Supervisor - Firing/Kiln Department

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Job Title

Supervisor - Firing/Kiln Department

Responsible for leading the safe, efficient, and continuous operation of the Firing Department within a 24/7/365 manufacturing environment. Directs the activities of firing technicians and operators while ensuring kiln, furnace, and oven operations consistently meet production, quality, safety, and on-time delivery requirements. Provides hands-on leadership and technical expertise in ceramic firing processes, combustion systems, kiln operation, preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and equipment reliability across multiple kiln and furnace types.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Lead and direct the activities of firing department employees and team leads to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable operation of kilns, furnaces, ovens, and associated firing equipment while meeting quality, throughput, and on-time delivery requirements.
• Serve as the primary operational leader for a continuous 24-hour, 7-day-per-week, 365-day-per-year firing operation, providing support and escalation for critical equipment and production issues.
• Partner with Production Planning to develop firing schedules, kiln loading strategies, staffing plans, and workflow priorities to meet customer demand and production commitments.
• Monitor kiln performance, firing cycles, combustion systems, temperature profiles, and equipment utilization to ensure product quality and operational efficiency.
• Coordinate with Maintenance, Engineering, and Operations teams to troubleshoot equipment issues, plan preventative maintenance activities, and improve kiln reliability and uptime.
• Provide consistent and timely feedback, coaching and mentoring to employees on development, performance and conduct
• Monitor, review and approve employee time records in a consistent and timely manner
• Monitor and execute departmental budget, reporting variances to leadership
• Train and coach employees on department work instructions, processes, procedures and policies
• Coach and mentor team leads on leadership skills such as communication, results, accountability, etc.
• Partners with appropriate leader to forecast expected business based on past history, current orders and anticipated business
• Partner with others to drive improvement projects/initiatives
• Wears required personal protective equipment at all times in areas where mandatory

Job Requirements:

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent

Experience:

• Four (4) years demonstrated leadership experience; relevant manufacturing environment preferred
• Experience supervising employees in a kiln, furnace, thermal processing, ceramics, refractories, metals, glass, or similar high-temperature manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience operating, troubleshooting, maintaining, or supporting industrial kilns, furnaces, ovens, combustion systems, and related thermal processing equipment.
• Lean/ Six Sigma experience preferred
• Experience supporting continuous 24/7 manufacturing operations preferred.

Functional/Technical Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of industrial kiln, furnace, oven, combustion, and thermal processing systems.
• Demonstrated understanding of ceramic firing processes, firing cycles, temperature control systems, combustion principles, and product quality requirements.
• Ability to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve production and equipment-related issues in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of preventative and predictive maintenance practices related to firing equipment and associated systems.
• Ability to provide and receive verbal and written instructions
• Intermediate math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, decimals and fractions)
• Intermediate computer skills including Microsoft Office suite,
• Business acumen including ability to interpret data and identify trends to impact positive business outcomes
• Demonstrated leadership and coaching/mentoring ability
• Ability to resolve conflict in a professional manner
• Must exhibit attention to detail as well as excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills
• Must be able to work with a diverse variety of people from different cultures and backgrounds

Target Hiring Range

Annual Salary: USD 73,342.00 - USD 96,811.00

Actual compensation is commensurate with experience, skills and education. CoorsTek strives to give all qualified applicants equal opportunity and to make selection decisions on job related factors. Do not provide any information on the application which will indicate your race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by law or regulation.

If you like working for a company that makes a real difference in the world, you'll enjoy your career with us!