Food Processing Machine Operator

About the Company

CP Fresh is a Charlie's Produce Company. Charlie's Produce is the largest privately owned produce wholesaler on the West Coast, and we are growing. The secret to our success in this industry is PEOPLE! We strive to hire the best and we reward them with a working environment that fosters loyalty, stability, innovation, and growth. Charlie's was founded in quality, and we are proud that it is still our focus. CP Fresh brings the same quality to processed foods that Charlie's brings to produce! Our state of the art processing plant provides fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, an expanded salad line, and a USDA-certified hot kitchen. We partner with local vendors to offer our customers fresh, high-quality, made-to-order products. With a team of dedicated people who are passionate about food, supply chain, and their community- we are looking for like minded individuals to help further our goal to enhance our communities through quality produce and prepared foods.

What We Offer

• An amazing company culture
• Medical/Dental/Vision on the first of the month following hire
• ESOP (Profit Sharing) and 401(k)
• Paid vacations, paid holidays
• Pre-tax commuter benefits, and onsite parking
• Coverage under State Sick Leave
• 100% Prepaid College Tuition for employees and their dependents
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Pay

• $24-27 an hour
• Potential 90-day performance-based raise
• Yearly review with possibility of increase based on performance and tenure

Schedule

4:00am-12:30pm weekend availability is required.

Job Description

The Machine Operator is an on-site position and requires regular attendance at the facility. It supports Charlie's Produce's mission to deliver the freshest, highest quality produce by operating production equipment safely, efficiently, and in alignment with company standards. This role ensures consistent product flow, accurate packaging, and adherence to food safety requirements in a fast-paced fresh-cut environment.

Duties Include But Are Not Limited To

• Operate and monitor machinery used for washing, cutting, sorting, packaging, and labeling fresh produce.
• Perform equipment start-up, shut-down, and changeovers based on daily production schedules.
• Adjust machine settings to maintain product quality and throughput.
• Identify and resolve minor equipment issues to reduce downtime.
• Clean and sanitize equipment during and after production runs according to sanitation guidelines.
• Assemble at beginning and Dissemble at the end of production.
• Perform basic preventive maintenance tasks and report mechanical issues requiring technician support.
• Handle tools and clean chemicals safely and responsibly.
• Follow all Charlie's Produce safety rules and guidelines use required PPE follow GMP's
• Report hazards, unsafe conditions, or near misses promptly
• Participate in safety meetings and training to support a strong safety culture
• Inspect and ensure quality of food produce (e.g., freshness, color, shapes, temperature, and proper size specification and compliance with company standard)
• Communicate product quality issues such as spoil, moisture, expired, over cooked or foreign material to lead or QA
• Follow proper rotation to ensure older products are used first to eliminate waste.
• Everything must be labeled and organized in proper location
• Assist in prepping decant (product and packaging), sorting or reworking products as needed.
• Able to accurately count and weight ingredients and compare them to recipes, notifying supervisor of any discrepancy
• Multitask and be able to work undependably on assigned task
• Be able to run orders by allergen control so we don't cross contaminate and store them correctly
• Follow instruction given by leads and ask questions if needed
• Return any equipment that you signed off or get assigned to at the end of the shift (paperwork, thermometer, knifes, clipboards and any other equipment that you need to be successful in production.
• Fill any paperwork needed for production (Temp logs, allergen clean outs, inventory, decant, Day labels) any other paperwork that is assigned to you.
• Assist in training new associates
• Adapt to new changes and any additional task, jobs and duties assigned
• Help in areas when needed.
• Be able to memorize weights, products run, allergens and names of finish items
• Help in coverage when needed
• Cook/chill is one area Crosstrain in all production

Qualifications

• Experience operating machinery in a production, warehouse, or food processing environment
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, including production specs and safety procedures
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work in a cold, fast paced environment
• Ability to lift 30-50 lbs. and stand for long periods
• Experience in fresh-cut produce or food manufacturing
• Familiarity with GMPs, HACCP, or other food safety programs
• Basic mechanical aptitude for troubleshooting equipment