Team Lead, Plastics

Arlington Industries, Inc.; Taylor (Lackawanna County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Job summary

Arlington Industries, Inc. in Taylor, PA is seeking a Team Lead for the injection molding area. This hands‑on leadership role oversees safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people while actively producing on the floor.

You will manage roughly 20 operators across about 40 machines, lead the daily huddle, coordinate changeovers, and drive continuous improvement through coaching and standard work. A strong track record in molding and team leadership is essential.

Qualifications

• Two or more years of injection molding production experience.
• Able to operate multiple molding machines and processes.
• Basic troubleshooting of molding, process, and material issues.
• Able to read and follow production schedules, control plans, and work instructions.
• Strong communication, coaching, and development of others.
• Reliable attendance and sound day‑to‑day judgment.

Responsibilities

• Own Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People (SQDCP) results for the area and the corresponding lines on the area’s hour‑by‑hour production board.
• Serve as the first point of contact for safety; enforce LOTO, machine guarding, and PPE; stop unsafe operations.
• Ensure setup, first‑piece approvals, and in‑process quality checks per plan; contain defects and keep nonconforming material segregated.
• Own scrap in the area and support yield and scrap‑reduction programs with machine‑level measurements.
• Own hour‑by‑hour production tracking; ensure staffing and machines meet or exceed schedule and rate.
• Coordinate breaks, changeovers, and material availability; minimize idle time and overtime.
• Escalate downtime, tooling, process, and material issues to Shift Supervisor, mechanics, and planning.
• Lead area huddle, represent the area in meetings, and ensure smooth handoffs to the next shift.

Skills

Injection molding

Leadership

Communication

Data entry

Math

Scheduling

Job description

Job ID: 10179

Posted Date: 2026-06-19

Location: Taylor, PA

Department: Plant 1

Shift: First

Hours: First Shift: Monday - Friday, 7 AM - 3 PM

Description

The Team Lead is a working leadership role responsible for the day-to-day operation and performance of a defined injection molding area. The Team Lead holds overall accountability for Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People (SQDCP) results in that area while remaining a productive, hands‑on contributor on the floor.

The Team Lead is the first line of leadership for operators, owns the area's hour‑by‑hour production board, and is the primary link between the operators and the Shift Supervisor. The role directs roughly 20 operators across roughly 40 injection molding machines. As a working lead, the Team Lead spends a defined portion of each shift performing production and break or lunch coverage, with the balance dedicated to leadership, coordination, and problem solving.

Position Duties

• Own Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People (SQDCP) results for the area and the corresponding lines on the area's hour‑by‑hour production board.
• Serve as the first point of contact for safety; ensure operators follow all safety rules, lockout/tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, and stop any operation that cannot be run safely.
• Ensure setup, first‑piece approvals, and in‑process quality checks are completed per the control plan and work instructions; contain, record, and disposition defects and keep nonconforming material segregated.
• Own scrap in the area and support the plastics material‑yield and scrap‑reduction program through accurate, machine‑level scrap measurement.
• Own hour‑by‑hour production tracking; ensure every machine needed is staffed, running to schedule, and meeting or exceeding rate.
• Coordinate break and lunch rotations so machines do not sit idle, and coordinate timely changeovers with mechanics and material availability with material handlers.
• Escalate downtime, tooling, process, and material issues promptly to the Shift Supervisor, mechanics, and planning.
• Allocate roughly 20 operators across roughly 40 machines for effective staffing and output, and reduce controllable cost by minimizing scrap, unplanned downtime, and unnecessary overtime.
• Provide day‑to‑day direction to operators; coach on standard work, quality, and safety; coordinate training and cross‑training; and maintain the area skills matrix.
• Lead the daily area huddle at the board, represent the area at the shift‑level tiered meeting, and complete a clear handoff to the next shift.

Qualifications

• Two or more years of injection molding production experience (internal candidates strongly preferred).
• Demonstrated proficiency operating multiple molding machines and processes across the area, and able to perform all operator duties as a working lead.
• Basic troubleshooting of common molding, process, and material issues.
• Able to read and follow production schedules, control plans, and work instructions.
• Basic math and the data‑entry skills needed to keep the production board current.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to direct, coach, and develop others.
• Reliable attendance and sound day‑to‑day judgment.

Preferred

• Experience with tiered or lean manufacturing practices, hour‑by‑hour boards, or standard work.
• Familiarity with quality systems and defect or scrap classification.
• Setup or changeover experience.

Physical Requirements

• Work is performed on a manufacturing plant floor, with exposure to noise and heat from molding equipment.
• Frequent standing and walking for the full shift, with occasional bending, reaching, and lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Consistent use of required PPE.

Benefits

Excellent benefits package including medical, dental, and 401(k).

Paid lunches, breaks, vacations and Holidays.