Shift Supervisor – Carbon Fiber Manufacturing
Location: Edmonton, AB
Company: Fibernx Technologies Inc.
About Fibernx Technologies
Fibernx Technologies is advancing next-generation carbon fiber manufacturing using innovative asphaltene-based precursor materials. Our mission is to deliver cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable carbon fiber solutions for industrial and advanced applications.
Position Overview
Fibernx Technologies is seeking a highly experienced Shift Supervisor – Carbon Fiber Manufacturing to oversee the daily operations of our continuous carbon fiber manufacturing lines, with a primary focus on stabilization and carbonization processes.
This is a hands-on manufacturing leadership position responsible for supervising production personnel, ensuring stable and efficient manufacturing operations, monitoring equipment performance, troubleshooting production challenges, and maintaining consistent carbon fiber quality.
Direct hands-on experience operating industrial continuous carbon fiber carbonization production lines is mandatory. Candidates without previous experience operating carbon fiber carbonization lines will not be considered.
The ideal candidate combines extensive practical experience in carbon fiber manufacturing with strong operational leadership, a deep understanding of carbonization equipment and manufacturing parameters, and the ability to manage production shifts safely and efficiently.
Key Responsibilities
1. Manufacturing Operations & Shift Supervision
- Supervise day-to-day shift operations of continuous carbon fiber stabilization and carbonization production lines.
- Lead and coordinate production operators and technicians to achieve manufacturing targets.
- Monitor production activities to ensure stable, efficient, and continuous carbon fiber manufacturing.
- Ensure manufacturing operations comply with established operating procedures, production specifications, and safety standards.
- Coordinate production schedules, shift assignments, and operational priorities.
- Conduct shift handovers and maintain accurate production records and operational reports.
2. Carbon Fiber Carbonization Operations & Process Control
- Oversee and actively support the operation of industrial continuous carbon fiber carbonization furnaces and associated production equipment.
- Monitor and control critical manufacturing parameters, including furnace temperature profiles, heating rates, residence time, line speed, fiber tension, and furnace atmosphere.
- Ensure proper fiber handling, alignment, and movement throughout stabilization and carbonization processes.
- Monitor manufacturing conditions to maintain consistent carbon fiber quality and minimize fiber breakage.
- Identify process deviations and implement appropriate operational adjustments within established process limits.
- Work closely with process engineers to optimize manufacturing parameters and improve production performance.
3. Equipment Operations & Troubleshooting
- Supervise the operation of stabilization ovens, carbonization furnaces, fiber transport systems, winding equipment, and associated manufacturing machinery.
- Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment malfunctions, process instability, fiber breakage, and production interruptions.
- Identify root causes of operational issues and coordinate corrective actions with process engineers and maintenance personnel.
- Monitor equipment performance and ensure reliable operation of continuous manufacturing systems.
- Coordinate routine equipment inspections, preventive maintenance, and operational readiness checks.
- Support equipment modifications, operational improvements, and manufacturing reliability initiatives.
4. Production Quality & Continuous Improvement
- Ensure manufactured carbon fiber meets established product quality specifications and production requirements.
- Monitor production quality and identify deviations from established manufacturing standards.
- Coordinate production sampling, inspections, and quality control activities.
- Implement corrective actions to address production defects and manufacturing inconsistencies.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on production yield, throughput, quality, equipment uptime, and operational efficiency.
- Maintain accurate production logs, equipment inspection records, and shift performance reports.
5. Safety, Compliance & Operational Excellence
- Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and operational standards.
- Enforce safe operating procedures for high-temperature carbonization furnaces and industrial manufacturing equipment.
- Conduct routine safety inspections and ensure production personnel follow established safety protocols.
- Identify operational hazards and implement appropriate preventive measures.
- Coordinate safe equipment start-up, shutdown, and emergency response activities.
- Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
6. Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Supervise, train, and mentor production operators and manufacturing technicians.
- Assign operational responsibilities and monitor employee performance during production shifts.
- Provide hands-on technical guidance and troubleshooting support to production personnel.
- Coordinate with process engineers, maintenance teams, and engineering management to resolve manufacturing challenges.
- Ensure effective communication between shifts and across manufacturing departments.
- Support operator training, development of operating procedures, and implementation of manufacturing best practices.
Qualifications
Required
- Technical diploma or degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related technical field, or equivalent extensive hands-on experience in industrial carbon fiber manufacturing.
- 7+ years of direct, hands-on experience in industrial carbon fiber manufacturing operations, including continuous production line operations.
- Mandatory direct hands-on experience operating industrial continuous carbon fiber carbonization production lines.
- Proven experience supervising or leading production personnel in industrial carbon fiber manufacturing environments.
- Deep technical understanding of carbon fiber stabilization and carbonization furnaces, continuous fiber handling systems, thermal processing equipment, and associated manufacturing controls.
- Strong knowledge of critical carbonization parameters, including furnace temperature profiles, heating rates, residence time, line speed, fiber tension, furnace atmosphere, and gas flow control.
- Demonstrated experience troubleshooting carbon fiber breakage, process instability, equipment malfunctions, and production quality deviations on continuous carbonization lines.
- Proven ability to perform equipment start-up, shutdown, operational adjustments, and troubleshooting in industrial carbon fiber manufacturing environments.
- Experience monitoring manufacturing process controls, equipment performance, and production quality.
- Strong understanding of industrial manufacturing safety requirements, particularly high-temperature processing equipment and controlled-atmosphere furnaces.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate production shifts, supervise operators, and maintain efficient manufacturing operations.
- Must be based in Canada or legally authorized and willing to work on-site in Edmonton, Alberta.
- Ability to work rotating shifts, including nights and weekends, as required.
Preferred
- Experience commissioning and starting up industrial carbon fiber stabilization and carbonization production lines.
- Familiarity with PLC, SCADA, industrial automation, and process control systems.
- Experience implementing manufacturing quality systems, production performance monitoring, and continuous improvement programs.
Why Join Fibernx Technologies
- Be part of a pioneering company redefining sustainable carbon fiber manufacturing.
- Lead manufacturing operations involving advanced continuous carbon fiber production technologies.
- Contribute to commercializing a first-of-its-kind carbon fiber manufacturing system.
- Competitive compensation and professional growth opportunities.
