The Production Operator is responsible for operating or tending to cooking and packaging equipment, such as kettles, roasters, extruders, vats, boilers, multi-head scales and form & fill packaging equipment to prepare food products.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Tends, operates and controls equipment such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, boilers and form & fill machines, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing. Sets temperature, pressure, and time controls, and starts machines or pumps. Cleans, washes, and sterilizes equipment and cooking areas, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses. Observes gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjusts controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients. Listens for malfunction alarms, and shuts down the equipment and notifies manager when necessary. Removes cooked material or products from equipment. Adds ingredients to cooking elements and removes products from equipment and transfers products for cooling and storage. Measures and weighs ingredients, using scales measuring containers multi-head scales. Reads work orders, recipes, or formulas to determine cooking times and temperatures, and ingredient specifications. Collects and examines product samples during production to test them for quality, color, content, consistency, viscosity, acidity, or specific gravity. Records production and test data, temperature and steam readings, cooking time, batches processed, and test results. Pours or loads prescribed quantities of ingredients or products into cooking equipment manually. Activates paddles to mix or stir ingredients, stops and begins to box product once ingredients are thoroughly mixes. The incumbent has the authority to take immediate corrective actions when dealing with Food Safety and Food Quality issues and is required to report these issues to the Department Manager or Food Safety Manager for further action, if required.
Minimum Qualifications:
High school diploma or equivalent. Proven experience operating manufacturing or industrial equipment. Basic mechanical aptitude and ability to follow technical instructions. Familiarity with workplace safety standards and personal protective equipment (PPE) usage. Ability to stand for extended periods and perform physically demanding tasks.
Preferred Qualifications:
Certification in equipment operation or industrial machinery maintenance. Experience with computerized control systems or PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers). Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies. Previous experience in a manufacturing environment within the United States. Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in a team setting.
Skills:
The required skills enable the Equipment Operator to safely and efficiently manage machinery, ensuring consistent production quality and adherence to safety protocols. Mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting skills are applied daily to identify and resolve equipment issues, minimizing downtime. Familiarity with safety standards ensures a secure working environment for the operator and colleagues. Preferred skills such as knowledge of computerized control systems enhance the operator's ability to work with modern manufacturing technology, improving operational efficiency. Strong communication and teamwork skills facilitate collaboration with maintenance and production teams, supporting continuous improvement and meeting production goals.
