Entry-Level Leadership Position – Manufacturing Operations

Job Description

Management Trainee | empirical Foods

The Tone:
This is a full-time, in-person role at empirical Foods, a company operating in the industrial food production sector. This entry-level leadership position is designed to fast-track individuals into the leadership team within 9-24 months. The role offers immersion in core business processes through strategic learning opportunities, preparing candidates for long-term leadership contributions within the company. Success in this position requires excelling in operations, safety, quality, customer delivery, problem solving, and effective communication while gradually increasing technical and social responsibilities.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person

• Team: Operations team, reporting to leadership within Operations.
• Mission: To develop future leaders by excelling in core business processes and actively contributing to production, quality, and safety improvements across manufacturing operations.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint

What You’ll Actually Do
• Operations Mastery: Immerse in key manufacturing processes, becoming proficient in front-line and management operations to understand equipment, processes, people, and pace, including acting as a relief supervisor, supporting preventative maintenance, and assisting in troubleshooting activities.
• Quality Standards Development: Attain proficiency in quality assurance roles by assisting with the development of new products, processes, quality specifications, monitoring raw materials, and contributing to continuous improvement initiatives, while learning to establish and communicate new procedures.
• Production Capacity Enhancement: Collaborate with company leadership to understand how to sustain and enhance production or distribution capacity to meet sales volume requirements, actively participating in technology development, start-up, testing, and operation phases.
• Safety & Compliance Improvement: Work closely with the plant Safety team to support and improve the effectiveness of safety and regulatory programs throughout the operation.
• Technical Education & Mentorship: Develop, improve, and present technical information to educate employees, enhance their effectiveness, and foster best practices, eventually coaching others once technical proficiency is achieved.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Completion of a relevant Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Industrial, or Mechanical Engineering, Food or Animal Science, Agriculture, or other related disciplines, prior to the job start. This is an entry-level leadership position.
• Experience: No specific years required; however, demonstrated leadership experience through student organizational roles is preferred.
• Skills: Strong computer proficiency, analytical skills for data monitoring and results analysis, effective communication and presentation abilities, and problem-solving skills.
• Bonus: Previous internship or co-op experience with empirical Foods, and proficiency with Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.