Food Packaging & Processing Line Lead

Food Packaging & Processing Line Lead — Manteno, IL

Type: Full-time | Assignment: Contract-to-Hire

Is this you?

• Do you thrive on the production floor—coaching operators, solving equipment hiccups, and keeping output on target?
• Do GMPs, food safety, and quality checks come as second nature?
• Are you comfortable balancing people, materials, and machines in a fast-moving food manufacturing environment?

Your impact

• Own line staffing: assign work, rotate stations, and manage breaks to maintain flow.
• Onboard and train team members on roles, safety, quality, and process fundamentals.
• Watch the line for bottlenecks; address operator-level issues to reduce downtime.
• Keep safety front and center—enforce PPE, GMPs, and company policies.
• Partner with Quality Assurance to protect food-safety and product standards.
• Verify materials and recipes are correct before and during runs.
• Track output, downtime, and material usage; complete production boards and centerline documentation accurately.
• Align with Warehouse on inventory and staging needs.
• Escalate equipment concerns, shortages, and safety risks to supervisors/management.
• Coach and mentor the team while driving continuous improvement.

Must-haves

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 2–3 years of production experience in food manufacturing or closely related manufacturing.
• Hands-on understanding of line equipment and production workflows.
• Demonstrated leadership on the production line.
• Mechanical aptitude; able to troubleshoot and perform routine operator maintenance.
• Strong communicator and collaborative teammate with solid math and reading comprehension.
• Commitment to GMPs, food-safety, quality, and workplace safety.
• Able to lift up to 50 lbs. and stand/walk for extended periods, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Comfort with variable temperatures and loud machinery or equipment alarms.
• Reliable use of required PPE and adherence to safety procedures.
• Availability to work up to six days per week as business and production needs require.

Nice to have

• Food manufacturing or food-production background.
• Experience with film-based packaging equipment.
• Exposure to Texwrap or Shanklin systems.
• Prior work on food production or packaging lines.

Pay, schedule, and assignment

• Hourly rate: $24.00–$28.00
• Shifts: 1st and 2nd shift opportunities
• Assignment: Contract-to-Hire

Benefits upon client conversion

• Medical, dental, and vision from day one
• 401(k) with company match
• PTO
• Growth and development opportunities
• Additional benefits

Why join now?

Lead on the floor while building leadership experience that can propel you toward a Supervisor role. You’ll guide people, protect safety and quality, and help a Manteno, IL food operation hit its production goals—every shift.

Where you’ll shine

• Leadership / People Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Food and Beverage Manufacturing
• Manufacturing Instruction (MI)
• FDA Regulations
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Supervisory Experience
• Production Optimization
• Coaching and Mentoring Experience
• ERP & MRP Systems
• Inventory Management & Control
• Workplace Safety & EHS Management
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

Tech you’ll touch

• ERP Software