About MiLa

MìLà is a Chinese food company. Our teams work tirelessly to enhance delicious products that we all enjoy at home! While MìLà is a Chinese food brand, it’s really a celebration of the power of food to bring us together, share our stories, and discover new flavors and cultures.

Our mission is to build something that feels authentically and uniquely true to our roots as a Chinese-American-founded brand. Something we can own, but that’s also meant to be shared. One of the things we love about Chinese food is that it’s traditionally served family-style—shared with everyone gathered at the table. MìLà is a Chinese food brand, but it’s really a celebration of the power of food to bring us together, share our stories, and discover new flavors and cultures.

Core Values

Explore our core values here: https://eatmila.com/pages/careers

Job Summary

We’re looking for someone who’s energized by solving real-world manufacturing challenges - someone who thrives in a fast-paced, scaling food production environment and values collaboration between operations, maintenance, and engineering.

This is a full-time, on-site role designed to build hands-on leadership experience in manufacturing operations, and it will transition into a Process engineering-focused position after approximately six months. It is a rare opportunity to gain end-to-end exposure to how products move from concept to scale - combining people leadership, process optimization, and real-time problem-solving in a vertically integrated food manufacturing environment.

Based at our Sumner facility and reporting directly to the Head of Plant Operations, the initial focus will be on stabilizing our new shift, optimizing production flow, and improving team performance. You’ll lead from the floor, set clear expectations, and drive accountability across teams while applying Lead and continuous-improvement principles to boost safety, quality, and throughput.

Candidates with a mechanical, industrial, or process engineering background will find this an ideal stepping stone into a long-term Process Improvement or Operations Engineering position.

The ideal candidate will:

• Drive results with urgency and focus - gets the right things done, not just more things done
• Lead by example and build strong teams through coaching, accountability, and clear expectations
• Tackle problems head-on using structured, solution-oriented thinking and process discipline
• Thrive in ambiguity - brings order, clarity, and direction in an evolving environment while maintaining stability for the team
• Hold self and others to high standards, consistently delivering on commitments
• Use data and critical thinking to make sound, fact-based decisions

If you’re an early-career engineer who wants to pair hands-on production leadership with data-driven problem solving - and see your impact immediately - we’d love to meet you.

All qualified candidates, whether pursuing a long-term career path or a short-term challenge, are encouraged to apply.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Focus on immediate improvements to production reliability, process flow, and equipment efficiency using Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement principles to build accountability and consistency on the weekend shift
• Lead by example - set the pace, enforce standards, and create urgency around results using data-driven performance metrics (throughput, yield, downtime)
• Drive engagement and consistency among weekend crews through direct communication, coaching, and recognition
• Plan and oversee production schedules, staffing, and completion of finished goods in collaboration with the management team
• Partner with HR and Plant Ops leadership to identify and address performance issues through training or corrective action
• Ensure safety, GMP, and food quality standards are met or exceeded at all times
• Monitor equipment readiness and coordinate timely repairs and preventive maintenance
• Collaborate with Maintenance and Engineering to implement root cause analysis (RCA) and preventive maintenance (PM) systems that reduce unplanned downtime
• Champion Kaizen and short-term improvement projects that enhance reliability, process flow, and output, measuring success through OEE and quality KPIs
• Monitor and report production KPIs - including yield, scrap rate, and throughput - to drive transparency and continuous improvement across shifts
• Maintain inventory levels of production-related equipment, tools, and supplies, coordinating closely with Procurement and Maintenance
• Other duties as assigned

Supervisory Duties

• Lead and motivate production team members in alignment with the company’s Vision, Mission, and Core Values
  Demonstrate proven ability to motivate and align diverse teams in a high-pressure environment
• Communicate clearly and directly; deliver timely feedback that drives performance and accountability
• Balance empathy with firmness, maintaining composure and consistency under pressure

Required Skills & Abilities

• Highly organized and independent in follow-through
• Proven track record of completing tasks with professionalism and attention to detail
• Strong floor leadership presence with the ability to motivate and build trust
• Desire to work in a fast-paced, demanding food production startup environment
• A passion for operational excellence and food manufacturing success
• Working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and 5S methodologies to identify waste and improve process flow
• Preferred (for potential conversion to a longer-term role):
• • Mechanical or Industrial Engineering background preferred
  • Experience with process improvement, equipment troubleshooting, and line optimization
  • Strong mechanical aptitude and ability to interpret technical drawings or specifications
  • Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams to resolve mechanical or production issues
  • Ability to translate engineering principles into practical floor-level improvements
  • Comfortable working hands-on with equipment and coaching operators on best practices

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering preferred; equivalent technical or military experience considered
• 2+ years of production or manufacturing (manufacturing or food environment preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, troubleshoot equipment issues, and improve process reliability
• Experience applying Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma techniques to production challenges preferred
• Proven success in implementing continuous improvement or root-cause analysis initiatives on the floor
• Excellent communication and coaching skills; able to translate technical concepts for diverse teams
• Familiarity with ERP/WMS systems and data-driven performance tracking
• Working knowledge of GMP, SQF, OSHA, and food safety standards

Additional Information

• Full-time, on-site position (Sumner, WA)
• Multiple shifts available

Why Should You Join Us?

• Employer-funded health benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance. MiLa covers 75% of employee premiums & 25% of dependent premiums
• Voluntary/optional employee paid group insurance for Life & AD&D (with guarantee issue amounts at time of hire), Hospital, and Short Term Disability
• 401k plan available to help you save for what’s ahead
• Great company culture! ENPS in the 80s!

See other openings at MiLa here: https://eatmila.com/pages/careers