Gap Leader Jobs in Decatur, IN (NOW HIRING)

Job Type
Full-time
Description
Purpose of Position
Department:?Compounding / Mixing?Reports to:?Mixing Manager with dotted line to Director of Operations.?Direct Reports:?mixing operators,?mixing leads,?mixing process techs,?weighment team, material handlers.?FLSA Status:?Exempt (Salaried)?Shift:?all shifts?as needed.?
The Rubber Mixing Production Supervisor leads the day-to-day operation of the compounding department, ensuring that every batch is mixed to specification, on schedule, and with full traceability. This is a hands-on leadership role on the floor, not an office position. The supervisor is accountable for the output, quality, safety, and development of the mixing team.
This individual will lead in department scheduling, this role owns the systematization of the department: building and maintaining the written work instructions that define how the job is done, training operators against those standards, and holding the team accountable to them.
The goal is a mixing operation that produces consistent compound regardless of who is running the equipment, where knowledge lives in documented procedures rather than in any single person's head.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Training & Operator Development
• Own the training and qualification of all mixing team members, TSE, and weigh/batch personnel; ensure no operator runs equipment or handles a process step independently in which they have not been trained and signed off on.
• Build and maintain a skills matrix for the department that tracks each operator's qualified tasks, cross-training status, and gaps.
• Design and run structured onboarding for new operators, including a defined ramp from observation to supervised operation to independent qualification.
• Conduct ongoing, hands-on training when procedures change, new compounds are introduced, or recurring errors signal a knowledge gap.
• Cross-train operators across mixing, weighment, and batching so the department is not single-point-dependent and can flex with absences and demand.
• Identify high-potential operators and develop them toward lead and relief-supervisor capability.
Work Instructions & Standardization
• Create, maintain, and continuously improve written work instructions, standard operating procedures, and batch/process cards for every mixing operation - internal mixer (Banbury/intermeshing), TSE, weigh-up, and material staging.
• Translate compound formulations and engineering specs into clear, repeatable, floor-level instructions an operator can follow without ambiguity.
• Document mixing parameters (load order, ram pressure, rotor speed, dump temperature, mix time, TSE set-ups) so that batches are reproducible across shifts and operators.
• Establish and document setup, changeover, and cleanout procedures to prevent cross-contamination between compounds - especially for NSF-certified and color-sensitive materials.
• Keep procedures current: own the revision process so instructions reflect actual best practice, not an outdated version, and ensure operators are working from the controlled, current document.
• Capture tribal knowledge from experienced operators and convert it into standardized written procedure.
Accountability & Performance
• Hold operators accountable to the documented work instructions, quality standards, safety rules, and housekeeping expectations - consistently and fairly.
• Set clear daily expectations for output, quality, and conduct, and follow up; address misses directly and promptly rather than letting them recur.
• Own the department's results: batch quality, scrap/rework rate, schedule attainment, and adherence to procedure are the position's responsibility, not just the operators. Expectation is that trend charts or like tools will be used for documentation.
• Conduct performance conversations, document issues, and partner with HR on coaching, corrective action, and recognition.
• Verify adherence - audit that the written procedures are actually being followed on the floor, not just signed and filed.
• Reinforce a culture where following the documented process is the standard and deviations are surfaced, not hidden.
Production Operation & Quality
• Run the mixing schedule to meet downstream demand (extrusion, molding, preforming ect.) while balancing changeovers and material availability.
• Ensure correct raw materials (polymers, fillers/carbon black, oils, curatives, accelerators) are weighed, verified, and batched to formula with full lot traceability.
• Monitor in-process and finished-batch quality - Mooney viscosity, rheometer/cure (MDR), specific gravity, and visual/dispersion checks - and react to out-of-spec results.
• Coordinate with the lab/QA and engineering on compound issues, new compound trials, and disposition of nonconforming batches.
• Drive throughput, yield, and on-time delivery while controlling scrap, rework, and waste.
• Maintain accurate production records, batch documentation, and shift handoff information.
Safety, Housekeeping & Compliance
• Enforce safety procedures for mixing equipment (lockout/tagout, machine guarding, pinch-point and nip hazards on mills, hot-surface and dust exposure).
• Hold the department to a clean, organized standard; treat housekeeping as a safety and quality requirement, not an afterthought.
• Ensure proper handling, storage, and labeling of raw materials per SDS and applicable requirements.
• Support compliance with NSF, customer, and regulatory requirements relevant to compound production.
Key Performance Indicators
• Batch first-pass quality / out-of-spec rate?
• Schedule attainment and on-time delivery to downstream operations?
• Scrap, rework, and material waste?
• Operator qualification coverage against the skills matrix (cross-training depth)?
• Currency and completeness of documented work instructions?
• Safety incidents and housekeeping audit results?
Education and Experience
Required
• 3+ years of supervisor, supervisory or lead experience in a manufacturing environment; rubber, plastics, chemical, or process-batch manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of rubber mixing/compounding equipment and processes (internal mixers, two-roll mills, weigh-up/batching) or demonstrated ability to learn process-driven production quickly.
• Proven ability to write clear procedures and work instructions and to train others against them.
• A track record of holding a team accountable while keeping it engaged - direct without being abrasive.
• Strong organizational skills and comfort with production scheduling, recordkeeping, and basic data.
• Ability to read and interpret formulations, specifications, and quality data.
• High School Diploma or GED preferred
Preferred
• Direct experience in rubber compounding and familiarity with compound testing (Mooney, rheometer/MDR, specific gravity).
• Experience building training programs or skills matrices from scratch.
• Familiarity with lean/5S, standardized work, and continuous improvement.
• ERP/MES experience for production and material tracking.
Work Environments
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employer encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Mixing department workers operate in potentially heated environments with frequent physical demands. Tasks include continuous standing, frequent walking, bending, climbing, and machinery. Employees must lift and carry weights from 10 - 61 lbs., with frequent hand use and gripping.