How to become a First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers
Official title: First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
Also called: Assembly Supervisor, Line Supervisor, Manufacturing Supervisor, Molding Supervisor, Plant Supervisor, Production Manager, Production Supervisor, Quality Assurance Supervisor (QA Supervisor)
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators. Excludes team or work leaders.
Main tasks
- Enforce safety and sanitation regulations.
- Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked.
- Inspect materials, products, or equipment to detect defects or malfunctions.
- Read and analyze charts, work orders, production schedules, and other records and reports to determine production requirements and to evaluate current production estimates and outputs.
- Plan and establish work schedules, assignments, and production sequences to meet production goals.
- Confer with other supervisors to coordinate operations and activities within or between departments.
- Interpret specifications, blueprints, job orders, and company policies and procedures for workers.
- Observe work and monitor gauges, dials, and other indicators to ensure that operators conform to production or processing standards.
How to become one
Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $74,450 a year The middle half earn $58,630 to $91,680.
- About 679,900 people work in this job now, and about 692,300 are projected by 2035. (+1.8%)
- People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.
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Questions people ask
How much does a First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $74,450 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $58,630 to $91,680.
Is a First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers a growing career in the US?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 679,900 people now and 692,300 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers?
Usually not. Only 17% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers?
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.