Manufacturing Operator

ZOLTEK Corporation; Saint Charles (MO); On-site; USD 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

ZOLTEK Corporation is seeking Manufacturing Operators at our Saint Charles, MO facility. You will operate and maintain carbon fiber production equipment, monitor processes, and ensure products meet quality standards.

The role emphasizes safety, teamwork, and operational excellence. Shifts are 12.25 hours long with rotating schedules; candidates should be able to lift up to 50 pounds and work in a climate-controlled environment with potential exposure to airborne particles.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or a GED is required.
• Experience of 1 year or more in manufacturing or a factory environment is strongly desired.
• Ability to perform simple mathematical calculations, read and interpret documents, follow procedures, document information, communicate effectively with shift lead and co-workers.
• Ability to troubleshoot and take effective corrective action to resolve problems.
• Strong manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination to operate machinery and assemble product.

Responsibilities

• Operate, monitor, and assist with the setup of carbon fiber manufacturing equipment.
• Collect, remove, and package product samples for QC testing.
• Label materials and manage inventory documentation for shipment readiness.
• Perform quality inspections to ensure product meets specs.
• Track production performance and communicate variances for improvements.
• Maintain a clean, safe work environment and adhere to PPE requirements.
• Monitor and adjust equipment to maximize efficiency and quality.
• Collaborate with production, maintenance, and quality teams to meet goals.

Skills

High school diploma or GED

Manufacturing experience

Manual dexterity

Teamwork

Safety awareness

Job description

Zoltek, a subsidiary of Toray Group, is a world leader in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of industrial grade carbon fiber. Our mission is to lead the commercialization of carbon fiber through our development of a price-competitive, high-performance reinforcement for composites used in a broad range of commercial products. Carbon fiber-reinforced composites are remarkable in their performance characteristics and properties that include high strength, low weight, high stiffness, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and electrical conductivity.

As a growing global corporation, we believe that every employee makes an important contribution to the overall success of the company; therefore our objective is to offer an excellent working environment in which all of us can take pride while providing the highest quality products and services to our customers. We currently employ over 2,000 employees at manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Mexico, and Hungary, and our sales and distribution network is worldwide. For current openings in the United States please see the list below and for our international opportunities please use the links above.

Equal Opportunity Information

Zoltek is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and prohibits discrimination based on any protected status, workplace harassment/bullying and retaliation for filing a complaint or providing information related to a complaint. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and medical related conditions), age (40 and over), national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local laws.

It is Zoltek’s policy to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans (including but not limited to, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans, and active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans).

If you are an applicant with a disability and require assistance in the job application process, we invite you to request a reasonable accommodation. Please provide us with your name and contact information by email ( [e-mail] )or contact Human Resources at 314-291-5110. We will respond to your request as soon as possible. Please note: we will only respond to requests relative to accommodations for the job application process.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:

Title: Manufacturing Operator ($22.26/hr) Classification: Full time/non-exempt Reports to: Production Manager Location: St. Charles, MO (MRP) Date Posted: September 18, 2026

Zoltek is currently seeking motivated individuals to join our manufacturing team as Machine Operators across a variety of production areas.

Zoltek is looking for talented and dependable Manufacturing Operators to join our production team. In this role, you will operate and maintain manufacturing equipment, monitor production processes, and ensure products meet established quality standards. We are seeking individuals who are committed to safety, quality, teamwork, and operation excellence.

Zoltek does not hire individuals who require sponsorship for employment eligibility in the U.S.

Work Schedule: The Manufacturing Operator will work 12.25-hour shifts. The night shift schedule is 7:45 PM to 8:00 AM (7.5%-night differential included in pay), day shift schedule is 7:45 AM to 8:00 PM. The work week is an alternating 36.25 or 49 hours (12-hour shifts rotating on a 2-week cycle: 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off) resulting in a 3-day weekend every other week and some built in overtime.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operate, monitor, and assist with the setup of carbon fiber manufacturing equipment to support safe, efficient, and high-quality production.
• Collect, remove, and package product samples for Quality Control testing to help ensure our products consistently meet the highest standards of quality and performance.
• Prepare finished products for shipment by labeling materials, managing inventory documentation, and safely handling materials weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Conduct Quality inspections throughout the process to ensure product meet specifications and customer expectations.
• Track production performance and communicate process improvements, equipment concerns, or production variances to support operational excellence.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment that promotes efficiency, teamwork, and workplace safety.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to safety by following environmental, safety, and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.
• Monitor and adjust equipment performance to maximize efficiency, product quality, and production output.
• Collaborate with team members across production, maintenance, and quality functions to achieve operational goals and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support the success of the manufacturing operation by taking on additional responsibilities and contributing to a culture of teamwork and innovation.

Qualifications:

• Graduation from high school or a GED is required
• Experience of 1 year or more in manufacturing or a factory environment is strongly desired
• Ability to perform simple mathematical calculations, read and interpret documents, follow procedures, document information, communicate effectively with shift lead and co-workers
• Ability to troubleshoot and take effective corrective action to resolve problems
• Strong manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination to operate machinery and assemble product

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 the job:
Lift, push, pull up to 50 lbs. from scale and properly close and seal for shipment.
Ability to go up and down stairs to reach work area.
Job involves lifting, turning, twisting, squatting, stoop, crouch, crawl, bending, reaching, pulling, walking and standing for extended periods of time.
Ability to operate a forklift is a plus, not required.

Work Environment: The work environments characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations could be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The atmosphere contains airborne particles, and excessive fly may be present.
Work environment is hot and humid in the summer and cold in the winter, not climate controlled
Material is itchy.
Employees will be exposed to plant environment, which contains noise, moving mechanical parts and fumes or airborne particles.
Handling carbon fiber material causes moderate to severe itchiness.

Zoltek is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation or expression, religion, national origin, marital status, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.

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