Lead Fermentation Operator

Novonesis; West Allis (WI); On-site; USD 34,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with up to a 9% company contrib

Vacation + Holidays + Wellness Time

Health, Dental, Vision & Life

Healthcare savings account

Employee assistance program

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

All benefits start day one

Job summary

Novonesis is seeking a Lead Fermentation Operator (Nights) to oversee a 24/7 fermentation operation. This hands-on role includes coaching, scheduling, and ensuring safe operations, high-quality output, and strong team performance across a night shift.

You will lead by example, resolve non-conformances, and maintain accurate records while supporting audits and continuous improvement initiatives in fermentation and downstream processes.

Qualifications

• Must have a high school diploma or GED.
• Comfort working in a regulated manufacturing environment with strict documentation.
• Ability to read production journals and perform basic metric math.

Responsibilities

• Lead with safety-first, quality-always mindset and set expectations for the team.
• Coordinate, coach, and support shift performance and coaching across the team.
• Schedule tasks, set priorities, and evaluate results with supervisors.
• Maintain accurate production and inventory records using ERP/MRP systems.
• Support audits, training activities, and continuous improvements across processes.

Skills

Safety mindset

SAP experience

Read production journals

Basic math

Communication skills

Night shift

Lean principles

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

MRP systems

Job description

Interested in a career that matters?

Our West Allis manufacturing team plays a critical role in delivering reliable, world-class biological solutions that impact millions of people globally. Working in a fast-paced, regulated production environment, this team operates with a strong safety-first and quality-always mindset. Collaboration, trust, and continuous improvement are at the heart of how we work—supporting each other across shifts to keep production running safely, efficiently, and on schedule.

The Role & Your Impact

As Lead Fermentation Operator (Nights), you hold a key operational and people-leadership role within our 24/7 manufacturing operation. This is a hands-on, operational role with added responsibility for coordination, coaching, and performance support across the shift. Your leadership helps ensure safe operations, high-quality output, and strong team performance.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead by example with a safety-first, quality-always mindset and set clear expectations for the team.
• Identify, document, and help resolve process non-conformances, equipment failures, and inventory discrepancies using root-cause thinking and lean principles.
• Schedule and assign daily tasks, set priorities, and evaluate results in collaboration with supervisors and planning partners.
• Maintain accurate production, inventory, and process records using electronic MRP systems and document management tools.
• Support audits, training activities, new product trials, and continuous improvement initiatives across fermentation and downstream processes.

What You’ll Need to Be Successful

Must-haves for day-one success:

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Strong safety mindset and comfort working in a regulated manufacturing environment with strict sanitation and documentation requirements.
• Technical aptitude, including ability to read detailed production journals, follow procedures, and perform basic metric math (weights and volumes).
• Basic computer skills for navigating internal systems; experience with SAP or similar systems is beneficial.
• Ability to communicate clearly, provide feedback, and support team performance on a night shift.

Additional Skills & Interests We Value

• Experience in regulated industries such as food, biotech, pharmaceutical, or chemical manufacturing.
• Forklift or pallet walker experience (training provided on-site if needed).
• Interest in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or helping train and develop others.
• Curiosity and motivation to deeply understand processes, not just execute tasks.

What We Offer

At Novonesis, you’ll join a collaborative manufacturing culture where teamwork, ownership, and learning matter. We offer structured training, cross-functional support, and opportunities to grow your technical and leadership skills. You’ll work alongside experienced operators and supervisors who are committed to developing talent and continuously improving how we operate.

Ways of Working / Working Conditions

• Operations: 24/7/365 manufacturing environment supporting the global food supply.
• Shift patterns: 7-on/7-off rotation, including 10-hour weekday shifts and 12-hour weekend shifts (specific assignment discussed during interviews).
• Work environment: Factory setting that can be wet, loud, dusty, or extremely cold (down to -55°C), including clean-room conditions.
• Physical demands: Prolonged standing and walking, lifting up to 50 lbs, and physical tasks such as scooping, kneeling, and working around machinery.
• Policies: Strict no jewelry, no fragrance, and no false nails/lashes policy; cell phones stored in lockers to maintain safety and quality compliance.

Compensation & Benefits

• Hourly rate: $25–$32 per hour, based on experience.
• 401(k) with up to a 9% company contribution
• Minimum of 3 weeksofvacation plus 12 holidays and 2 weeks of Wellness Time
• Health, Dental, Vision & Life insurance
• Healthcare savings accountoption
• Employeeassistanceprogram
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• All benefits begin on your first day

Relevant information

• Location: West Allis, WI, USA
• Application deadline: 11/6/26

Our purpose guides the way

In Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we’ve gotten so far. And it’s how we’ll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

Opportunities for everyone

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.

We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.

Explore other openings

If this position isn’t the right fit, you may still find other opportunities with us. You’re welcome to explore open roles or create a job agent to stay connected with future opportunities at novonesis.com/Career