How to hire a cell leader

How to hire a cell leader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step cell leader hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a cell leader job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new cell leader
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your cell leader job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a cell leader for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect cell leader also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents cell leader salaries for various positions.

   Type of Cell Leader	Description	Hourly rate
   Cell Leader		$32-83
   Manufacturing Supervisor	A manufacturing supervisor is a management-level employee who takes responsibility for the daily operations of the production processes in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing supervisors execute different roles as sponsors, coaches, directors, counselors, and educators... Show more	$26-44
   Production Supervisor	Production supervisors are employees who oversee the production process, usually handling activities directly related to people management. They manage employees by ensuring that the production floor employees are doing their work well and are motivated... Show more	$20-43

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Safety Procedures
   • ACE
   • Safety Rules
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Production Schedules
   • Corrective Action
   • ISO
   • CNC
   • Performance Reviews
   • Quality Standards
   • Leadership
   • Sigma

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and organize incoming records and publications for use on SharePoint.
   • Help design business cell lay-out for segmentation Kaizen on PTFE production cell, lay-out and work flow.
   • Monitor safety, quality, cost, and productivity, with Kaizen activities for assign areas of production.
   • Assist in breakdown, cleaning, sanitizing and reassembling of all processing areas following all HACCP and GMP rules.
   • Provide leadership for manufacturing and assembly of automotive service equipment.
   • Train new technicians on precision manufacturing processes and supervisors in leadership strategies.

   More cell leader duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the cell leader job description is a good way to get more applicants. A cell leader salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a cell leader in Alabama may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level cell leader. Additionally, a cell leader with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average cell leader salary

   $109,257yearly

   $52.53 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level cell leader salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average cell leader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$149,027	$72
   2	Connecticut	$135,872	$65
   3	California	$135,590	$65
   4	Michigan	$127,448	$61
   5	North Dakota	$121,991	$59
   6	Maryland	$113,017	$54
   7	Ohio	$112,035	$54
   8	Minnesota	$109,524	$53
   9	Illinois	$108,944	$52
   10	Oregon	$106,908	$51
   11	Virginia	$102,705	$49
   12	Utah	$100,981	$49
   13	Arizona	$98,437	$47
   14	Alabama	$95,936	$46
   15	Wisconsin	$95,752	$46

   Average cell leader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Novo Nordisk	$159,675	$76.77
   2	Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.	$139,930	$67.27	29
   3	Intel	$139,114	$66.88	9
   4	Koch Industries	$136,066	$65.42	2
   5	General Mills	$127,460	$61.28	7
   6	XALT Energy	$116,097	$55.82
   7	ANSER	$115,634	$55.59
   8	General Dynamics	$114,306	$54.95	39
   9	Henkel	$107,083	$51.48
   10	Integration Innovation	$106,951	$51.42
   11	Conagra Brands	$106,258	$51.09	25
   12	Leggett & Platt	$101,917	$49.00	1
   13	Pall	$99,276	$47.73
   14	Qualis	$97,666	$46.95
   15	American Outdoor Brands	$96,773	$46.53
   16	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$95,964	$46.14	45
   17	Raytheon Technologies	$91,202	$43.85	51
   18	Plastipak	$90,145	$43.34	1
   19	Rivian	$89,097	$42.84	14
   20	rms	$84,102	$40.43

4. Writing a cell leader job description

   A good cell leader job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a cell leader job description:

   Cell leader job description example

   Leads team members to identify, manage, and execute the plant's process improvement opportunities. Manages production staff to attain production and quality goals. Identifies problems or bottlenecks in production processes and resolves issues. Ensures production resources including materials, equipment and human resources are available as needed to maintain production schedules. Supports continuous improvement goals in safety, quality, cost and customer service. Responsible for managing and owning various functions of the business and creating an engaged and team oriented work force in order to improve business results.
   
   Monitor production to ensure that quality, productivity, and cost standards are maintained.Provide employee training to ensure that employees are performing job responsibilities effectively.Assist with the supervision of sanitation operations as necessary to promote and maintain a clean and food safe environment.Enforce plant rules, regulations and procedures.Evaluate subordinate performance, communicate with employees, and provide information for work performance improvement.Participate in the support of plant and company safety programs, promoting and maintaining a high level of awareness and adherence to defined employee safety requirements such as lock-out/tag-out, personal protective equipment, confined space entry, etc.
   
   High school diploma or GED equivalent required. Bachelors' degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Engineering, Food Science, Agricultural Sciences, or other Natural Science degrees preferred. Other degrees will be considered.Two years+ supervisory experience preferred.Previous experience working in a manufacturing environment preferred.SAP experience preferred.Understanding of manufacturing processes and loss Knowledge of GMP'sWorking knowledge of plant equipment and safety Ability to distinguish normal/abnormal Excellent communication, interpersonal, problem solving and organizational skills.Previous experience in a food-processing or manufacturing environment is a plus.Ability to work weekends and/or shift work with a strong work ethic and employment history.A self-motivated individual that is able to multi-task and lead others.
   Physical Requirements
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, and feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; taste and smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The employee will be exposed to a noisy environment that varies from hot to cold in temperature. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   Our Benefits:
   
   We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role:
   Health: Medical, dental and vision insurance, company-paid life, accident and disability insurance Wealth: great pay, incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan Growth: online courses, virtual and classroom development experiences Balance: paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role)
   
   Our Company:
   
   Conagra Brands is one of North America's leading branded food companies. We have a rich heritage of making great food, and a team that's passionate about innovation and growth. Conagra offers choices for every occasion through iconic brands, such as Birds Eye , Marie Callender's , Banquet , Healthy Choice , Slim Jim , Reddi-wip , and Vlasic , and emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP , Duke's , Earth Balance , Gardein , and Frontera .
   We pride ourselves on having the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in the food industry. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com.
   
   Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find cell leaders for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any cell leaders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level cell leaders with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your cell leader job on Zippia to find and recruit cell leader candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit cell leaders, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new cell leader

   Once you have selected a candidate for the cell leader position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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