Lead Operator - Molding, Night Shift

ITW; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

ITW Medical, a division of ITW, seeks a Lead Operator in Washington, DC, on a 12-hour rotating shift. You will be the technical SME for line equipment, ensuring safety, quality and productivity while coaching production staff.

Your hands-on leadership and troubleshooting help sustain output and data-driven decisions. ITW offers a path for continuous improvement within a global manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2-3 years of manufacturing or production experience.
• Minimum 1 year of experience operating equipment or processes within the assigned production area.
• Proficiency with work instructions, procedures, quality requirements, and production documentation.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to train others and provide technical guidance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical resource for assigned equipment and processes.
• Lead safety, quality and standard work on the production floor.
• Run start-of-shift huddles and shift handoffs with the team.
• Provide real-time troubleshooting and guidance to operators.
• Conduct on-the-job training and maintain training records.
• Identify risks and escalate issues with the Shift Supervisor.
• Stabilize quality, throughput, and equipment performance.
• Monitor productivity, downtime and process metrics.
• Maintain production records and visual management systems.
• Support investigations and corrective actions.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Equipment operation

Quality documentation

Safety leadership

Training others

Job description

Job Description:

ABOUT ITW MEDICAL

ITW (NYSE: ITW) is a Fortune 300 global multi-industrial manufacturing leader with revenue of $16 billion in 2025. The company’s seven industry-leading segments leverage the unique ITW Business Model to drive solid growth with best-in-class margins and returns in markets where highly innovative, customer-focused solutions are required. ITW’s approximately 43,000 dedicated colleagues around the world thrive in the company’s decentralized and entrepreneurial culture.

ITW Medical, a division of ITW, is comprised of two highly respected brands- Coeur and Filtertek, supplying critical filtration and flow control solutions to global OEM’s, serving Surgical, Infusion, Bioprocessing and Diagnostic Imaging end markets.

General Accountability

The Lead Operator is the technical subject-matter expert for their assigned equipment, process, and production area. This role maintains hands-on ownership at the line level and serves as the first point of contact for real-time troubleshooting, process decisions, equipment issues, quality concerns, and operational support for production associates. The Lead Operator partners closely with the Shift Supervisor to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and productivity objectives while leading by example on the production floor.

12-hour rotating shift: 7:00pm -7:00am

Week 1: Monday, Tuesday

Week 2: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical resource and subject-matter expert for assigned equipment and processes.


• Lead by example in safety, quality, standard work, and operational discipline.


• Conduct start-of-shift huddles and shift handoff communications within the assigned area.


• Provide real-time troubleshooting and technical guidance to operators.


• Conduct on-the-job training and maintain required training sign-off documentation.


• Partner with the Shift Supervisor to identify operational risks and **escalate** issues promptly.


• Provide hands-on leadership to stabilize quality, throughput, and equipment performance.


• Make and communicate line-level operational recommendations including start/stop decisions in alignment with the Shift Supervisor.


• Monitor productivity, scrap, downtime, flow, and process performance indicators.


• Coordinate work activities to maximize equipment utilization and schedule attainment.


• Maintain BOJ/EOJ records, production documentation, training records, and visual management systems.


• Ensure adherence to work instructions, procedures, and quality requirements.


• Review and maintain production records and documentation accuracy.


• Identify, contain, and **escalate** quality concerns.


• Support investigations and corrective actions.


• Champion and exemplify safe work practices.


• Address unsafe conditions immediately and **escalate** significant concerns.


• Maintain workplace organization and housekeeping standards.


• Track and communicate operational metrics.


• Support inventory and production transactions.

Qualifications and Skills

Required

• Minimum 2-3 years of manufacturing or production experience.


• Minimum 1 year of experience operating equipment or processes within the assigned production area.


• Demonstrated proficiency in established work instructions, procedures, quality requirements, and production documentation.


• Ability to communicate effectively.


• Demonstrated ability to train others and provide technical guidance.

Preferred

• Experience performing equipment setup, changeovers, troubleshooting, and process adjustments.


• Experience in a regulated manufacturing environment.


• Experience leading projects, training initiatives, or continuous improvement activities.


• Molding-specific process knowledge for molding area.

Competencies/Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This position requires some physical movement around the machine areas, and an operator stands for 90% of their work shift.


• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.


• The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, or crawl; and talk or hear.


• The employee must frequently lift and move 10-60 pounds.


• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.


• Ability to work safely around manufacturing equipment


• Ability to wear PPE

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential.

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.