Senior Chemical Operator 2nd Shift

Michelman; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Michelman in Ohio seeks a Senior Chemical Operator to own equipment and production areas, safely operate reactors and support batch runs while coaching peers and enforcing standard work.

You will collaborate with Quality, Maintenance, and Engineering, drive continuous improvement, and ensure safety, housekeeping, and compliance across shifts. This role emphasizes leadership, hands-on problem solving, and accurate data recording to sustain on-time production.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• 5+ years of hands-on chemical manufacturing experience, including equipment ownership and batch ownership.
• Demonstrated leadership in guiding peers and reinforcing standard operating procedures.
• Experience coordinating with Quality, Maintenance, and Engineering teams.
• Strong commitment to safety, EHS, and housekeeping standards.

Responsibilities

• Act as equipment and area owner, maintaining ownership over assigned equipment.
• Ensure readiness of utilities for unit operation.
• Follow SOPs to safely operate reactors, kettles, mixers, pumps, and more.
• Load, unload, and package materials per instructions with complete documentation.
• Manufacture batches per work orders and adjust as needed.
• Monitor process parameters and record data in real time.
• Record inventory transactions in ERP.
• Support product trials and help refine batch procedures.

Skills

Equipment ownership

Leadership

Process awareness

Safety compliance

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Autonomous maintenance

Quality systems

Job description

Senior Chemical Operators at Michelman serve as both production experts and frontline mentors. In addition to safely operating processing equipment and executing batch production, they take ownership over designated equipment and production areas. They lead by example in EHS, quality, and housekeeping practices, while monitoring operations to ensure alignment with batch protocols, escalation procedures, and shift communication standards. They ensure utility readiness, perform calibrations, and maintain situational awareness of all work occurring within their zone.

Beyond task execution, Senior Chemical Operators guide newer team members, reinforce standard work, and provide constructive peer feedback. They collaborate cross-functionally with Quality, Maintenance, and Engineering to resolve process issues, authorize work permits, and ensure safe execution of concurrent activities. Senior Chemical Operators also play an active role in shift-level incident reviews, improvement initiatives, and inventory accuracy. They are trusted to uphold performance, coach accountability, and drive operational excellence on the floor.

Senior Chemical Operators manufacture cold blend batches, emulsion center batches, reactor batches, and work independently in one or more areas, including but not limited to wastewater treatment, packaging, extrusion operation, or material handling.

Primary Responsibilities

• Act as equipment and area owner, maintaining ownership over assigned equipment.
• Ensure readiness of utilities for unit operation (e.g., heat exchanger, hot-water-on-demand).
• Follow SOPs to safely operate equipment including reactors, kettles, mixers, pumps, filtration, forklifts, and utilities.
• Load, unload, and package materials per instructions, completing all documentation.
• Manufacture batches per work orders and adjust as needed to meet specifications.
• Monitor and interpret process parameters, record data in real time, and elevate abnormal conditions or trends.
• Operate process systems (e.g., extruders, packaging lines, wastewater treatment, boiler) in compliance with safety, quality, and efficiency standards.
• Participate in shift handoffs and daily tier meetings to support production continuity.
• Perform equipment calibrations in accordance with gauge standards.
• Record inventory transactions accurately in ERP.
• Support product trials and help refine batch procedures.
• Use checklists to perform equipment changeovers, line clearances, and task verifications.
• Use checklists to prepare and perform equipment cleaning and/or sanitization, changeovers, line clearances, and task verifications.
• Verify raw material identity, lot codes, and quantities before staging for production.

General Responsibilities

• Access digital tools for just-in-time learning and job guidance.
• Ask clarifying questions to ensure task understanding and reduce operational risk.
• Communicate effectively with team leaders, support staff, and managers to address safety, quality, and production concerns.
• Complete required training, certifications, and assessments on time.
• Follow all EHS and Quality policies to maintain a safe and compliant workplace.
• Guide new and existing operators by modeling standard work and reinforcing best practices.
• Keep work areas clean and organized to meet housekeeping and GMP standards.
• Provide peers with constructive feedback to improve safety, quality, and efficiency.

