Lead Extrusion Operator & Team Lead (Dry Pet Food)

United Petfood; Decatur (AR); On-site; USD 25,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

United Petfood’s Decatur, Arkansas facility seeks a Lead Production Operator – Extrusion to manage daily extrusion activities, guide a production team, and uphold safety and quality standards. This hands-on leadership role requires coordinating schedules, training staff, and driving continuous improvement in a fast-paced dry pet food operation.

The position reports to the Production Shift Supervisor and entails working on-site with overtime and weekend requirements to meet production targets and

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum of three years' experience operating extrusion equipment.
• Minimum of one year in a manufacturing lead role or coordinating production activities.
• Advanced knowledge of extrusion equipment setup and troubleshooting.
• Ability to operate and troubleshoot manufacturing equipment independently.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and ability to use hand tools and measuring devices.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate daily extrusion operations and support production schedules.
• Provide day-to-day work direction and technical guidance to operators.
• Lead shift startup meetings and communicate safety and production updates.
• Monitor product quality and process parameters to ensure compliance with specifications.
• Coordinate with Maintenance and FSQA on issues and improvements.
• Train and coach new production employees.

Skills

Extrusion operations

Leadership

Staff training

Safety compliance

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

United Petfood’s Decatur, Arkansas facility seeks a Lead Production Operator – Extrusion to manage daily extrusion activities, guide a production team, and uphold safety and quality standards. This hands-on leadership role requires coordinating schedules, training staff, and driving continuous improvement in a fast-paced dry pet food operation.

The position reports to the Production Shift Supervisor and entails working on-site with overtime and weekend requirements to meet production targets and