Operations Supervisor

ADTRAN, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

ADTRAN, Inc. is seeking an Operations Supervisor to oversee daily electronic assembly and manufacturing activities on the production floor.

You will guide assemblers, technicians, and operators, ensuring quality, throughput, and safety while coordinating with engineering, QA, supply chain, and maintenance to drive improvements. Ideal candidates have strong leadership, 5S/Lean knowledge, and experience in production metrics, IPC/ESD/ISO standards, and change management.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; equivalent experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and supervise operational staff, ensuring productivity and adherence to company policies.

Skills

Leadership

Conflict resolution

Communication skills

MS Office

SPC knowledge

Inventory systems

Lean methodologies

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Bachelor's/Associate in Operations or Business Management or related

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Summary

The Operations supervisor oversees the daily activities of electronic assembly and manufacturing processes to ensure efficient, accurate, and high-quality production output. This role provides hands-on leadership to assemblers, technicians, and machine operators working with electronic components, PCB assemblies and test equipment. The supervisor is responsible for maintaining workflow, monitoring production metrics and ensuring compliance industry standards such as IPC, ESD controls and ISO Quality requirements. Working closely with engineering, quality assurance, supply chain, and maintenance teams, the supervisor supports new product introductions, resolves process issues, and drives continuous improvement initiatives to enhance yield, reduce defects, and optimize throughput. The position also enforces safety protocols, ensures proper equipment usage and material handling, and fosters a collaborative, high-performance team environment. The Supervisor will spend much of their time on the manufacturing floor guiding their employees.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and supervise operational staff, ensuring productivity and adherence to company policies.
• Monitor workflow, resource allocation, takt times and throughput of teams to maintain optimal line efficiency.
• Adjust staffing or processes to address bottlenecks or equipment issues.
• Implement operational procedures to improve efficiency, quality, and output.
• Assists in conducting interviews and assessing candidate qualifications.
• Effectively communicate with their team, their peers, management, and other departments to ensure collaboration and operational efficiency.
• Address performance concerns and support continuous skill development.
• Will be required to write effective performance evaluations on all personnel.
• Manage inventory and allocation of materials.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes using Lean, 5S, or Kaizen tools.
• Ensure compliance with safety regulations and quality standards, conduct inspections and perform corrective actions when necessary.
• Responsible for obtaining the training and tools necessary for the team to perform jobs effectively.
• Continuously seek, identify, and provide process improvement recommendations to ensure performance, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
• Other projects and assignments may result and be assigned to accommodate the changing needs of the department and the Company.

Preferred Qualifications

• B.S. or Associate’s Degree preferred in Operations or Business Management or a relative field.

Basic Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required o Equivalent experience will be considered in lieu of education requirements
• 5 years prior Supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong ability to lead teams, resolve conflicts and communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Must understand production processes, supply chain management, and Lean methodologies.
• Intermediate Microsoft Office knowledge required.
• Knowledge of SPC methods and reporting, test processes, and automated inventory systems required.
• No travel is expected for this position.

Essential Physical and Mental Qualifications

• The employee must walk and stand for extended periods of time, lift up to 35 pounds without assistance on a periodic basis and lift materials greater than 35 pounds with assistance.
• Manual dexterity with hands and fingers is necessary to make quick, precisely coordinated movements to grasp, manipulate, and assemble very small objects on a consistent basis.
• Must be able to frequently extend or reach with hands and arms while performing routine job functions including scanners, hand tools, power tools, and production equipment.
• The job will require occasional climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, and crouching.
• Eye protection, respirators, and safety clothing will be required and supplied by the company in instances where there is exposure to safety hazards.
• Employees may be exposed to solder fumes.
• The job will require the employee to possess the ability to see and interpret instructions, warnings, safety hazards, colors, and procedures, the ability to hear alarms and pages, to listen for safety hazards, to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences in English, and the ability to communicate with peers through spoken words in English to complete job requirements.

About Adtran

Adtran is a leading global provider of fiber-based networking solutions and SaaS applications, focused on the broadband access market. Our comprehensive portfolio spans from the metro core to the customer premises, enabling network providers to deliver Gigabit broadband to every home and business. Our vision is to enable a fully connected world where the power to communicate is available to everyone, everywhere. At Adtran, we believe in our people. With a diverse and inclusive team spread across the globe, our culture embraces creativity and seeks innovation and quality in everything we do. Built on a foundation of communication, trust, collaboration, and an entrepreneurial spirit enables us to be a global technology leader and a strong customer advocate. Adtran began operations in January 1986. Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, Adtran is located in Cummings Research Park - the second-largest research park in the U.S. and fourth-largest in the world. Our mailing address is 901 Explorer Boulevard, Huntsville, Alabama, 35806. Adtran, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adtran Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADTN and FSE: QH9). Find out more at adtran.com, or follow our story on LinkedIn and Twitter.