Lead, Production I - 1st Shift (6:00a - 2:30p)

Lassonde Pappas & Company, Inc.; Hendersonville (NC); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

401K plan

PTO

Tuition reimbursement

Gym membership discounts

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Job summary

Lassonde Pappas & Co., Inc. is seeking a Production Lead to support line balancing and equipment troubleshooting in a fast-paced beverage manufacturing facility in Sparta, Michigan.

You will oversee line operators, ensure safety and quality, and assist with changeovers, testing, and regulatory compliance. The role requires 3–5 years of production experience and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• 3–5 years of production experience operating equipment.
• Excellent verbal communication skills are required.
• Detail-oriented and able to multi-task.
• Excellent time management skills are necessary.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a clean, safe production area; assist with line balancing and troubleshooting.
• Support line operators with picking up dropped items and managing spills.
• Ensure organization and removal of debris near critical equipment.
• Operate and troubleshoot line equipment; support maintenance during downtime.
• Assist with changeovers by adjusting rails and swapping parts on fillers, labelers, and packers.
• Coordinate breaks, supervise and train others; cover for absent operators.
• Maintain a balanced line and minimize waste of packaging materials.
• Perform analytical checks (sensory, CCPs, brix, TA, labeling, coding, tray usage).
• Coordinate with forklift operator for proper bottle usage at the filler.
• Enforce equipment guards and safe lifting practices; train new employees.
• Provide feedback to managers on performance; uphold SQF standards and food safety.

Skills

High-level production leadership

Excellent verbal communication

Detail-oriented

Time management

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Position Summary

We are a US leader in beverage manufacturing. The Production Lead reports to the Production Supervisor and is based in Sparta, Michigan. The role supports line operators by assisting with line balancing, troubleshooting equipment, product quality checks, safety monitoring, and break/lunch relief while maintaining a clean work area.

Primary Responsibilities

• Maintain a clean work area, including occasional hosing down as needed.
• Assist line operators with picking up dropped caps, bottles, labels, cardboard, or other spillage.
• Ensure the area is organized and free of debris such as wood chips from pallets, especially near the filler.
• Keep the line organized and free of debris, wiping down the area as part of the “clean as you go” program.
• Operate and troubleshoot equipment throughout the line and support maintenance during downtime.
• Assist with package changeovers on all equipment by adjusting rails and swapping out parts on the filler, labeler, and packer.
• Coordinate breaks and lunches with other operators and fill in as the operator during their absence.
• Maintain a balanced line and reduce or minimize waste of juice, caps, labels, cardboard, bottles, and other packaging materials.
• Assist operators with analytical checks such as sensory (CQP), monitoring CCP requirements, brix, TA, correct label usage, coding, and tray/RSC usage, and verify individual runs on cap, bottle, and case codes.
• Coordinate with the forklift operator for correct bottle usage at the filler.
• Verify employees are using equipment guards and safe lifting practices.
• Train new employees in the assigned work area.
• Demonstrate advanced field knowledge and lead by example.
• Provide guidance and be accessible for employees to ask questions about the area of expertise.
• Provide positive recognition to employees who exhibit good behavior.
• Provide feedback to managers on individual and team performance.
• Accountable for food safety, food quality, and regulatory requirements for the position.
• Notify management of actual or potential food safety issues.
• Adopt and maintain all SQF requirements.
• Resolve food safety and quality issues within scope of work in supervision.
• Perform taste tests of product as needed, up to a couple ounces per test.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

Education and Experience

Minimum Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 3–5 years of production experience operating equipment
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Detail-oriented and can multi-task
• Excellent time management skills

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the food or beverage industry
• Previous experience in a manufacturing or production environment
• Ability to direct, coach, and train others
• Consultative, influential, strategic thinking, and problem‑solving skills

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

This position requires sufficient physical ability to work in a production setting, including frequent ability to talk and hear; stand, walk, climb stairs, stoop, bend, crouch, push/pull, lift up to 50 pounds; operate machinery; handle wet and humid conditions; and, occasionally, squatting, kneeling, reaching above shoulder height, wearing a dust mask, and performing confined entry using the LOTO program. Vision requirements include using close and distance vision, color and peripheral vision with or without correction. Hearing requirements include hearing in the normal audio range with or without correction and exposure to noise from pumps, machinery, forklift traffic, bottle lines, and exhaust fans.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage options
• Growth and development potential
• 401‑K plan
• Life and disability insurance
• PTO
• Tuition reimbursement
• Health fairs
• Gym membership discounts
• Other benefits

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Lassonde Pappas & Co., Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.