Find & Apply For Production Supervisor Jobs in South Dayton, New York

Position Summary The Plant Supervisor and Cheesemaker leads daily creamery operations and produces safe, consistent, high-quality cheese and dairy products. This hands-on leadership role oversees production scheduling, milk receiving and testing, cheesemaking, aging, packaging, sanitation, food safety documentation, employee training, and continuous improvement. The position works closely with ownership and the production team to maintain product quality, strengthen operating procedures, troubleshoot production issues, and develop products that support Eden Valley Creamery's growth. Primary ResponsibilitiesCheesemaking and Dairy Production

• Lead and participate in daily cheese production according to approved recipes, production schedules, and food safety requirements.
• Receive milk; complete required sampling, antibiotic testing, and quality checks; and maintain accurate receiving records.
• Monitor and document critical production measurements, including time, temperature, pH, moisture, salt, yield, and other product-specific standards.
• Oversee curd handling, draining, pressing, salting, brining, molding, and other production steps to ensure consistency and quality.
• Support milk bottling and other dairy-processing activities as production needs require.
• Cut, wrap, package, label, and prepare finished products according to quality, traceability, and inventory standards. Plant Supervision and Team Leadership
• Plan daily workflow, assign responsibilities, and coordinate production priorities to meet customer demand and inventory needs.
• Supervise, train, coach, and evaluate creamery employees in cheesemaking, packaging, sanitation, safety, and proper equipment use.
• Ensure employees follow recipes, standard operating procedures, safety rules, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain clear and timely communication with ownership regarding production status, staffing, quality concerns, equipment issues, and recommended improvements.
• Promote a dependable, respectful, accountable, and team-oriented work environment. Food Safety Quality and Documentation
• Maintain accurate and timely production records, make sheets, milk-receiving records, packaging logs, cutting logs, sanitation records, and traceability documentation.
• Implement and maintain standard operating procedures, sanitation standard operating procedures, the Master Sanitation Schedule, food safety plans, and quality-control programs.
• Review production and quality data routinely, investigate deviations, document corrective actions, and verify that issues are resolved.
• Establish and maintain product specifications for sensory quality, texture, pH, moisture, salt, appearance, packaging, and shelf life.
• Support regulatory inspections, third-party audits, customer requirements, and applicable USDA, FDA, New York State, FSMA, SQF, and organic-certification programs.
• Ensure chemicals are labeled, stored, handled, and used safely according to company procedures and manufacturer instructions. Sanitation Equipment and Facility Operations
• Lead and participate in cleaning and sanitizing vats, pasteurization and processing equipment, packaging equipment, milk-handling equipment, tools, floors, drains, and production areas.
• Inspect the plant and equipment for cleanliness, condition, and safe operation before and after production.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance and promptly report or address equipment, refrigeration, plumbing, and facility concerns within the scope of the position.
• Maintain orderly ingredient, culture, packaging, chemical, and finished-goods inventories; communicate purchasing needs before shortages affect production.
• Help manage milk transport procedures, including loading, unloading, cleaning, sanitizing, and required documentation when assigned and properly licensed. Cave Management and Affinage
• Manage cheese-aging areas and monitor temperature, humidity, airflow, sanitation, and product condition.
• Develop and follow aging schedules for turning, brushing, washing, waxing, and rind care.
• Maintain batch-level aging records and evaluate cheese throughout maturation for flavor, texture, rind development, cracking, defects, and release readiness.
• Troubleshoot aging and packaging concerns and implement documented corrective actions to improve consistency and shelf life. Product Development and Continuous Improvement
• Maintain and improve existing recipes through controlled trials, documented observations, tasting notes, yield analysis, and production data.
• Develop and test new cheeses and dairy products that fit Eden Valley Creamery's capabilities, brand, customer demand, and profitability goals.
• Evaluate cultures, seasonings, ingredients, packaging, aging methods, and process changes before recommending implementation.
• Present practical ideas to ownership for improving quality, efficiency, product mix, revenue, and long-term growth.
• Provide product knowledge and occasional support for customers, tours, demonstrations, special events, farmers markets, or sales activities as needed. Required Qualifications
• Hands-on cheesemaking, dairy processing, food manufacturing, or closely related production experience.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise employees, organize workflow, and maintain accountability in a production environment.
• Working knowledge of sanitation, food safety, quality control, recordkeeping, and traceability requirements.
• Ability to follow and improve detailed recipes, procedures, and production specifications.
• Strong math, problem-solving, organization, and verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, make sound decisions, and communicate issues promptly to ownership.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation. Preferred Qualifications
• Two or more years of cheesemaking or dairy-processing experience, including aged and fresh cheese production.
• Experience with affinage, natural-rind, washed-rind, bloomy-rind, or waxed cheeses.
• PCQI or recognized FSMA preventive-controls training and familiarity with SQF or comparable food safety systems.
• Experience using dairy laboratory equipment and performing Appendix N or SNAP antibiotic testing.
• Familiarity with USDA organic certification and New York State dairy regulations.
• Milk hauler or sampler certification, or willingness and ability to obtain required certification (not required).
• Experience with recipe development, process improvement, audits, and regulatory inspections (not required). Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
• Work is performed in a dairy-processing plant with wet floors, cleaning chemicals, production noise, refrigerated areas, and temperatures that may reach approximately 85 degrees Fahrenheit during cheesemaking.
• The position requires prolonged standing and walking, frequent bending and reaching, repetitive hand movements, and hands-on cleaning and production work.
• Must be able to safely lift and carry at least 50 pounds and perform tasks such as stirring vats, handling curds, moving molds and cheese wheels, and operating production equipment.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule based on production, sanitation, milk receiving, aging, staffing, and business needs. Occasional early mornings, evenings, weekends, deliveries, markets, or special events may be required.
• Must follow all personal protective equipment, chemical-handling, workplace safety, and food safety requirements.

Additional Information Candidates who do not meet every preferred qualification may still be considered when their overall experience, leadership ability, work ethic, and willingness to complete post-hire training are strong. Compensation and benefits will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Eden Valley Creamery is an equal opportunity employer.

Pay:

$54,053.15 - $65,096.27 per year

Benefits:

Employee discount Paid time off

Work Location:

In person