Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Production Shift Leader / Process Technician for a temp-to-hire opportunity in Buffalo, NY. This full-time onsite role is ideal for a hands-on injection molding professional who is ready to combine advanced technical troubleshooting with shift leadership responsibilities.

In this role, you will help lead daily production operations, support process optimization, guide production employees, and drive quality, safety, and continuous improvement initiatives. You will work in a collaborative, team-oriented manufacturing environment where strong leadership, technical expertise, and employee development are valued.

This is a great opportunity to make a direct impact on production performance while gaining exposure to advanced injection molding equipment, automated systems, and continuous improvement projects. The environment offers supportive plant leadership, professional growth opportunities, and a clear focus on quality, teamwork, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead shift production operations to ensure output, quality, safety, staffing, and customer delivery goals are achieved.
- Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize injection molding processes, including cycle times, process parameters, resin behavior, machine performance, and tooling performance.
- Operate and support injection molding machines, vision inspection systems, material handling systems, feeding systems, and secondary processing equipment.
- Partner with maintenance, quality, planning, and plant leadership to reduce downtime, resolve production issues, and support root cause corrective actions.
- Lead shift startup meetings, assign daily priorities, coach production employees, coordinate coverage, and support training and cross-training plans.
- Promote compliance with GMP, quality, food safety, environmental, safety, 5S, and company procedures.

Compensation and Benefits

- Pay rate: $34.00 to $36.00 per hour.
- Job type: Temp-to-hire.
- Schedule/work arrangement: Full-time onsite position in the Buffalo, NY 14225 area.
- Department: Production / Injection Molding.
- Reports to: Plant Manager.
- Opportunity to work with advanced injection molding and automated manufacturing technologies.
- Professional development and career advancement opportunities.
- Collaborative, team-oriented workplace focused on quality and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications and Skills

- Lead production shift operations in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
- Optimize injection molding processes, establish process settings, and troubleshoot production issues.
- Support equipment startups, process audits, tooling evaluations, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Coach, train, and develop production employees while maintaining safety, quality, and productivity standards.

- 5 to 7 years of experience working with injection molding equipment and processes.
- Advanced knowledge of injection molding, process troubleshooting, resin behavior, and machine performance.
- Experience with vision inspection systems, material handling systems, secondary processing equipment, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, and electrical systems.
- Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and blueprints.
- Strong root cause analysis, problem-solving, and continuous improvement skills.
- Previous experience leading teams, supervising shifts, or coordinating production employees.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate across production, maintenance, quality, planning, and management teams.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Technical certification, associate degree, or related technical education preferred, or equivalent hands-on manufacturing experience.

Preferred Qualifications

- Previous shift leadership, production supervision, or team management experience.
- Experience in a high-volume injection molding or automated manufacturing environment.
- Knowledge of quality systems, production planning, GMP requirements, and process improvement methods.
- Experience participating in mold reviews, product design reviews, tooling buyoffs, equipment evaluations, startups, or commissioning activities.
- Manufacturing leadership, supervisory, or technical training courses.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

The Know Your Rights poster is available here:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf

The pay transparency policy is available here:
https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf

For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program.
https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf

We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.