Operations Development Program

Hydrite; Town of Cottage Grove (WI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to 10% retirement contribution

$600 wellness incentive per year

Medical/Dental/Vision—eligible first‑a

Job summary

Hydrite is seeking problem-solvers to join its Operations Development Program, which places you first in a plant supervisory seat while you rotate through manufacturing leadership positions. The program spans two to three rotations of nine to twelve months, culminating in a permanent operations role.

You will own safety, supervise teams, and learn process improvements as you advance. The company emphasizes campus recruiting and collaboration with HR to shape your long-term placement and career

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry, supply chain, or business.
• Prior leadership experience through internship, co-op, military service, or a previous role is strongly preferred.
• Open to new graduates and to current Hydrite employees moving into operations leadership.
• Willingness to relocate and travel 10–25% is expected.

Responsibilities

• Own safety performance for the assigned area, setting the expectation through daily presence on the floor and through how issues are raised, investigated, and closed.
• Supervise a production or shift team, holding accountability for staffing, coaching, performance conversations, and day-to-day execution against the schedule.
• Learn the site's manufacturing processes in depth, developing the technical fluency needed to make sound operating decisions.
• Lead or contribute to engineering and continuous improvement projects that run alongside daily supervisory responsibilities.
• Take on a second assignment in process engineering, supply chain, maintenance, quality, continuous improvement, or EHS.
• Present an annual report out at the Operations Managers Meeting to expose you to plant management.
• Participate in campus recruiting alongside the Early Talent Program.
• Work with HR and the Operations VP on assignment progress for deliberate permanent placement.

Skills

Leadership experience

Relocation willingness

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry, supply chain, or business

Job description

And we are looking for problem-solvers to join our growing team.

BENEFITS

• Up to 10% Retirement Contribution
• $600 per Year Wellness Incentive
• Medical, Dental, and Vision - Eligible first day of the month following hire date.

OPERATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - First Rotation as a Shift Supervisor

The Operations Management Rotational Program is a leadership-first development role for those building a career in Hydrite manufacturing operations. The program runs two to three years across two to three rotations of nine to twelve months, and it opens in a plant supervisory seat. From the first assignment the role owns safety, team accountability, and daily execution for a production area, learning our processes from the floor up.

Assignments follow real site openings rather than a fixed curriculum. Plant managers and functional leads identify where a participant adds genuine value and confirm they have the bandwidth to develop someone, and participants are matched accordingly. The program concludes in a permanent operations role, with placement agreed during the second rotation so the final rotation serves as onboarding into that job.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Own safety performance for the assigned area, setting the expectation through daily presence on the floor and through how issues are raised, investigated, and closed.
• Supervise a production or shift team, holding accountability for staffing, coaching, performance conversations, and day-to-day execution against the schedule.
• Learn the site's manufacturing processes in depth, developing the technical fluency needed to make sound operating decisions and to earn the confidence of experienced operators.
• Lead or contribute to engineering and continuous improvement projects that run alongside daily supervisory responsibilities.
• Take on a second assignment in process engineering, supply chain, maintenance, quality, continuous improvement, or EHS, applying the same ownership to a functional or cross-site problem.
• Present an annual report out at the Operations Managers Meeting, building exposure to plant management beyond the assignment site.
• Participate in campus recruiting alongside the Early Talent Program, representing Hydrite to the next group of candidates.
• Work with Human Resources and the Operations VP on assignment progress, future interests, and open roles, so that the permanent placement is built deliberately rather than by default.

REPORTING STRUCTURE

• This position reports to the Manufacturing Manager.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry, supply chain, or a general business discipline.
• Prior leadership experience through an internship, co-op, military service, or a previous role is strongly preferred, since the program opens in a supervisory seat.
• Open to new graduates and to current Hydrite employees moving into operations leadership.
• Credibility with a plant floor team: sound judgment under pressure, willingness to be present on off shifts, and the ability to hold a standard without losing the room.
• Willingness to relocate. Relocation significantly expands opportunity both during the program and after it, and the program is open to every Hydrite manufacturing site.
• Travel of 10 to 25 percent is expected.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Benefits and perks include 401k and profit sharing, medical/dental/vision/life insurance, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, adoption assistance, legal services insurance, scholarship awards for children of employees, summer picnic, community giving events, free family wellness coaching including nutritionist and fitness coach.

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Hydrite is unable to provide sponsorship at this time.