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Team Lead at protolabs: Raleigh, United States; On-site; Lead; Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction. JobGrid adds normalized role facts, source context, and a path to the employer application page so candidates can compare the listing before applying.
- Location and workplace: Raleigh, United States, On-site
- Role classification: Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction, Lead
- Source freshness: checked by JobGrid on 2026-06-11.
- Application path: candidates continue to the employer application page with non-personal referral tags.
The Team Lead oversees daily production operations, partnering with Seniors to prioritize and delegate work to meet ship dates while upholding quality and compliance standards. They track and improve key quality metrics (send-backs, rebuilds, customer complaints), coach and assess team performance, and manage training/quality documentation in Learn and M-Files. As a subject-matter expert, the Lead reviews defects/CQE, and initiates rebuilds, as needed, liaises across departments to maintain workflow, and troubleshoots minor equipment issues and maintenance needs. The role supports the Supervisor with staffing, hiring, huddles, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Monday - Friday, 10a - 7p
What you will do
- Manage production workflow during shift and work with the Seniors to delegate jobs as needed to ensure work is prioritized properly and completed as efficiently as possible to meet the required ship dates.
- Track quality metrics during shift, including send-backs, rebuilds, and customer complaints and work with the supervisor on managing those metrics and ways to improve them.
- Responsible for the monitoring and assessment of the daily work performance of members during the shift, correcting and advising as needed, and reporting these and any other concerns to the Supervisor.
- Ensure compliance and high level of quality for team processes and procedures, and continuously seek ways to improve these processes and procedures.
- Exemplify departmental and company policies and procedures and advise members of the team on expectations regarding these policies and procedures.
- Manage training records quality control documents for the team within Learn and M-Files.
- Manage team to-do lists, coordinating team members to ensure all tasks, checklists, and end-of-day duties are completed in a timely manner.
- Partner with Seniors as needed to review and CQE any parts that are determined to be defective according to standard procedures, including tolerance issues, entering rebuilds as needed.
- Possess proficiency in all departmental tasks, serving as a subject matter expert for the team, and back-up other roles within the team.
- Act as a liaison between other departments to ensure a consistent workflow.
- Assist Supervisor in managing appropriate staffing levels and aid in the hiring process.
- Attend daily and/or weekly meetings with Supervisor for future updates and current status reports.
- Execute and implement continuous improvement initiatives as directed by the Supervisor.
- Report any equipment concerns to the Supervisor, troubleshooting minor part, technical, and equipment issues, performing light maintenance on equipment and tools as needed.
- Maintain a clean and safe production environment and assist with the restocking of supplies.
- Assist in the removal and disposal of contaminated materials according to applicable procedures.
- Maintain a clean and safe work area and individual workspace and assist in general cleanliness and maintenance of the facility.
- Observe and champion all Protolabs Safety and Quality policies and procedures, including use of any required PPE (safety glasses, gloves, steel-toed footwear, etc.) and safety/compliance training.
- Maintain collaborative and respectful working relationships.
- Other responsibilities as assigned.
What it takes
- High School Diploma or equivalent
- Minimum 2 years of experience in a Protolabs additive manufacturing production department
- Demonstrated Leadership ability
- Demonstrated ability to identify scheduling constraints and effectively communicate with Production Management team in order to minimize lead time of large production runs.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Able to work safely with sharp tools/objects including hobby knives, utility knives, files, abrasives, rotary tools, general cutters and more.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- Ability to effectively teach, train, and coach others.
- Able to read and write in English fluently and do basic arithmetic.
- Proficient use of a computer and experience with Windows software.
- Strong analytical, organizational and planning skills.
- Must be able to effectively follow and give directions.
- Must have the ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of both hands to grasp, manipulate and work on small objects.
- Excellent punctuality.
- Wear all required PPE (gloves, lab coats, etc.).
Bonus points for
- 6+ months of experience in a Senior role within production.
What is in it for you
- We offer a competitive salary
- In addition, we offer amazing benefits including but not limited to:
- Health Insurance: Traditional OR High Deductible plan
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Health Savings Account (including employer contributions)
- Dental and Vision
- Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
- Paid caregiver leave
- You will receive 3 weeks of PTO, plus Holiday Pay and Volunteer Hours
- 401k with company match and immediate vest
- Employee Stock Purchase Program at a 15% discounted rate
- Matching grants through Protolabs foundation
- And More!