HS Vocational Candidates - Production Operator
United States
Internship to Full Time
Student (High School)
Position Profile
The Production Machine Operator is responsible for operating and monitoring dough manufacturing equipment to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality production. This role ensures compliance with all safety, quality, and sanitation standards while maintaining consistent product output according to company specifications.
- Maintain a safe working environment by following all safety policies and procedures.
- Ensure product meets all quality and food safety standards before leaving the production line.
- Report any safety hazards, equipment malfunctions, or product quality concerns immediately.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and reduce waste.
Primary Responsibilities
- Inspects equipment prior to start mixing to ensure that is in working condition and free of any foreign material or damages. Document observations on start-up and shutdown checklists on a mobile app or tablet.
- Ensures consistency on all doughs by adjusting processing equipment to meet quality standards and customers’ specification.
- Documents lot numbers, raw dough temperatures, and fat percentages communicating to the production supervisor product or ingredient deviations.
- Performs online bake offs and verify results against quality standards.
- Reports any accidents or maintenance issues to the production supervisor.
- Follows standard operating procedures to operate various pieces of high speed and/or high-tech processing and packaging equipment.
- Diagnoses and troubleshoots problems with machinery or equipment operation and partner with maintenance technician to resolve issues.
- Calibrates processing and packaging systems as required to meet required specifications.
- Maintains clean and organized work area(s) during production.
- Performs change overs and end of run cleans including disassembly and reassembly of necessary equipment as needed.
- Familiar with using an SAP based bar code scanner and system is preferred but not required; will train.
- Logs downtime and other maintenance issues into CMMS system to track and trend equipment breakdowns and production issues for continuous improvement projects.
- Cleans and sanitizes processing equipment and processing facilities.
- Prevent cross contamination of product, work-in-progress, food contact surfaces and food contact packaging during sanitation procedures.
- Follow all company Sanitation SOPs (SSOP) for cleaning equipment and facility.
- Performs other duties as directed by supervision.
Quality Assurance
- Follow established programs, policies, and practices to produce safe, quality foods that meet SQF, regulatory, company, and customer requirements.
- Perform quality control tests and ensure dough meet quality standards and customers’ specifications.
- Reports to the production supervisor any issues or suggestions to improve quality performance or the working environment.
Health & Safety
- Follows company safety policies and practices fostering a safe workplace and environment for ourselves and our co-workers.
- Makes SAFETY a priority, while carrying out his /her daily activities.
- Understands and follows all Lock Out Tag Out Standard Operating Procedures.
- Reports any unsafe acts or conditions to immediate production superior.
- Understands cleaning chemicals and their handling procedures.
- Maintains a safe, clean and sanitary working environment always.
Entrance Qualifications
Education and/ or Experience:
- High School Diploma in progress and in your junior or senior year or an adult education program.
- Must be enrolled in a career center or vocational program for electrical, engineering, robotics, machine operation, manufacturing, or an equivalent field of study relative to production equipment operation.
- Strong math and reading skills necessary; must be able to read, write and speak English.
- Previous experience in the food industry is a plus (e.g. fast food, or grocery stores)
- Can work in a fast-paced environment and must also adapt to frequent changes that may occur on the production line.
- Must be able to follow written instructions in English.
- Ability to operate machinery and equipment.
- Basic computer skills and ability to use mobile apps.
- Flexibility to work off-shifts and overtime based upon business needs, including days or nights, weekends, or holidays when there is no conflict with school schedule.
- Ability to work in team environment, team player.
- Reliable, self-motivated and quick learner.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Capable of standing, walking, bending, twisting, and lifting for extended periods
- Must be able to perform physical tasks for extended periods of time including standing, walking, climbing, bending, pushing, pulling and twisting over surfaces.
- Ability to climb and/or work at heights while utilizing stairs, ladders, personnel lifts, or platforms.
- Ability to lift and move up to 50 pounds
- Interacts professionally with honesty, integrity, and respect
- Must be comfortable working in an environment that handles pork products, alcohol, gluten, milk/dairy, and potentially tree nuts and peanuts
Core Competencies
- Creative Thinking: re-examining traditional strategies and practices, and proactively looking for new ideas and ways to improve products, services, and work processes. A Person with this competency looks at problems and opportunities from a unique perspective, seeing patterns and themes that are not immediately apparent to others and taking time to refine and shape a new idea so it has a higher likelihood of success.
- Information Seeking: Investigates and researches information, digs to resolve discrepancies; obtains information or opinions internally and externally to gain insight or expertise – makes well informed decisions.
- Initiative: Initiates courses of action that will lead to improved performance/effectiveness of the Business Unit Team. Sees a need and takes action to address; questions the way things are done and initiates changes where necessary; sticks with an issue until it is resolved
- Self-confidence: Willing to take on a new challenge or assignment displaying confidence and enthusiasm; emphasizes the positive and upside aspects of difficult situations – every situation provides an opportunity for learning.
- Results Orientated & Can Do Attitude: Strives to beat or meet project deadlines; sets own high standards for quality of work; seeks ways to use time and resources more cost effectively; highly organized with the ability to set priorities and multi-task.
- Team Leadership: Works cooperatively with others promoting team participation as a means to generate more ideas, greater consensus & engagement, and a higher level of commitment to delivering results. Creates the environment and processes for the team to build its capacity to take on increasing accountability for results over time; building team expertise, skills, knowledge and performance levels; ensures understanding, consensus and input by keeping team members informed about decisions, the rationale behind them, how they align to the overall business objectives and site objectives.
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