Production Supervisor
Smithfield Foods · Cincinnati, OH
- Level
- Supervisor
- Team
- Production
- Base pay
- $55k–$83k
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 2+ years
- Industry
- Food & beverage
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A supervisor production role at Smithfield Foods (food & beverage) in Cincinnati, OH. Lead, coach, and develop production operators and lead personnel to maximize performance and engagement.
- They ask for
- 2+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Root cause, CAPA, FDA / GMP, SAP, MES
- Base pay
- $55k–$83k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Production Supervisor roles in Ohio: typical posted base $74k–$97k. This one lists $55k–$83k.
Median of the low and high ends of 13 live postings that list pay, out of 73 production supervisor openings in Ohio, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Ohio plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 74 other live production postings in Ohio.
- Base pay
- About 20% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (2+ vs 5+)
Typical $75k–$97k, from 11 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Team leadership 91%
- ✓ Lean 37%
- EHS / safety 23%
- Union environment 20%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for CAPA, FDA / GMP, MES, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Smithfield Foods
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Smithfield Foods in Cincinnati
1 other open role at this site.
- Production Technician · Production · Technician
Full description from Smithfield FoodsAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Preferred qualifications
- ✓Experience in pharmaceutical, biologics, API, biotechnology, or cGMP-regulated manufacturing environments.
- ✓Knowledge of FDA regulations, cGMP requirements, quality systems, deviation investigations, and CAPA processes.
- ✓Experience with batch processing, chemical manufacturing, purification operations, or biologic production processes.
- ✓Familiarity with SAP system, electronic batch records, manufacturing execution systems (MES), and data analysis tools.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
If you are currently employed at Smithfield, please log into Workday and submit your application through the Jobs Hub.
Have a seat at our table. When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special – a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet. With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our Core Four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact. Apply Now!
The value you’ll bring
As a Production Supervisor at Smithfield Bioscience, you will lead a team of approximately eight employees in the manufacture of pharmaceutical-grade heparin sodium and other biologically derived products. You will oversee daily production operations, ensuring compliance with cGMP requirements, quality standards, safety policies, and regulatory expectations. Through effective leadership, coaching, and cross-functional collaboration with Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and Supply Chain teams, you will drive operational excellence, maintain product quality, and support the reliable production of pharmaceutical products in a regulated manufacturing environment.
Safety, Compliance & Quality
- •Promote a culture of safety and compliance by ensuring adherence to company policies, cGMP regulations, SOPs, and environmental, health, and safety requirements.
- •Conduct routine production floor inspections and address safety, quality, and compliance issues promptly.
- •Ensure manufacturing activities are performed in accordance with approved batch records, procedures, and quality requirements.
- •Partner with Quality Assurance to support audits, inspections, investigations, CAPAs, and continuous compliance initiatives.
- •Always maintain inspection-ready manufacturing operations and documentation.
Production Operations
- •Supervise daily manufacturing operations to ensure production schedules, quality standards, and business objectives are achieved.
- •Monitor production performance, yields, throughput, cycle times, and process efficiencies while identifying opportunities for improvement.
- •Coordinate staffing, equipment availability, and materials to support production requirements.
- •Escalate and assist in resolving operational issues that impact safety, quality, production, or compliance.
Team Leadership & Development
- •Lead, coach, and develop production operators and lead personnel to maximize performance and engagement.
- •Conduct employee training, performance evaluations, and development planning.
- •Foster accountability and ensure employees understand and follow all safety, quality, and operational procedures.
- •Communicate daily production goals, performance metrics, and organizational updates to the team.
Continuous Improvement
- •Support Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence initiatives to improve productivity, quality, and cost efficiency.
- •Participate in root cause investigations for deviations, non-conformances, and process-related issues.
- •Collaborate with Engineering and Technical Services to implement process improvements and equipment enhancements.
- •Utilize performance data and key manufacturing metrics to identify improvement opportunities.
Equipment & Facility Support
- •Partner with Maintenance and Engineering teams to ensure manufacturing equipment operates efficiently and reliably.
- •Support equipment troubleshooting, preventive maintenance activities, and process improvement projects.
- •Ensure production areas are maintained in a state of operational readiness and GMP compliance.
What we're seeking
- •Bachelor’s degree in business, Life Sciences, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.
- •Minimum 2+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices, life sciences, or other regulated industries.
- •Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, productivity metrics, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- •Excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- •Experience working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while effectively managing multiple priorities.
- •Ability to work flexible schedules, including weekends and extended hours as business needs require.
- •Must be able to speak, read and write in English fluently.
Physical demands & work environment
- •Manufacturing environment may include exposure to chemicals, biological materials, varying temperatures, wet conditions, and processing equipment.
- •Required use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in designated production areas.
- •Regular standing, walking, bending, reaching, and working around production equipment.
- •Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds.
- •Noise levels may vary from moderate to high depending on the manufacturing area.
The expected pay range for this position is $55,000 - $82,500 annually.
Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and
