How to hire a manufacturing supervisor

How to hire a manufacturing supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step manufacturing supervisor 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 supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new manufacturing supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a manufacturing supervisor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the manufacturing supervisor you need to hire. Certain manufacturing supervisor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A manufacturing supervisor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, manufacturing supervisors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of manufacturing supervisors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Manufacturing Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Manufacturing Supervisor		$26-44
   Assembly Supervisor	Assembly Supervisors oversee and coordinate employees' work on assembly-lines. The supervisors assign personnel to stations or tasks and prepare their work schedules... Show more	$19-44
   Shop Supervisor	A shop supervisor is responsible for monitoring the overall operations of a store, delegating tasks to the shop personnel, and ensuring the highest quality service to the customers for their satisfaction. Shop supervisors handle the sales inventory and process bank transactions every closing... Show more	$14-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Continuous Improvement
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Safety Regulations
   • Quality Standards
   • GMP
   • Production Schedules
   • Process Improvement
   • Safety Procedures
   • Direct Supervision
   • Sigma
   • FDA
   • Performance Reviews
   • Direct Reports
   • Corrective Action

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Conduct all safety meeting and manage the employee's time keeping (Kronos).
   • Review and correct documentation and batch records while managing RODAC testing and leading CAPA investigations.
   • Lead, develop, and implement the KANBAN system by providing better flows of raw material and production.
   • Manage a team of 16-35 to insure packaging lines are running to standards as far as USDA guidelines and company productivity.
   • Lead sigma program driving quality, productivity and delivery improvements.
   • Manage a team of QC inspectors for inspecting automotive components from manufacturing line

   More manufacturing supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your manufacturing supervisor job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A manufacturing supervisor salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a manufacturing supervisor in Florida may be lower than in Maine, and an entry-level manufacturing supervisor usually earns less than a senior-level manufacturing supervisor. Additionally, a manufacturing supervisor with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average manufacturing supervisor salary

   $71,330yearly

   $34.29 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level manufacturing supervisor salary

   $55,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average manufacturing supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$93,931	$45
   2	Delaware	$92,474	$44
   3	Massachusetts	$92,045	$44
   4	Maryland	$90,418	$43
   5	Connecticut	$83,211	$40
   6	California	$80,169	$39
   7	Colorado	$76,405	$37
   8	Texas	$76,357	$37
   9	Pennsylvania	$75,154	$36
   10	Washington	$73,693	$35
   11	Wisconsin	$71,582	$34
   12	North Carolina	$71,510	$34
   13	Michigan	$70,850	$34
   14	Arizona	$68,985	$33
   15	Ohio	$68,160	$33
   16	Minnesota	$67,503	$32
   17	Mississippi	$67,382	$32
   18	Illinois	$66,978	$32
   19	Missouri	$64,454	$31
   20	Nebraska	$63,670	$31

   Average manufacturing supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Boehringer Ingelheim	$113,079	$54.36	2
   2	AstraZeneca	$111,313	$53.52
   3	Genentech	$110,540	$53.14	14
   4	Novo Nordisk	$109,909	$52.84	8
   5	Eli Lilly and Company	$109,548	$52.67	30
   6	AbbVie	$108,491	$52.16	21
   7	Cirrus Aircraft	$107,773	$51.81	16
   8	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$107,538	$51.70	9
   9	Pacira BioSciences	$107,264	$51.57
   10	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$102,246	$49.16	20
   11	Edwards Lifesciences	$101,744	$48.92	6
   12	Zebra Technologies	$96,058	$46.18	5
   13	Zoetis	$95,519	$45.92	2
   14	Bell Flight	$95,061	$45.70
   15	OraSure Technologies	$93,078	$44.75
   16	Gilead Sciences	$92,179	$44.32	5
   17	BioMarin	$90,633	$43.57	8
   18	First Solar	$90,241	$43.39	29
   19	Abbott	$90,101	$43.32	56
   20	Stryker	$89,714	$43.13	33

4. Writing a manufacturing supervisor job description

   A manufacturing supervisor 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. Below, you can find an example of a manufacturing supervisor job description:

   Manufacturing supervisor job description example

   Please Note: This will be a Day Shift position.
   
   At Wolfspeed, we do amazing things in a human way.
   
   We know that the achievements of our organization are due to the passion, hard work and creativity of our employees. We celebrate different perspectives to foster excellence across our organization, and our goal is to make diversity a foundation of what we do. We are proudly building an environment where you can bring your authentic self to work.
   
   Enjoy doing things that people say can't be done? Innovation is at the center of everything we do.Hate red tape? We remove roadblocks instead of creating them.Working parent? We provide childcare assistance and paid parental leave.Student? We offer continuing education assistance.Looking for community? There are many ways to get involved, from Employee Resource Groups to local outreach.
   
   Here's the Gist
   Directs the development and implementation of activities in production area(s) to meet production goals, quality, and cost objectives. Prioritizes production schedules based on product introduction, equipment efficiency, and materials supply. Plans and administers procedures and budgets. Makes budgetary recommendations and at higher levels, controls capital expenditures and direct/indirect labor. Develops schedules and manpower requirements for assigned areas. Selects, develops, and evaluates personnel to ensure the efficient operation of the function.
   
   The Day-to-Day
   Manage operations ensuring consistent output and with continuous improvement toward key department metrics.Manage performance and development of the production team.Assure operators are trained and process protocols are being followed.Work with engineering staff to control and improve production yields.Work with equipment engineering to provide highest possible uptime.Plan staffing requirements in support of business objectives.Support R&D as a customer for product/process development.Reduce cycle times.Pro-actively ensure Quality System compliance.
   
   This Job is Right for You if You Have (Minimum Requirements)
   4 years of experience in a Science, Technology or Manufacturing company OR 2 years of management experience.Strong data analysis skills required.Strong problem-solving skills required.Excellent interpersonal and communication skills required.Must be a self-starter capable of managing many priorities with minimal guidance.Must have the ability to get things done and utilize company resources effectively.
   
   Preferred Requirements:
   BS Degree in a Technology, Engineering or General Management Field. 5 - 8 years manufacturing leadership experience. Semiconductor manufacturing management experience.In-depth knowledge of Cree Materials Operations
   
   This role may require additional duties and/or assignments as designated by management.
   
   To put it legally - Wolfspeed is an equal opportunity employer.
   We recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote regardless of race, sex, religion, color, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation and other protected status as required by law.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right manufacturing supervisor 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 supervisors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit manufacturing supervisors 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 supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit manufacturing supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit manufacturing supervisors, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 supervisor

   Once you've decided on a perfect manufacturing supervisor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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 manufacturing supervisor 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a manufacturing supervisor?