Manufacturing Supervisor

ThermoFisher Scientific; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 84,000 - 121,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental plans

Vision plan

PTO and holidays

Parental leave

401(k) plan

Employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

Thermo Fisher Scientific in Santa Clara, California, seeks a Supervisor, Manufacturing, to lead daily site operations in a GMP environment and ensure safe, compliant, high-quality production. You will coach and develop the manufacturing team, manage schedules, and drive continuous improvement across Lean, CAPA, and deviation handling.

This frontline leadership role partners with Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Validation to meet customer commitments, deliver on-time production, and

Qualifications

• Advanced degree with 3 years in manufacturing and 2 years of leadership experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent with 5 years in manufacturing and 2 years leadership.
• Associate’s Degree in Engineering or Technical field with 7 years in manufacturing and 2 years leadership.
• High School Diploma with 9 years in manufacturing and 2 years leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily manufacturing operations to meet schedules, quality, and customer commitments.
• Direct and coordinate activities across Manufacturing Technicians to ensure efficient production.
• Monitor workflow, staffing, and resources for optimal performance.
• Drive on-time delivery, productivity, throughput, and cost performance.
• Ensure GMP compliance, quality systems, deviation investigations, and CAPA.
• Support new product introductions, transfers, and continuous improvement projects.
• Foster Lean/ PPI initiatives and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Manufacturing operations

GMP knowledge

Leadership

Quality systems

CAPA

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Advanced degree

Bachelor's in Engineering

Associate in Engineering/Technical

High School Diploma with experience

Tools

SAP

Agile

MES

TrackWise

MasterControl

Power BI

Job description

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Able to lift 40 lbs. without assistance, Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Laboratory Setting, Loud Noises (Equipment/Machinery), Office, Various outside weather conditions, Warehouse, Working at heights

Job Description

How You Will Make an Impact:

The Supervisor, Manufacturing, leads daily manufacturing operations at the site, ensuring the safe, compliant, and efficient execution of production activities to meet customer and business requirements. This role is a frontline manufacturing leadership role responsible for delivering safe, compliant, high-quality production results while leading, developing, and holding a manufacturing team accountable for operational performance, workforce engagement, and business objectives within a GMP-regulated environment. The position drives workforce management, employee development, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration while ensuring compliance with quality, safety, and regulatory standards.

Day In The Life:

• Lead daily manufacturing operations to ensure production schedules, customer commitments, quality requirements, and business objectives are achieved.
• Direct, prioritize, and coordinate manufacturing activities across Manufacturing Technicians, Sr. Manufacturing Technicians, and Lead Manufacturing Technicians.
• Monitor workflow, production performance, staffing levels, and resource allocation to ensure efficient execution of production plans.
• Drive on-time delivery, productivity, throughput, quality, and cost performance metrics through effective operational management.
• Conduct regular Gemba walks, monitor daily management metrics, and identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, delivery, and productivity.
• Ensure manufacturing activities are performed in compliance with GMP, quality, safety, and documentation requirements.
• Review and approve manufacturing documentation, support deviation investigations, CAPA activities, and audit readiness initiatives.
• Support new product introductions, process validations, production transfers, and continuous improvement projects.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and Practical Process Improvement (PPI) initiatives to improve operational performance and eliminate waste.
• Partner with Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Project Management, Validation, and Maintenance teams to support manufacturing priorities and resolve operational issues.
• Manage employee schedules, shift coverage, vacation planning, timekeeping, attendance, and workforce planning activities to support operational requirements.
• Hold team members accountable for attendance, punctuality, productivity, quality, safety, training compliance and adherence to company policies and procedures.
• Support recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and workforce planning activities to maintain appropriate staffing levels.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and development opportunities to support employee growth and performance.
• Conduct performance discussions, address performance concerns, and administer corrective actions in accordance with company policies and procedures.
• Ensure employees receive appropriate onboarding, training, qualification, and cross-training to maintain workforce flexibility and operational continuity.
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, continuous learning, teamwork, and customer focus.
• Escalate operational, quality, staffing, and resource issues as appropriate and support implementation of corrective actions.
• Maintain a safe, compliant, and audit-ready manufacturing environment. Perform other duties as assigned.

The responsibilities described above are representative of the nature and level of work performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities.

Education & Experience:

Required:

• Advanced Degree with 3 years of experience in manufacturing, production, assembly, or operations environment and 2 years of leadership experience OR

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent with 5 years of experience in a manufacturing, production, assembly, or operations environment 2 years of leadership experience OR

Associate’s Degree in Engineering or Technical field with 7 years of experience in a manufacturing, production, assembly, or operations environment and 2 years of leadership experience OR

High School Diploma with 9 years of experience in a manufacturing, production, assembly, or operations environment and 2 years of leadership experience.

• Experience leading or supervising manufacturing teams and supporting daily production operations.
• Experience managing production schedules, staffing requirements, workflow prioritization and operational performance.
• Experience with GMP, quality systems, deviation management, CAPA processes and regulatory compliance requirements.

Preferred:

• Experience in single-use technologies, biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, or medical device manufacturing environments.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma or operational excellence certification.
• Experience supporting process validation, FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) activities and new product introductions.
• Experience managing cross-functional manufacturing projects and continuous improvement initiatives.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Required:

• Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations, production planning, and workflow management within regulated environments.
• Knowledge of GMP, quality systems, deviation investigations, CAPA processes, and audit readiness requirements.
• Ability to lead, motivate, coach, and develop manufacturing teams to achieve operational objectives.
• Ability to manage attendance, schedules, staffing levels, vacation planning, and workforce utilization.
• Ability to hold employees accountable for performance, attendance, safety, quality, and compliance expectations.
• Experience conducting performance evaluations, coaching discussions, and corrective action processes.
• Strong leadership, conflict resolution, and employee relations skills.
• Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and root cause analysis capabilities.
• Ability to analyze operational data, identify trends, and implement performance improvements.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, ERP systems, and manufacturing-related systems.

Preferred:

• Experience with SAP, Agile, MES, TrackWise, MasterControl, or similar systems.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, PPI, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience with Power BI or manufacturing performance dashboards.
• Change management and organizational development experience.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

• Frequent standing and walking on the manufacturing floor for extended periods (up to 6–8 hours per shift)
• Occasional sitting for administrative and reporting tasks
• Bending, reaching, and light physical movement required to support floor operations and monitor processes
• Occasional lifting of materials or equipment up to 25 lbs
• Minimal requirement for heavy lifting; assistance or equipment available where needed
• Combination of office and manufacturing floor environment
• Regular exposure to GMP-regulated and quality-controlled manufacturing environments requiring PPE (e.g., gowns, gloves, safety shoes & glasses)
• Exposure to production equipment and moderate noise levels
• May require flexibility to support different shifts or extended hours based on production needs

Occasional participation in audits or cross-functional activities within the facility

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range estimated for this position based in California is $83,600.00–$120,900.00.

This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:

• A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
• Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
• At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
• Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
• Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount

For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.