Environmental, Health, & Safety Responsibilities

• Actively engage in safety meetings and toolbox talks.
• Lead or participate in shift-level near-miss and incident reviews.
• Maintain situational awareness of all work occurring within the assigned area. Ensure that concurrent activities do not create safety risks or operational conflicts.
• Review and follow hazard labels and chemical handling procedures.
• Segregate and dispose of waste materials per environmental guidelines.
• Stop work when undue health, safety, or environmental risks are present. Step back and get help before proceeding.
• Support safe work execution in coordination with Maintenance, Engineering, Project Teams, and peers.
• Wear required PPE in accordance with procedures and safety data sheets (SDSs).

Quality Responsibilities

• Perform quality control tests and adjust batches to meet specifications.
• Collaborate with the quality team to resolve product or customer issues.
• Review batch records and follow deviation and escalation procedures.
• Support problem-solving efforts to prevent or correct quality defects.
• Select appropriate scale to confirm material weights before addition.
• Identify and report ways to reduce scrap, waste, or energy use.
• Lead or participate in continuous improvement activities.
• Lead or participate in cycle counts to improve inventory accuracy.
• Lead or support root cause investigations (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone) as a subject matter expert.
• Share improvement ideas and recommend updates to SOPs or work instructions.

Autonomous Maintenance Responsibilities

• Authorize and monitor work permits.
• Identify and troubleshoot minor mechanical or instrumentation issues before escalation.
• Perform preventive maintenance tasks according to autonomous maintenance (AM) guidelines.
• Submit maintenance work requests.
• Prepare equipment for maintenance and/or projects.
• Notify affected personnel of changes in equipment status or area accessibility due to ongoing work or preparation activities.

Critical Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Works effectively and respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and education levels, collaborating to solve problems and achieve shared goals.
• Proactively identifies and acts on opportunities to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and personal performance, while following all established procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Prioritizes and manages multiple operational tasks in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, making sound, time-sensitive decisions that maintain safety, compliance, and product quality.
• Reads and interprets safety data sheets (SDS), standard operating procedures, and production schedules to execute tasks accurately.
• Understands how daily activities and decisions affect production costs, yield, and overall business results, and uses this awareness to drive process efficiency and resource stewardship.
• Recognizes and mitigates chemical, mechanical, and environmental hazards, escalating concerns promptly.
• Communicates clearly in verbal and written form for shift handovers, incident reporting, and process documentation.
• Applies basic troubleshooting methods to identify and correct process or equipment deviations, ensuring minimal disruption to operations.

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED required
• 5+ years of hands-on chemical manufacturing experience, including equipment ownership, and batch ownership.
• Demonstrated leadership in guiding peers, supporting new hire training, and reinforcing standard operating procedures.
• Experience coordinating with Maintenance, Quality, or Engineering teams to resolve operational issues.
• Strong understanding of safety systems, work permits, and area readiness for concurrent activities.
• Prior exposure to autonomous maintenance, continuous improvement initiatives, or shift leadership preferred.

Work Hours

Michelman’s standard work hours for this role are subject to shift.

Note: The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to the job. They are not construed to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

Michelman is proud of the values-focused work environment that we have crafted. We pride ourselves in our focus on our values of integrity, respect, and success. With our dedication to your technical and professional growth in addition to our rigorous onboarding experience, we guarantee that you will find yourself challenged in new ways. We offer an excellent salary, incentive, and benefits package in a dynamic, empowered team environment.

No phone calls, please. Michelman does not hire individuals who use tobacco products. All candidates will receive a drug test prior to beginning employment which will include a test for tobacco products.

For more information about Michelman, please visit https://www.michelman.com/ .

It is Michelman, Inc. policy to seek and employ qualified persons in all jobs in a manner which will ensure equal employment opportunity as well as administer personnel actions in a manner as to not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation or disability. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Michelman is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.