About this opportunity
ZERNO lists this Production Manager opportunity in hillside, Illinois. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
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Overview: At Zerno, we design and build premium specialty coffee grinders for a community that cares as much about craft as we do. We're a small, close-knit team, and our next great hire will have a meaningful role in shaping how we build our products and scale the company. We're looking for a Production Manager to help run our assembly floor — keeping production, inventory, and vendors on track, maintaining a high bar for quality, and continually improving how we work. This is a collaborative, hands-on role with real ownership and visibility across the company. We're looking for someone who brings ideas, enjoys solving problems with a team, and wants the opportunity to take on more as we grow.
What You’ll Do:
Inventory & systems — You'll own our MRP, maintaining inventory accuracy, setting reorder points that make sense for a low-volume operation, and shaping how the system fits the way we work. You'll also oversee our warehouse processes, including receiving, shipping, and returns/repairs. You'll work with a sharp team of engineers, machinists, and assemblers, and the best improvements will come from figuring things out together.
Production planning & continuous improvement — You'll own the weekly production plan, translating customer demand, available inventory, and team capacity into a realistic schedule. You'll track performance against the plan, understand and communicate variances, surface risks early. You'll also look for ways to make the floor run better, working with a team that genuinely enjoys solving problems. Good ideas here get tried, and some of our best changes have come from someone noticing a small thing and asking why.
Quality — Our grinders are low-volume and high-value, and the people who buy them notice the details, which is exactly why we love building them. You'll help define what good looks like for incoming parts, works in process, and finished builds, and make sure the team consistently works to that standard. Every grinder that leaves here carries the team's name on it, and we want each one to be something you're proud of.
Vendor & procurement — You'll manage vendors relationships for parts, materials, and logistics — placing POs, planning around lead times, and follow up when something isn't on track.
Team leadership — You'll lead a skilled production team who take real pride in their work. A short daily huddle keeps everyone aligned and clears blockers, but most of this job is making sure people have what they need, feel heard, and know their judgment is trusted, and that they’re accountable for the quality of their work. We're looking for someone who enjoys helping good people get better, and who builds the kind of team others want to be part of.
Who You Are:
Experience in manufacturing, operations, supply chain, warehousing, or another hands-on operating environment; management experience is welcome but not required.
Bachelor's degree preferred — Operations/Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Management, or Systems Engineering.
Comfortable using systems and data to manage production; experience with MRP/ERP or inventory systems is a plus.
You take ownership. When something isn't going according to plan, you want to understand why, communicate it early, and figure out what to do next.
Mechanically inclined and genuinely interested in understanding how products are made and how processes work.
Curious, organized, and proactive — you notice what could work better, keep several moving priorities straight, and enjoy figuring out how to make things happen.
A natural, welcoming leadership style — you bring out the best in people and lead in a way others want to follow.
Conversational Spanish is a plus — some of our production team speaks Spanish as their primary language.
An appreciation for precision products, craftsmanship, or specialty coffee is a plus.
The Details:
Compensation : $60,000–$80,000/year, salaried exempt (based on experience)
Benefits : Paid time off and paid holidays.
Growth: This role has meaningful room to expand in responsibility as the company and team grow.
Physical requirements: Comfortable being on your feet in a hands-on production environment, including some standing/walking and occasional lifting up to 40 lbs.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Zerno is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply. If you meet some, but not all, of the criteria listed, we still encourage you to apply. We believe in training the right person and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.
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Worksite address
hillside, IL, 60162, US
Who can apply
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