Lead Production Technician

The Lead Production Technician is a senior-level, hands-on manufacturing position responsible for supporting daily production operations, coordinating floor activities, and providing advanced technical troubleshooting and repair support. This position works closely with Production Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and other supporting departments to meet production schedules while maintaining safety, quality, and operational efficiency.

The role combines advanced technical capability with practical production leadership and Lean manufacturing responsibilities. The individual is expected to identify and help eliminate process inefficiencies, reduce downtime and waste, improve workflow, and support continuous improvement. This position requires flexibility to work outdoors and extended hours when necessary to meet production commitments and respond to operational needs.

Expected Skills & Competencies:

• Knowledge of manufacturing and production processes, including mechanical and electrical assembly.
• Ability to interpret and apply bills of material (BOMs), engineering drawings, wirelists, schematics, and work instructions.
• Advanced knowledge of system configuration, production testing, test procedures, and test equipment.
• Troubleshooting capability involves electrical, mechanical, and system-level failures.
• Ability to perform complex diagnostics, root-cause analysis, and authorized system-level repairs.
• Ability to identify production bottlenecks, workflow constraints, recurring defects, and opportunities to improve productivity.
• Ability to coordinate daily production priorities and communicate schedule risks or resource constraints.
• Ability to train, mentor, and provide technical guidance to technicians with varying experience levels.
• Effective collaboration with Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Planning, and other departments.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize competing demands, and make sound decisions within established procedures.
• Willingness and flexibility to work outdoors and work extended hours as needed to support production schedules and operational requirements.

Core Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and support daily production-floor activities to help achieve manufacturing schedules, delivery commitments, and operational priorities.
• Provide hands-on technical support for complex mechanical, electrical, and system-level troubleshooting and repairs.
• Diagnose production, product, and equipment issues; identify root causes; and implement or recommend corrective actions within authorized technical responsibilities.
• Assist technicians and production personnel with difficult assembly, configuration, testing, and repair issues.
• Support system-level troubleshooting, testing, and verification to ensure products meet engineering, safety, and quality requirements.
• Work with Manufacturing Engineering to resolve technical issues, address recurring failures, and improve manufacturing processes.
• Identify production bottlenecks, unnecessary process steps, material-flow issues, rework, and other sources of waste.
• Monitor production progress and communicate schedule risks, constraints, or resource needs before they affect delivery commitments.
• Train, mentor, and cross-train employees to strengthen technical capability, consistency, and production flexibility.
• Serve as a technical resource and escalation point for production employees and less-experienced technicians.
• Promote compliance with safety procedures, quality standards, approved work instructions, and manufacturing requirements.
• Remain flexible to support outdoor production activities, changing operational priorities, and extended work hours when required to meet production commitments.

System-Level Troubleshooting & Repair Expectations:

• Support troubleshooting beyond individual component or assembly issues, including interactions between electrical, mechanical, control, and system-level functions.
• Use appropriate diagnostic tools, test equipment, schematics, and technical documentation to isolate faults.
• Coordinate with Engineering or other authorized technical personnel when a failure requires engineering disposition, design changes, or work outside the position's authorization.
• Verify completed repairs and corrective actions using approved test procedures and document results as required.

Production Flexibility & Work Environment: 

• Work outdoors and in varying environmental conditions when required by production activities.
• Work extended hours, adjusted schedules, or additional time as reasonably needed to support production schedules, critical builds, troubleshooting, and delivery commitments.
• Adapt to changing priorities and provide hands-on support where production needs are greatest, while following applicable safety requirements.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required; technical education, vocational training, or relevant certifications preferred.
• Five or more years of manufacturing, production, or electro-mechanical technical experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in advanced electrical and mechanical troubleshooting and repair.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, electrical schematics, BOMs, wirelists, and manufacturing work instructions.
• Experience using multimeters, test equipment, and other diagnostic tools.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex system-level issues and support technical repairs.
• Previous experience providing technical guidance, training, mentoring, or coordinating work for other employees.
• Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to meet the position's outdoor work and extended-hours requirements, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.

Performance & Promotion Expectations: 

• Demonstrates competency consistent with the Production Technician 4 / Lead level in the applicable competency matrix.
• Independently resolves complex technical and system-level problems within established authorization and safety requirements.
• Serves as a dependable technical resource for Production and Manufacturing Engineering.
• Demonstrates leadership through effective production coordination, training, mentoring, and knowledge sharing.
• Proactively identifies and contributes to improvements that produce meaningful gains in productivity, quality, safety, or delivery performance.
• Consistently supports production schedules, changing operational needs, and required outdoor or extended-hours work.
• Communicates problems, risks, improvement opportunities, and repair outcomes clearly and promptly.