How to hire a paper machine supervisor

How to hire a paper machine supervisor, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The paper machine supervisor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 paper machine supervisor 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.

   Here's a comparison of paper machine supervisor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Paper Machine Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Paper Machine Supervisor		$36-62
   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
   Control Supervisor	Control Supervisors are responsible for overseeing the operational performance of an organization from a control room. Their duties include undertaking service escalations to site engineers, streamlining system deployments, ensure smooth stock-flow, and develop quality assurance improvements... Show more	$21-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Stock Prep
   • Daily Safety
   • Machine Uptime
   • Machine Issues
   • Quality Standards

   Responsibilities:

   • Supervise a team of 6 associates throughout the currency, coin and ATM processes.
   • Perform all CNC programming utilizing Mastercam from Solidworks models.
   • Provision customer ATM circuits in Redback and Cisco routers.
   • Start with the industry's largest and leading aluminum cylinder manufacturing facility as a machine operator specializing in extrusion.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the paper machine supervisor job description is a good way to get more applicants. A paper machine supervisor 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 paper machine supervisor in Arkansas may be lower than in Wyoming, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level paper machine supervisor. Additionally, a paper machine supervisor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average paper machine supervisor salary

   $99,262yearly

   $47.72 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level paper machine supervisor salary

   $75,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average paper machine supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	South Carolina	$127,584	$61
   2	Massachusetts	$119,344	$57
   3	Michigan	$117,523	$57
   4	Rhode Island	$113,037	$54
   5	Washington	$109,562	$53
   6	Oregon	$104,415	$50
   7	Ohio	$97,951	$47

   Average paper machine supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Boise Paper Inc.	$93,683	$45.04
   2	Graphic Packaging International	$89,243	$42.91	23
   3	WestRock	$87,096	$41.87	51
   4	TPI	$86,298	$41.49	5
   5	First Quality	$73,551	$35.36	2

4. Writing a paper machine supervisor job description

   A job description for a paper machine supervisor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a paper machine supervisor job description:

   Paper machine supervisor job description example

   Clearwater Paper Corporation (NYSE: CLW) is a $1.8B manufacturer of quality consumer tissue, away from home tissue, parent roll tissue, bleached paperboard and pulp at its 13 manufacturing and converting locations across the nation. Working at Clearwater Paper provides an opportunity to enrich your career through challenging and meaningful work and ongoing training and development-all in a supportive environment. We know our success depends on your success.
   
   Our Lewiston, ID location is unique as it is Clearwater Paper's only manufacturing location that produces both high quality paperboard products for our Paperboard Division as well as private label tissue products for our Consumer Products Division. The Utility is the entry level position in the Extruder and Paper Machine areas of both Lewiston divisions. In this position, the Utility is responsible for a variety of tasks including assisting other Operators as needed and learning all operations within their department. The Utility also assists in different areas to fill in during time off vacancies.
   Starting Pay: $20.00
   
   Pay after 90 days: $23.69
   
   + Assist in all areas of the designated department (Extruder or Paper Machine)
   
   + Fill in as needed due to time off vacancies
   
   + Assist other Operators as needed throughout the department
   
   + Conduct minor maintenance activities
   
   + Conduct routine inspections of equipment in areas of responsibility based on preventative maintenance routes/check sheets/frequencies
   
   + Attend and apply training provided by the Company, both job and department specific
   
   + Hold self and others to high level of safety standards, ensuring workplace safety policies are upheld and safety rules are followed (lockout/tagout procedures, appropriate PPE, safe driving practices, etc.)
   
   + Participate as needed in safety incidents and help investigate root cause
   
   + Maintain a clean working environment by complying with procedures and housekeeping responsibilities
   
   Required education and related experience:
   
   + High school diploma or GED certificate
   
   + Minimum of two years continuous work experience in a manufacturing, production, industrial, or labor intensive work environment
   
   + Prior experience working shift work (days, swing, graveyard) preferred
   
   Familiar with Microsoft Office: Word, Powerpoint, Outlook, etc. and able to learn new computer programs Skills and Abilities (technical/professional skills, expertise and qualifications):
   
   + Must be able to handle the rigors of an industrial environment including temperature extremes, noisy environments and heavy lifting
   
   + Demonstrated ability to be an effective team player
   
   + Good communication skills
   
   + Must be able to work rotating 12-hour shift schedules that include nights, weekends and holidays.
   
   · Able to work in a physically demanding environment including temperature extremes, loud noise, avoiding slipping, tripping, and falling hazards
   
   · Physically capable of manual labor that includes bending, walking, sitting, and climbing in and around machinery and equipment for entire 12-hour shift
   
   · Able to lift, up to 40 lbs frequently, between 40 and 50 lbs occasionally, over 50 lbs minimally. When lifting 50 lbs and above, Operator will use team lifting and overhead crane assistance.
   
   · Work environment includes exposure to compressed air, steam, lubrication oil, dust, and hydraulic fluid.
   
   · Able to wear and comply with all personal protective equipment (Eye and ear protection, steel toed shoes, etc.)
   
   Req No.: 2022-5576
   
   Street: 803 Mill Road

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with paper machine supervisor candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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 paper machine supervisor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the paper machine supervisor 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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