Sawmill Green End Production Lead

Vicksburg Forest Products; Vicksburg (MS); On-site; USD 57,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Vicksburg Forest Products is seeking a Green Production Supervisor to lead the green end of the sawmill, overseeing log deck, debarker, headrig, edger, and trimmer operations. You will drive safety, efficiency, and throughput while coordinating with maintenance and other mill teams to keep material moving.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in sawmill production, at least 1 year in supervision, and strong leadership and communication skills.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; technical/vocational training in wood products manufacturing a plus.
• 3+ years of experience in sawmill or wood products manufacturing, including hands-on experience with green end equipment (headrig, edger, trimmer, debarker).
• 1+ years of supervisory or lead experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of lumber grading standards, mill production metrics, and recovery optimization.
• Familiarity with mill safety programs, LOTO, and OSHA general industry standards.
• Basic computer skills for production reporting and scheduling (e.g., Excel, mill production software).
• Strong communication and leadership skills; ability to manage and motivate a production crew.
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical and process issues under time pressure.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and coordinate daily activities of green end crew members, including log deck operators, headrig/carriage operators, edger and trimmer operators, and green chain/sorter personnel.
• Monitor production flow from log yard intake through debarking, primary breakdown, edging, trimming, and sorting to meet daily volume, grade recovery, and quality targets.
• Enforce all safety policies, lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures, and PPE requirements; conduct safety talks, near-miss reporting, and incident investigations for the green end.
• Monitor lumber grade, target sizes, and recovery rates; work with quality control/graders to reduce mis-cuts, downgrade, and waste.
• Identify and troubleshoot equipment slowdowns or stoppages; coordinate promptly with maintenance on repairs and preventive maintenance scheduling.
• Train new operators and cross-train crew on green end equipment and safe operating procedures.
• Track and report daily production, downtime, scrap/waste, and labor hours to mill management.
• Manage crew scheduling, attendance, and performance; provide coaching and corrective action as needed in line with company policy.
• Ensure housekeeping and 5S standards are maintained in the green end area.
• Participate in continuous improvement efforts to increase throughput, reduce downtime, and improve lumber recovery.
• Coordinate log inventory and infeed with the log yard/deck to avoid starving or overloading the line.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and applicable safety regulations (e.g., OSHA) in the Green End Work area.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Safety compliance

Problem solving

3+ years sawmill experience

1+ years supervisory

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Excel

Job description

Vicksburg Forest Products is seeking a Green Production Supervisor to lead the green end of the sawmill, overseeing log deck, debarker, headrig, edger, and trimmer operations. You will drive safety, efficiency, and throughput while coordinating with maintenance and other mill teams to keep material moving.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in sawmill production, at least 1 year in supervision, and strong leadership and communication skills.