Production Supervisor

O*NET: First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers·51-1011.00

The Verdict:Production supervisors manage teams on factory floors, directing workers, resolving issues, and adapting to disruptions that demand human judgment and presence. AI handles scheduling, reporting, and basic calculations, boosting efficiency without replacing oversight. The role evolves with automation but remains essential for coordination and motivation next decade.

Resilience Score

/100

Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$71k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

+1.2%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 5 of 20 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

25%

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role's core work is hard to automate.
10 of 20 tasks require human judgment, presence, or trust. The 25% that are AI-leverage offer an edge — professionals who learn these tools will outperform those who don't.

5exposed

5AI leverage

10human-essential

View all 20 tasks

AI Can Handle This5 tasks

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked.

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.

Calculate labor and equipment requirements and production specifications, using standard formulas.

Maintain operations data, such as time, production, and cost records, and prepare management reports of production results.

Requisition materials, supplies, equipment parts, or repair services.

AI Leverage5 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Plan and establish work schedules, assignments, and production sequences to meet production goals.

Interpret specifications, blueprints, job orders, and company policies and procedures for workers.

Determine standards, budgets, production goals, and rates, based on company policies, equipment and labor availability, and workloads.

Recommend or implement measures to motivate employees and to improve production methods, equipment performance, product quality, or efficiency.

Plan and develop new products and production processes.

Human Advantage10 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Enforce safety and sanitation regulations.

Inspect materials, products, or equipment to detect defects or malfunctions.

Confer with other supervisors to coordinate operations and activities within or between departments.

Observe work and monitor gauges, dials, and other indicators to ensure that operators conform to production or processing standards.

Direct and coordinate the activities of employees engaged in the production or processing of goods, such as inspectors, machine setters, or fabricators.

Conduct employee training in equipment operations or work and safety procedures, or assign employee training to experienced workers.

Evaluate employee performance.

Confer with management or subordinates to resolve worker problems, complaints, or grievances.

Set up and adjust machines and equipment.

Recommend or execute personnel actions, such as hirings, evaluations, or promotions.

Resilience Landscape

Production Supervisor lands in Stable & Well-Paid

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