Post job

How to hire a manufacturing associate lead

Manufacturing associate lead hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring manufacturing associate leads in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a manufacturing associate lead is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new manufacturing associate lead to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a manufacturing associate lead, step by step

To hire a manufacturing associate lead, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a manufacturing associate lead:

Here's a step-by-step manufacturing associate lead hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a manufacturing associate lead job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new manufacturing associate lead
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
jobs
Post a manufacturing associate lead job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your manufacturing associate lead 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 manufacturing associate lead 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?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a manufacturing associate lead to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a manufacturing associate lead that fits the bill.

    This list presents manufacturing associate lead salaries for various positions.

    Type of Manufacturing Associate LeadDescriptionHourly rate
    Manufacturing Associate Lead$28-50
    Shop ForemanA shop foreman is responsible for monitoring the daily operations of a shop, ensuring that the staff members perform their duties to address customers' needs. A shop foreman manages staffing schedules, trains new employees, and distributes tasks... Show more$22-46
    Lead SupervisorLead supervisors are responsible for several duties within an organization. They are accountable for overseeing their members and making sure that the work they produce is of good quality... Show more$12-34
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Harvest
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • GMP
    • Production Equipment
    • FDA
    • Production Schedules
    • Safety Procedures
    • Production Processes
    • Clean Room Environment
    • Autoclaves
    • Quality Standards
    • PPE
    • Production Operations
    • Product Quality
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead, develop, and implement the KANBAN system by providing better flows of raw material and production.
    • Follow strict DEA and FDA regulations.
    • Mentor other team members and ensure operations training for new hires under GMP and GLP standards.
    • Implement a monthly industrial safety field audit design to re-enforce OSHA regulations and management standards.
    • Experience with MFGPro and LIMS data entering systems.
    • Generate and maintain up-to-date experimental documentation and records in laboratory notebooks using GDP.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your manufacturing associate lead job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A manufacturing associate lead can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, manufacturing associate leads' average salary in iowa is 37% less than in district of columbia.
    • Seniority. Entry-level manufacturing associate leads 44% less than senior-level manufacturing associate leads.
    • Certifications. A manufacturing associate lead with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a manufacturing associate lead's salary.

    Average manufacturing associate lead salary

    $79,912yearly

    $38.42 hourly rate

    Entry-level manufacturing associate lead salary
    $59,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 31, 2026
  4. Writing a manufacturing associate lead job description

    A manufacturing associate lead job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a manufacturing associate lead job description:

    Manufacturing associate lead job description example

    Sonoco is a very diversified company. We have 16 business units and most are looking to hire, including; Rigid Paper & Closures, Global Plastics, Flexibles, Paper, Recycling, Consumer Technology/R&D, Protective Solutions, Tubes & Cores, and more! Whichever business unit you join, you can expect a tailored experience!

    Your time spent in the ELP will cover specific core objectives as follows (but not limited to):

    • Technical Skills Training - Safety, Quality, Scheduling, Customer satisfaction
    • Leadership Training – Supervisory skills, Performance Management, Mentorship
    • Business Insights - Accountability, Execution, Risk Taking, Budgeting
    • Culture Integration – including Communication, Collaboration and Innovation

    Our hope is that in time, you’ll be a business leader! Whether that means you become a Plant Manager, Director of Finance, Supply Chain Leader, Regional Manufacturing Director, etc., the opportunities are endless.

    We want employees who can help us live our purpose each and every day. Our core belief is the People Build Businesses, by ‘Doing the Right Thing’. To become a member of the ELP you must have strong ethics, a passion for innovation, and be willing to go the extra mile.

    We look for students who:

    • Have or will obtain a Bachelor or Master’s degree in Engineering, Sciences, Technology or Business by December 2021 or May 2022
    • Previous internship experience (preferably in Manufacturing or functional area)
    • Proven leadership experience
    • Desire to work in a Manufacturing environment
    • Technical aptitude
    • Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills

    All ELP Associates must be open to relocation (immediately or in the future), and be willing to work rotating or late shifts.

    Candidates will be matched based off their unique experiences and the specific location needs. We ask that our Emerging Leader and Interns remain flexible in their location preferences.

    We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.

    Company DescriptionSonoco is a $5 billion global provider of consumer packaging, industrial products and packaging supply chain services. When collaborating with our customers, we leverage our deep knowledge of material science, our i6 Innovation ProcessTM, and our industry-leading packaging and services portfolio to create impactful customized solutions that build stronger brands.

    We produce packaging for many of the world’s most recognized brands, in markets such as appliances and electronics, automotive, beverages, confection, construction, converted paperboard, fresh and natural food, frozen and refrigerated food, shaving, home, lawn and garden, medical/pharmaceutical, pet care, powdered beverages, recycling and snacks.

    Sonoco’s operations consist of our global consumer packaging businesses (rigid paper and closures, flexibles and plastics); our display and packaging division (high-impact retail displays and packaging supply chain management); our industrial businesses (tubes and cores, reels and spools, uncoated recycled paperboard and Sonoco Recycling, one of the world’s largest recyclers); and our Protective Solutions division (custom-designed protective, temperature-assurance and retail security packaging solutions and highly engineered components).

    From our headquarters in Hartsville, S.C., and more than 300 operations in 33 countries, we serve customers in 85 nations.
  5. Post your job

    To find the right manufacturing associate lead for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with manufacturing associate leads they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit manufacturing associate leads who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your manufacturing associate lead job on Zippia to find and recruit manufacturing associate lead candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit manufacturing associate leads, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    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 manufacturing associate lead

    Once you have selected a candidate for the manufacturing associate lead 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new manufacturing associate lead first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a manufacturing associate lead?

Recruiting manufacturing associate leads involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

Manufacturing associate leads earn a median yearly salary is $79,912 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find manufacturing associate leads for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $28 and $50.

Find better manufacturing associate leads in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring manufacturing associate leads FAQs

Search for manufacturing associate lead jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Browse production and manufacturing jobs