ZEV Technologies Water Spider​/Production Material Hander

Position Summary

The Water Spider is a high-visibility, high-impact support role embedded within pistol and rifle manufacturing operations at Precision Arms Manufacturing, Inc. Operating across both firearm product lines, the Water Spider maintains continuous material flow to CNC machining cells, barrel finishing stations, receiver assembly lines, pistol slide and frame assembly areas, and rifle upper/lower assembly stations. By ensuring that every operator has the right components at the right time, the Water Spider eliminates line stoppages, reduces operator walk time, and drives measurable improvements in throughput and OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness).

This role is a cornerstone of our lean manufacturing culture.

• Execute scheduled kanban milk runs throughout pistol and rifle production cells, delivering components including frames, slides, barrels, trigger groups, bolt carrier groups, upper and lower receivers, handguards, buffer systems, stocks, and associated hardware
• Replenish lineside supermarkets, flow racks, and point-of-use bins according to pull signals, min/max levels, or supervisor direction
• Transport sub-assemblies between cells (e.g., machined pistol slides to finishing; finished lowers to upper assembly) on defined internal routes
• Deliver packaging materials, labels, serialization documentation, and consumables to assembly and inspection stations

• Handle serialized firearm components (frames, receivers) in strict compliance with ATF regulations, company SOPs, and chain-of-custody requirements – maintaining accurate records at every transfer point
• Never commingle serialized pistol and rifle components; follow designated segregation and routing protocols for each product line
• Immediately report and quarantine any serialized component with documentation discrepancies, damage, or traceability concerns to supervision and quality

• Monitor lineside inventory levels in real time; proactively communicate impending shortages to material planners and supervisors before production impact occurs
• Participate in daily, weekly, and periodic cycle counts; investigate and report count variances
• Maintain accurate transaction records in the ERP/MRP system when scanning, receiving, or transferring components

• Stage all required materials, tooling kits, fixtures, and work instructions in advance of scheduled product changeovers between pistol and rifle model runs
• Remove outgoing run materials and return to proper storage locations during changeovers to maintain cell cleanliness and minimize next-run setup time

• Maintain 5S standards across all material flow lanes, staging areas, supermarkets, and lineside locations on both pistol and rifle lines
• Operate manual and powered material handling equipment (pallet jacks, hand trucks, tuggers, forklifts if certified) in compliance with OSHA standards and site safety policies
• Keep aisles, lanes, and emergency egress paths clear at all times
• Report near-misses, unsafe conditions, damaged equipment, or nonconforming materials immediately

• High school diploma or GED
• Minimum 1 year of experience in manufacturing, production support, warehousing, or material handling
• Ability to read and interpret work orders, router travelers, kanban cards, pick lists, and BOMs
• Basic math skills and ability to perform accurate inventory counts
• Strong sense of urgency, reliability, and attention to detail
• Legally eligible to work in a federally licensed firearms manufacturing facility (see Compliance section)

• Experience in firearms, defense, aerospace, or other regulated manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing, kanban/pull systems, or JIT material flow
• Forklift or powered industrial truck (PIT) certification
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, Epicor, or similar)
• Knowledge of firearm components specific to semi-automatic pistols (frame, slide, barrel, trigger group) and semi-automatic/bolt-action rifles (upper, lower, BCG, barrel, stock/chassis)

• Ability to stand,…