RDE Lab Team Lead

Reynolds Consumer Products; Jacksonville (IL); On-site; USD 34,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Reynolds Consumer Products in Jacksonville, IL, is seeking an RDE Lab Team Lead. This hands-on leadership role combines daily testing with oversight of laboratory operations, ensuring data quality and audit readiness, while guiding a small team.

You will lead testing, coordinate priorities with management, own audit preparation, maintain organized labs, and mentor staff, with a focus on safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• 3+ years of manufacturing experience.
• Demonstrated leadership responsibilities.
• Associate's degree preferred; high-school diploma or equivalent combination of education, technical training, and relevant work experience will be considered.
• Prior manufacturing, continuous improvement, quality, maintenance, process, or production support experience.
• Strong computer skills, including Excel analysis, pivots, formulas, charts, filtering, sorting, and comparing performance trends.

Responsibilities

• Hands-on laboratory testing and leadership of the lab team.
• Partner with management to establish laboratory priorities and ensure timely execution of projects.
• Act as the laboratory audit lead, owning audit preparation, documentation, execution, and follow-up actions.
• Maintain laboratory organization standards; ensure workspaces, equipment, records, and data systems are audit-ready and compliant.
• Lead by example in safety, quality, documentation discipline, and adherence to laboratory procedures.
• Support training, mentoring, and skill development of laboratory personnel.

Skills

Leadership experience

Data analysis

Safety awareness

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate's degree preferred

Tools

Power BI

SAP

Gainseeker

Job description

Join Reynolds Consumer Products and Drive Your Career across a world of opportunities! We are passionate about achieving results and have fun winning as a team!

We currently have an opportunity for a RDE Lab Team Lead at our Manufacturing Plant in Jacksonville, IL.

(8 Hour Shift) 12:00PM-8:00PM

Responsibilities

This position serves as a hands ‑ on laboratory leader, combining daily testing responsibilities with leadership accountability for laboratory operations, organization, and audit readiness. The role actively performs laboratory work while providing direction, coordination, and technical leadership to ensure high ‑ quality data, and efficient execution of priorities.

Working Laboratory Leadership

• Serve as a hands ‑ on leader, actively performing laboratory testing while providing guidance and technical direction to others
• Partner with the manage ment to establish laboratory priorities, ensure workload distribution, and ensure timely execution of projects
• Act as the laboratory audit lead, owning audit preparation, documentation, execution, and follow ‑ up actions
• Maintain laboratory organization standards, ensuring workspaces, equipment, records, and data systems are audit ‑ ready and compliant
• Lead by example in safety, quality, documentation discipline, and adherence to laboratory procedures
• Support training, mentoring, and skill development of laboratory personnel

Technical & Testing Execution

• Perform and lead physical property and end ‑ use testing on RCP and competitive products
• Provide technical expertise in test methods, equipment operation, troubleshooting, and data interpretation
• Lead and support new machine testing, testing method validation, and capability assessments
• Identify and drive improvements to testing methods, equipment utilization, and laboratory workflows

Data Integrity & Project Accountability

• Personally ensure accurate recording of data from instruments and test equipment into the Gainseeker database
• Check in, track, and maintain laboratory projects within Gainseeker
• Compile, review, and communicate test results to stakeholders to support:
• Cost reduction initiatives
• New product development
• Competitive product evaluations

Continuous Improvement & Additional Duties

• Lead or participate directly in special testing, development, and continuous improvement projects
• Identify gaps in laboratory processes and drive corrective actions and standardization
• Perform additional laboratory testing and development tasks as assigned

You Will Love It Here If…

• You put safety first, always
• You listen, learn, and evolve
• You are passionate about collaboration, teamwork, and achieving shared goals
• You treat all people with respect, operating ethically, and embrace inclusivity
• You are committed to improving our impact on local communities

Education/Experience

Requirements

Required

• High school diploma or GED.
• 3+ years of manufacturing experience.
• Demonstrated leadership responsibilities.
• Associate's degree in a related field preferred; high-school diploma or equivalent combination of education, technical training, and relevant work experience will be considered.
• Prior manufacturing, continuous improvement, quality, maintenance, process, or production support experience.
• Strong computer skills, including Excel analysis, including pivots, formulas, charts, filtering, sorting, and comparing performance trends.

Preferred

• Experience with RedZone, Ignition, Power BI, SAP, or other manufacturing data/reporting systems.
• Familiarity with Lean Tools, CI, DMS, 5S, standard work, 5 Why, A3, kaizen, RCA, SMED.
• Experience supporting improvement work tied to savings, scrap reduction, downtime reduction, waste reduction, throughput, quality, or labor productivity.
• Ability to use data and floor observations together to identify recurring issues, process deviations, and improvement opportunities.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Knowledge of manufacturing operations and standardized work principles.
• Ability to lead, coach, and develop employees.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to prioritize work and coordinate multiple operational activities.
• Ability to build collaborative working relationships across functional teams.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

Competencies

• Directs Work – Organizes people and resources to consistently achieve operational objectives.
• Develops Talent – Builds individual capability through coaching, feedback, and ongoing development.
• Builds Effective Teams – Creates a collaborative environment focused on shared accountability and results.
• Decision Quality – Makes timely, sound decisions using available information and operational judgment.
• Drives Results – Maintains focus on achieving safety, quality, delivery, and productivity goals.
• Communicates Effectively – Shares information clearly and fosters open communication across all levels of the organization.

RCP affords equal employment opportunities to applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, disability status, sex, marital status, protected veteran status, pregnancy, national origin, genetics, genetic information, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. RCP conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Pay Range

USD $29.80 - USD $29.80 /H