Production Operations Assistant Jobs in Portland, MI

Job Description

This is a program for Active-Duty Military Members through Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) Corporate Fellowship. Must be a U.S. military member with ~180 days of time in service remaining. Must be an approved candidate for Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) cohort 26-3.

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Are you an active-duty service member interested in exploring a civilian career in manufacturing leadership? This full-time, 12-week, on-the-job training fellowship offers you the opportunity to learn how General Motors leads world-class manufacturing operations while you prepare for your transition from the military.

This is a 12-week DoD SkillBridge / Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship hosted by GM, providing structured on-the-job training, mentorship, and exposure to our manufacturing environment. Participants remain active-duty service members and continue to receive military pay and benefits through the Department of Defense, not GM. This fellowship is intended to provide on-the-job training and evaluation for potential future employment opportunities at GM.

This is an on-site fellowship at a GM manufacturing facility. Fellowship opportunities are available at one of the following GM manufacturing locations:

- Arlington, TX

- Lansing, MI

- Marion, IN

- Wentzville, MO.

Final placement (Production or Maintenance) will be determined by GM based on your background and plant needs.

As a Manufacturing Group Leader SkillBridge Fellow, you will support front-line leaders in a fast-paced, high-volume manufacturing environment. You will learn how GM Group Leaders:

• Lead and develop hourly teams

• Drive daily production and maintenance activities

• Use GM systems and processes, including Global Manufacturing Systems and SPQRCE (Safety, People, Quality, Responsiveness, Cost, and Environment)

• Support GM's transformation toward electric and autonomous vehicles

You will primarily shadow, assist, and gradually take on supervised responsibilities in one of two focus areas:

• Production - supporting production operations, quality, material flow, and daily line performance

• Maintenance - supporting skilled trades in troubleshooting, repairing, and maintaining complex equipment and processes

During the fellowship, you may:

• Support daily operations

  • Assist in analyzing and responding to the daily production or maintenance plan

  • Observe and assist with real-time adjustments under supervision

  • Learn to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a high-volume manufacturing setting

• Learn frontline leadership

  • Observe and support how Group Leaders assign work, coach team members, and foster a positive, safe work environment

  • Participate in driving accountability through people and processes, including practicing how to handle difficult conversations with coaching and support

  • Build skills in conflict management, decision-making, and team communication

• Support quality and continuous improvement

  • Assist with production, inspection, and GM Built-in-Quality initiatives

  • Participate in problem-solving activities to address quality or performance issues

  • Learn how GM applies continuous improvement methods, such as basic lean concepts and root cause analysis

• Support maintenance operations (for maintenance-focused fellows)

  • All maintenance exposure is observational and assistive in nature and conducted under direct supervision; fellows will not perform independent skilled trades work

  • Shadow skilled trades teams performing preventive and corrective maintenance

  • Observe and assist in troubleshooting equipment issues (electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic) under supervision

  • Learn how maintenance plans, checks, and tests are documented, executed, and evaluated

• Cross-functional collaboration

  • Participate in meetings and communications with production, maintenance, engineering, quality, and material teams

  • Learn how Group Leaders coordinate labor, inventory, and equipment to meet safety, quality, and delivery targets

You may also be assigned to special projects that align with your skills and the plant's priorities, such as standard work updates, data collection, or small process-improvement initiatives.

This role is based in a manufacturing plant environment and requires the ability to:

• Work in a loud environment that may not be climate-controlled (hot or cold conditions)

• Frequently and repetitively:

  • Bend, twist, kneel, crouch, and reach to perform or observe work

  • Lift or carry materials weighing up to 15 lbs., and periodically up to 40 lbs.

  • Walk and stand for prolonged periods of time

• Occasionally:

  • Sit, climb (including ladders and lifts), and drive vehicles and equipment

• Read standardized work instructions, observe operations, and perform or support basic quality checks

• Promptly detect and respond to safety instructions, alarms, and signals

• Wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses, gloves, hard hats, ear plugs, and safety shoes

To be considered for this fellowship, you must:

• Be an Active-Duty U.S. military service member eligible to participate in the DoD SkillBridge program

• Be an approved candidate for Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship - cohort 26-3

• Have approximately 180 days of time in service remaining at the start of the fellowship

• Be 18 years of age or older

• Have a High School Diploma or equivalent

• Have experience leading people or teams in a military or civilian setting (e.g., squad/section leader, LPO, team chief, shift leader, or similar)

• Demonstrate the ability to:

  • Solve complex problems and make decisions in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment

  • Communicate effectively and manage conflict in a professional manner

  • Listen, read, and follow work and safety instructions

• Have basic computer proficiency (e.g., email, Microsoft Office applications, basic data entry)

• Be able to work a standard full-time schedule (up to 40 hours per week) on a designated shift during the fellowship (no rotating shifts, weekend work, or overtime will be required as part of this SkillBridge assignment)

These are not required for participation, but they may help you stand out and/or accelerate your learning:

• Experience supervising or leading employees in a highly structured environment

• Exposure to manufacturing, maintenance, logistics, or quality operations (military or civilian)

• Familiarity with:

  • Basic continuous improvement or lean concepts

  • Structured problem-solving (e.g., root cause analysis, A3 thinking, Red X, Six Sigma/DFSS)

  • Maintenance concepts or reading/understanding technical drawings (electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic)

• Experience working on multiple projects or missions simultaneously with tight timelines

• Demonstrated:

  • Strong critical thinking and analytical skills

  • High level of integrity and comfort working with ambiguity

  • Willingness to ask questions, take initiative, and be resourceful

  • Ability to collaborate across multiple functions or teams

To be considered, candidates must apply through both General Motors and Hiring Our Heroes (HOH). Apply to GM through this requisition and complete the HOH application here: Hiring Our Heroes application.

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We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

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