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What is a shift production supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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A shift production supervisor's responsibilities often vary depending on their employer. In most cases, they maintain work standards, supervise other employees during their shifts, and handle customer complaints. Shift production supervisors may also participate in their employee's tasks.

As a shift production supervisor, your job is two-fold because you have to lead employees and help them in their duties. Their responsibilities are often confined to the shift, although they may meet with other supervisors to discuss issues and progress at other times. Shift production supervisors can also be responsible for hiring employees, training them, and devising a schedule. Their role involves preparing reports for management and maintaining high-performance standards on the team.

To become a shift production supervisor, you'll need a degree in business management or a related field. Some employers accept candidates with only a high school diploma. Before moving into a shift production supervisory role, you'll need experience working in the field.

ScoreShift Production SupervisorUS Average
Salary
2.7

Avg. Salary $35,127

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
4.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 5.59%

Black or African American 11.68%

Hispanic or Latino 16.00%

Unknown 4.24%

White 61.78%

Gender

female 9.02%

male 90.98%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
8.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.3

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Shift production supervisor career paths

Key steps to become a shift production supervisor

  1. Explore shift production supervisor education requirements

    Most common shift production supervisor degrees

    Bachelor's

    47.7 %

    Associate

    21.9 %

    High School Diploma

    19.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific shift production supervisor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Continuous Improvement12.54%
    Lean Manufacturing12.30%
    Production Schedules4.04%
    OSHA3.98%
    Lean Six Sigma3.89%
  3. Complete relevant shift production supervisor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New shift production supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a shift production supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real shift production supervisor resumes.
  4. Research shift production supervisor duties and responsibilities

    • Set and ensure production rates, troubleshoot process issues, and manage downtime in a safe and effective manner.
    • Manage manufacturing department operations to ensure compliance with establish quality specifications, production levels, and FDA regulations.
    • Involve in daily USDA inspections, FDA audits, monitoring HACCP program and maintaining OSHA standards within the plant.
    • Train on FDA and GMP practices require for the pharmaceutical industry.
  5. Prepare your shift production supervisor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your shift production supervisor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a shift production supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable shift production supervisor resume templates

    Build a professional shift production supervisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your shift production supervisor resume.
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
    Shift Production Supervisor Resume
  6. Apply for shift production supervisor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a shift production supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first shift production supervisor job

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Average shift production supervisor salary

The average shift production supervisor salary in the United States is $35,127 per year or $17 per hour. Shift production supervisor salaries range between $22,000 and $54,000 per year.

Average shift production supervisor salary
$35,127 Yearly
$16.89 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do shift production supervisors rate their job?

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Shift production supervisor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022
Pros

Being able to create a work environment where people flourish, come together, build good relationships form positive teamwork, watching work flow smoothly, reaching or exceeding goals, and be accountable. 2. An opportunity to learn shop floor activities technically and also to develop managerial skills.

Cons

When my children were young and still in school, I didn't like not having a work-life balance to be with the family. But now my family is grown up with there own families.


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

I like getting to know the company's operation and running numbers to see what opportunities there are for improvement.

Cons

I don't dislike anything about supervising, however the most difficult part of this position for me was managing people. This is a challenge when turnover rates are high.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

Helping people on the production line and being able to move around.

Cons

Slow workers


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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