Production Lead; 1st Shift

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Full Time Rubbercraft, Long Beach, CA, US

Salary Range: $25.00 To $30.25 Hourly

Rubbercraft is seeking a
Production Lead – Extrusion to oversee daily production activities within the assigned department or value stream. This hands-on leadership role is responsible for coordinating production schedules, supporting employees, and ensuring operational goals are achieved in the areas of safety, quality, productivity, on-time delivery, and cost efficiency.

The Production Lead will work closely with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Planning to support production requirements, resolve manufacturing challenges, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

This position operates in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and requires strong leadership, problem-solving, and organizational skills, along with a working knowledge of lean manufacturing principles.

About Rubbercraft: Rubbercraft is a trusted leader in engineered elastomer solutions serving the aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. We design and manufacture precision-molded seals, gaskets, and custom rubber components that perform in the world's most demanding environments. Our culture is built on innovation, collaboration, quality, and customer commitment

• Promote Rubbercraft's mission, vision, and values while fostering a positive, safe, and productive work environment.
• Lead and coordinate daily production activities within the assigned department to meet safety, quality, productivity, and delivery objectives.
• Provide hands-on guidance, direction, and support to production employees to ensure efficient workflow and adherence to established procedures.
• Monitor daily production schedules, staffing requirements, and equipment capacity to ensure customer orders are completed on time.
• Partner with Planning and Operations to prioritize production orders, address scheduling challenges, and support customer delivery commitments.
• Monitor department performance and identify opportunities to improve productivity, quality, efficiency, and cost.
• Apply lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement practices to optimize manufacturing processes and reduce waste.
• Ensure employees follow established work instructions, manufacturing procedures, and quality standards.
• Coordinate with Engineering when manufacturing routers, processes, or work instructions require updates or clarification.
• Support employee training, cross-training, and development to maintain operational flexibility and adequate department coverage.
• Ensure production equipment is properly maintained, operated safely, and reported for repair when necessary.
• Promote workplace safety through adherence to OSHA requirements, environmental health and safety procedures, and 6S practices.
• Support production and inventory control activities to ensure efficient material utilization and workflow.
• Collaborate with Quality and Engineering to identify and resolve production issues, nonconformances, and process inefficiencies.
• Maintain accurate production records and communicate operational updates, challenges, and priorities to management.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• High school diploma or GED required; associate's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Manufacturing, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Experience in a low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environment preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in elastomeric extrusion manufacturing preferred.
• Previous experience in a production lead, team lead, or…