Company Description John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is a global leader in mission-critical flow control solutions for energy and process industries that enable efficient and sustainable operations. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, bearings, filtration systems, and predictive digital monitoring technologies. We have a global network of more than 200 sites in over 50 countries and employ more than 6,000 people worldwide. We partner with our customers to help them keep their operations safe, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and meet the latest environmental standards. John Crane is part of Smiths Group. For over 170 years, Smiths has been pioneering progress by engineering for a better future. We serve millions of people every year, helping to create a safer, more efficient, productive, and better-connected world across four global markets: energy, security & defence, space & aerospace, and general industrial. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs approximately 16,000 colleagues in over 50 countries.
Job Description
Under the direction of the Manager, direct, supervise and coordinate hourly personnel in a production, service or maintenance department in accordance with company policy and practices, operating schedules and controls for one or more shifts in more than one area of the plant.
- Lead and oversee daily CNC turning and milling operations, ensuring the safe, efficient, and cost-effective execution of the production plan. Maximize machine utilization, labor efficiency, and throughput through strategic scheduling and resource allocation while consistently meeting On-Time Delivery (OTD) commitments.
- Build a highly capable and flexible workforce by developing employee skills, cross-training personnel, and aligning competencies with product and process requirements. Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing scrap, improving quality, increasing productivity, and achieving cost and performance objectives.
- Champion a culture of safety, discipline, and accountability throughout the machine shop. Ensure full compliance with all safety procedures, company policies, and regulatory requirements while proactively eliminating unsafe conditions and behaviors to protect employees, contractors, and visitors.
- Act as the primary escalation point for shop floor issues, communicating operational risks, constraints, and resource needs clearly and promptly. Collaborate effectively with Engineering, Quality, Planning, Procurement, Maintenance, and other support functions to ensure rapid problem resolution and uninterrupted production flow.
- Partner with Production Control, Engineering, and Manufacturing Engineering to optimize production schedules, implement engineering changes, improve manufacturing processes, and maintain inventory accuracy. Anticipate operational challenges and implement preventive actions to minimize downtime, labor losses, and schedule disruptions.
- Drive operational excellence through data-driven decision-making, monitoring key performance indicators related to Safety, Quality, Delivery, Productivity, and Cost (SQDPC).
- Support develop of shop floor employees, fostering a high-performance culture centered on teamwork, engagement, and accountability. Assist hiring interviews, performance evaluations, and workforce planning.
- (As a plus) Promote Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies, driving initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, product quality, process reliability, and overall customer satisfaction.
- Ensure compliance with John Crane standards and business objectives, maintaining focus on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development while supporting the long-term growth and success of the Pasadena Machine Shop operations.
- Core Competencies
- Leadership & Team Development
- Production Management
- Safety Leadership
- Quality Focus
- Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
- Problem Solving & Decision Making
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Qualifications
We're looking for a hands-on manufacturing leader who thrives in a fast-paced production environment and enjoys developing people, improving processes, and driving operational excellence. Required Experience
- 5+ years of manufacturing experience in a production environment.
- 2+ years of leadership, supervisory, lead, or team development experience.
- Minimum 3 years of experience with metal machining operations, including CNC equipment, lathes, mills, tooling, and manual machine tools.
- Strong understanding of CNC machine operation, setup principles, tooling requirements, and machining best practices.
- Experience with machine controls, online and offline programming concepts, and manufacturing systems.
Technical Skills
- Working knowledge of ERP systems (QAD preferred), MES, and LES platforms.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and Power BI.
- Ability to interpret production data and use system-driven insights to improve safety, quality, delivery, and productivity.
- Experience with continuous improvement initiatives, process optimization, and manufacturing performance metrics is highly desirable.
Leadership & Professional Attributes
- Self-motivated and proactive leader who takes ownership and drives results.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage employees at all levels of the organization.
Education
- High School Diploma or equivalent required.
- Associate degree, technical certification, or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
Physical & Work Environment Requirements
- Ability to regularly transition between office and manufacturing floor environments.
- Capable of standing, walking, bending, kneeling, reaching, twisting, and lifting up to 35 pounds as part of daily responsibilities.
- Manual dexterity and coordination required for operating computers, office equipment, and production-related systems.
Schedule Flexibility This position is currently aligned to a specific shift; however, flexibility is required as shift assignments may change to support business needs and production demands. What Success Looks Like The successful candidate will be a visible shop-floor leader who develops employees, supports safe and efficient production, drives continuous improvement initiatives, and ensures customer commitments are achieved through strong operational execution.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize competing demands and lead multiple projects in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
- Innovative problem-solver with a passion for developing teams and improving operational performance.
- Comfortable leading a diverse workforce while fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
Additional Information With colleagues stretching across the globe, we are proud of our diversity. To foster inclusivity, we run employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a safe space for employees to connect and support each other. Our cross-business ERGs include Veterans, Pride Network, Black Employee Network, Women@Work Network, and Neurodiversity. Across our company, we recognize excellence, culminating in the Smiths Excellence Awards, our annual celebration of the most extraordinary activities, people, and projects that best showcase our strengths and help drive our business forward. We announce these on our annual Smiths Day, a global celebration of Smiths around our network. Join us for a great career with competitive compensation and benefits, while helping engineer a better future.
We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity. At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers - Smiths Group plc)