Plastics Management Trainee

Job Summary

The Plastics Manager Trainee position is designed to prepare high-potential candidates for future leadership roles within our plastics manufacturing operations. This hands-on training role will provide comprehensive exposure to all facets of plant operations, including safety, quality, production, inventory management, and team leadership.

Essential Responsibilities

• Participate in a structured, rotational training program across key areas of plant operations including production, safety, logistics, and quality control.
• Assist in monitoring daily manufacturing operations to ensure compliance with company standards and production goals.
• Learn to analyze plant performance data, identify improvement opportunities, and participate in continuous improvement projects.
• Shadow experienced supervisors and managers to learn effective team leadership, problem-solving, and conflict resolution techniques.
• Support the development and implementation of operational procedures that promote efficiency, safety, and product quality.
• Gain experience in inventory control, scheduling, resource allocation, and process documentation.
• Assist with coordination and follow-up on maintenance, downtime tracking, and equipment performance monitoring.
• Attend regular team meetings and provide support for plant initiatives, audits, and performance reviews.

Requirements

• Required Skills & Abilities: Strong interest in leadership and operations management within a plastics or industrial manufacturing environment. Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills. Willingness to work various shifts to gain comprehensive exposure to a 24/7 production schedule. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with ERP systems is a plus. Self-motivated with a desire to learn, grow, and eventually move into a leadership role. Must be able to travel up to 10–15% as part of training and development.
• Education And Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Manufacturing Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience). 1 - 3 years of relevant experience in a manufacturing or industrial setting preferred (internships, co-ops, or full-time roles).

Physical Requirements

• Ability to travel up to 50%.
• Work is performed in a standard office environment.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Regularly required to talk and hear.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, sit; and reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• May occasionally be exposed to dangerous machinery, extreme weather conditions, and extreme noise when visiting plant locations.

Benefits

The base salary range for this position is $65,000 - $75,000/year.