Packaging Associate (1st Shift)

Location: Hilbert, Wisconsin

Position Type: Full Time

Schedule: 6:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Thursday, Friday overtime as needed

Why this role is valuable

As a Packaging Associate, you play a critical role in ensuring the safe, efficient, and accurate packaging of high‑quality dairy products. Your work directly supports production operations, product quality, customer satisfaction, and Ornua's commitment to food safety and operational excellence. By performing a variety of packaging functions and contributing across multiple workstations, you help maintain production flow, meet customer demand, and support a culture of teamwork, safety, and continuous improvement. Your contributions are essential to delivering quality products that consumers trust and enjoy around the world.

Key Responsibilities

• Flex to multiple areas to fill in as needed
• Set up the stacking area at the start of the production shift, including the stacker table or the EZ Lift Machine
• Stack cases on skids according to the appropriate pallet pattern for the finished goods’ box size
• Open barrels, blocks, or bags of cheese and other ingredients
• Ensure recycling and garbage in the plant are emptied to allow smooth production
• Weigh ingredients to the specified amount per individual batch sheets
• Use knives and wires to cut and trim ingredients to correct weights
• Place bags of cheese into boxes and send through for taping and boxing
• Stack packed boxes of cheese onto pallets
• Transfer ingredients from the scale to pick‑up tables
• Load cheese into grinders (heavy lifting required)
• Maintain clean and safe work areas
• Perform additional job duties as required by leadership efficiently and safely
• Maintain consistent attendance and performance
• Adhere to all Company and Departmental procedures
• Follow all Safety, Food Safety, GMP and HACCP practices

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to lift up to 60 lb and perform repetitive motions
• Ability to stand/walk for 10 consecutive hours
• Willingness to work in a food manufacturing environment with variable temperatures
• Legal authorization to work in the U.S.
• Ability to use hands to grasp, grip and manipulate boxes or product
• Basic math skills

Desired Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred
• Solid work history
• Prior food manufacturing experience
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and food safety standards

Physical Demands

This role requires regular standing, walking, bending, twisting, pushing, pulling, and lifting up to 60 lb. Employees must be able to perform repetitive motions and safely operate equipment while following all safety and quality procedures.

Working Environment

Work is performed in a food manufacturing facility with variable temperatures — cooler warehouse areas and warmer production zones. The environment includes exposure to moving equipment, moderate to loud noise levels, and required use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety shoes, safety glasses, hearing protection, hard hats and hairnets.

Why Ornua?

Ornua is a purpose‑driven, values‑led co‑operative creating value for Irish dairy farming families through our global operations. With 10 business units, 16 production facilities, and in‑market teams worldwide, we operate through two divisions — Ornua Foods, which markets iconic consumer brands including Kerrygold and Pilgrims Choice, and Ornua Ingredients, which provides innovative, customized dairy ingredient solutions. Our five values encourage us to Seek and Embrace New Ideas, Make It Happen, Be Our True Selves, Show You Care, and Achieve Great Things Together. We invest in our people and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, offering career progression opportunities, including global mobility, and comprehensive benefits with region‑specific offerings.