Mill Operator

ZOLTEK Corporation; Saint Charles (MO); On-site; USD 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Zoltek-Toray Group is seeking a Mill Operator in St. Charles, MO. The role involves operating and maintaining mill equipment, monitoring production, and ensuring product quality in a safety-focused environment.

The position requires a high school diploma or GED, and 1+ year in manufacturing; training will emphasize safety, quality, teamwork, and operational excellence. Typical schedule is Monday-Thursday shifts with potential overtime.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• At least 1 year in manufacturing or factory environment preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret documents and perform basic math.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain milling equipment as assigned.
• Monitor production processes and ensure product quality.
• Assemble boxes and package finished materials for shipment.
• Prepare quality control samples for testing.
• Follow safety policies and PPE requirements.

Skills

Reading documents

Math/calculation

Communication

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma or GED

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: Mill Operator ($25.88 per/hr)

Classification: Nonexempt/hourly

Reports to: Production Manager

Location: St. Charles, MO (MRP)

Date Posted: 9/18/2026

Zoltek is currently seeking motivated individuals to join our manufacturing team as Mill Operator.

Job Summary:
Zoltek-Toray Group is looking for talented and dependable individuals to join our team as a Mill Operator. In this role you will operate and maintain the mill 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 for this position requires availability Monday- Thursday 4:30 am – 3:00 pm, with occasional overtime as needed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Feed quality-approved fiber into milling equipment to support production operations.
• Monitor milling equipment to ensure safe, efficient, and continuous operation.
• Inspect processed material to verify product quality and compliance with customer specifications.
• Assemble boxes and package finished materials for shipment.
• Collect and prepare quality control samples for testing.
• Move, seal, and prepare product boxes weighing up to 50 pounds for shipment.
• Apply product labels and complete required production and inventory documentation accurately.
• Identify and report equipment, quality, or production issues to leadership promptly.
• Communicate effectively with production supervisors and team members regarding operational concerns.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area.
• Follow all safety policies, PPE requirements, and emergency response procedures.
• Perform required product testing and inspections to ensure compliance with established specifications.
• Support the success of the milling 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

Physical Demands

• 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.
• Must be able to wear a respirator which could require clean shaven face.

Work Environment

• 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, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation or expression, religion, national origin, marital status, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.

Still not sure which
ZOLTEK Product is the
best fit for you?