for employees within the Layup & Softwood Departments.

Support the VSMs in achieving departmental goals for safety, quality, production, on-time delivery, labor utilization, waste, cost, and employee development.

Coordinate employees, work assignments, equipment, and material flow throughout the shift to support production requirements and customer needs.

Monitor production performance and adjust work priorities or resources as needed to maintain efficient product flow.

Work directly in critical production areas when needed to support production requirements, quality, training, or staffing needs.

Monitor product quality throughout the manufacturing process and take appropriate action when products do not meet established specifications or quality standards.

Serve as a primary quality control resource on the manufacturing floor, helping employees understand and consistently meet internal and customer quality requirements.

Softwoods Operations Develop and maintain strong working knowledge of Softwoods processes and equipment, including:

Core Prep Veneer drying and dryer operations

Veneer preparation and handling

Material staging and movement

Applicable mobile equipment

Quality requirements associated with veneer and core materials

Monitor the availability and condition of veneer and core materials needed to support Layup production.

Coordinate Softwoods production priorities with Layup requirements to ensure the appropriate material, quantity, quality, and mix are available when needed.

Monitor material flow through Softwoods and proactively address shortages, bottlenecks, quality concerns, or equipment issues that could affect downstream production.

Monitor veneer and core quality and ensure questionable or nonconforming material is appropriately identified and addressed.

Support efficient dryer and Core Prep performance and communicate downtime, quality, material, or equipment concerns requiring VSM or Maintenance follow-up.

Maintain effective organization, housekeeping, material storage, and staging within Softwoods work areas.

Layup Operations Develop and maintain strong working knowledge of Layup processes and equipment, including:

Veneer preparation and assembly

Layup operations

Spreaders

Press operations

Glue application and related processes

Material handling

Associated Layup equipment and processes

Monitor production flow through Layup and take appropriate action to maintain established production priorities.

Ensure required veneer and other materials are available to support the planned production schedule.

Coordinate production activities to minimize unnecessary WIP, waiting, handling, and production interruptions.

Monitor product quality throughout Layup and take appropriate action when products or…