Production Manager (Bilingual English/Korean)

Production Manager (Bilingual English/Korean)

Location: Carson, CA

Department: Operations

Reports To: Head of Operations

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

About Us

Woojin IS America, Inc. (WISA), headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, CA, is a growing manufacturer specializing in electric equipment and systems for rolling stock and light rail vehicles. We support North American transit customers with safe, reliable, and high-quality transportation solutions.

Position Summary

Woojin IS America (WISA) is seeking a hands-on Production Manager to support manufacturing operations at our Carson, California facility. This role is responsible for overseeing daily production activities, supervising production personnel, and ensuring work is completed safely, efficiently, and according to quality and schedule requirements.

The Production Manager serves as a key link between the Head of Operations, Korea HQ, and front-line production supervisors and employees. This position focuses primarily on execution, coordination, workforce management, and production performance within the shop environment.

Key Responsibilities

Production Operations

• Oversee daily production activities related to railcar assembly, refurbishment, modification, and manufacturing operations.
• Coordinate labor, workflow, and production priorities to support schedule attainment and operational efficiency.
• Monitor production progress and address day-to-day issues impacting safety, quality, staffing, materials, or productivity.
• Ensure work is performed according to engineering drawings, work instructions, quality requirements, and company procedures.
• Communicate production status, risks, and resource needs to the Head of Operations.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Quality, Warehouse, Purchasing, and Maintenance departments to support production flow.

Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise production supervisors, leads, and assigned production employees.
• Provide daily direction, coaching, and support to production teams.
• Monitor employee performance, attendance, productivity, and adherence to company policies.
• Assist with onboarding and training of new employees.
• Support employee development and help maintain a positive and accountable work environment.

Safety & Quality

• Enforce company safety policies and safe work practices throughout the facility.
• Ensure employees properly follow PPE requirements, lockout/tagout procedures, hot work practices, and other safety standards.
• Support compliance with customer specifications, inspection requirements, and applicable quality standards.
• Work with Quality personnel to address production defects, rework, and corrective actions.
• Promote housekeeping and 5S practices throughout production areas.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor schedule performance, labor productivity, and production efficiency.
• Assist in identifying process improvements to reduce delays, improve workflow, and increase operational effectiveness.
• Support implementation of continuous improvement initiatives within the production department.
• Help track labor hours and communicate variances or production concerns to management.

Resource & Equipment Coordination

• Ensure employees have the necessary tools, materials, and equipment to perform assigned work.
• Coordinate with Maintenance regarding equipment or tooling issues affecting production.
• Support organization and accountability of work areas, tools, and production assets.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Direct supervision of production supervisors, leads, and production employees.
• Assists with employee evaluations, disciplinary actions, and staffing coordination in partnership with the Head of Operations and HR.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of supervisory experience in manufacturing, rail, heavy industrial, automotive, aerospace, or related production environments.
• Bilingual English/Korean required
• Prior experience managing shop-floor operations and production personnel required.
• Rail industry, railcar assembly, refurbishment, or heavy equipment manufacturing experience preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, production documents, and work instructions.
• Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP/manufacturing systems preferred.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced production environment with changing priorities.

Performance Indicators

• Achievement of production schedules and daily operational targets.
• Compliance with safety and quality requirements.
• Productivity and labor efficiency performance.
• Reduction of rework and production delays.
• Employee accountability, teamwork, and engagement.
• Maintenance of organized and efficient work areas.

Working Conditions

• On-site position at the Carson facility.
• Frequent work in manufacturing shop environments around rail vehicles, equipment, tools, pits, and platforms.
• May require overtime or weekend work based on operational needs and production schedules.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid time off, holidays, and retirement plan.
• Opportunity to grow within a rapidly expanding rail manufacturing organization.
• Collaborative and team-oriented work environment focused on safety, quality, and operational excellence.