Assistant Supervisor / Experienced Injection Molding Setup Technician

Job Title

Assistant Supervisor / Experienced Injection Molding Setup Technician

Location

Oswego, IL 60543
Work Arrangement: On-site
Shifts:

2nd Shift: 2:45 PM – 11:45 PM

3rd Shift: 10:45 PM – 7:15 AM
Night/overnight availability required

Client

HQC Incorporated

Website

www.hqcinc.com

Salary

$22.00 – $25.00 per hour, depending on experience

About the Client

HQC Incorporated is an established plastic injection molding manufacturer with 38 years in business and more than 30 years in Oswego, Illinois. The company operates a clean, modern, air-conditioned manufacturing facility and produces plastic components for the food packaging, medical device, and personal care industries.

HQC operates 24/7 and provides opportunities for employees to develop their technical skills and advance into leadership positions.

Job Summary

HQC is seeking a mechanically inclined Assistant Supervisor / Experienced Injection Molding Setup Technician to support its production team.

This is a hands-on position responsible for assisting with machine setups, color changes, troubleshooting injection molding equipment, making machine adjustments, and helping maintain product quality and production efficiency.

The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to develop leadership skills and eventually help oversee the shift when the supervisor is unavailable.

Responsibilities

Perform color changes and assist with injection molding machine setup activities.

Troubleshoot injection molding machines and auxiliary equipment.

Adjust machine settings to correct product defects and maintain quality.

Monitor production and identify equipment or process issues.

Communicate production issues and solutions with supervisors and team members.

Support production flow and help keep machines running efficiently.

Assist with developing and maintaining safe work practices.

Help enforce company policies and procedures on the production floor.

Inspect and pack products when needed to provide breaks and lunch coverage.

Learn proper material handling procedures and production materials.

Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment.

Develop the technical and leadership skills needed to assist in running the shift.

Perform other production-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum 1 year of plastic injection molding experience required.

Hands-on experience working around injection molding equipment.

Experience with injection molding machines is strongly preferred.

Ability to troubleshoot equipment and production problems.

Ability to make machine/process adjustments to resolve defects.

Strong mechanical aptitude.

Dependable, safety-conscious, and team-oriented.

Willingness to learn new equipment, processes, and responsibilities.

Ability to communicate effectively in English, including reading and understanding written instructions.

Ability and willingness to work 2nd or 3rd shift/night and overnight hours.

Must be comfortable working in an on-site manufacturing environment.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced injection molding technician or machine setup technician who is comfortable working hands-on with molding equipment and troubleshooting production issues.

Someone who understands machine adjustments, color changes, defects, and basic equipment troubleshooting will be a strong fit. The company is also looking for someone dependable and mechanically inclined who wants to grow into a leadership/assistant supervisor role.

Simple Explanation of the Job

You will work on the production floor operating and setting up plastic injection molding machines.

Your main job will be to:

Help set up molding machines and perform color changes.

Troubleshoot machines when something isn't working correctly.

Adjust machine settings when products have defects.

Keep production running smoothly and safely.

Help the production team when needed.

Eventually develop the skills to help lead the shift when the supervisor is not available.

This is a good opportunity for someone with injection molding experience who wants to move beyond basic machine operation and grow technically and potentially into supervisory responsibilities.

Benefits

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Paid time off

7 paid holidays after 30 days

40 hours of PTO after 90 days

401(k) with up to 4% company match after 90 days

100% vested in the 401(k) match from the start

Clean, modern, air-conditioned facility

Opportunities for advancement and leadership development

Screening Questions

How many years of plastic injection molding experience do you have?

Which injection molding machines have you worked with?

Do you have hands-on experience setting up injection molding machines? Please describe your setup responsibilities.

Have you performed color changes? If yes, what was your process?

What types of injection molding equipment or auxiliary equipment have you troubleshot?

What machine adjustments have you made to correct product defects?

Can you give an example of a molding problem you diagnosed and how you resolved it?

Have you worked with different plastics/materials? Which ones?

Have you previously trained, directed, or assisted other production employees?

Are you interested in developing into an Assistant Supervisor or shift leadership role?

Are you available to work 2nd shift (2:45 PM–11:45 PM) or 3rd shift (10:45 PM–7:15 AM)?

Are you comfortable working weekends when production requires it?

What hourly rate are you targeting?

How soon would you be available to start?

Are you comfortable working fully on-site in Oswego, IL?