Plant Operator I

Location: Waukesha, WI – Acetylene production & filling

About the role

The Plant Operator supports the team by safely operating equipment for the handling and production of packaged gas cylinders, both high pressure and liquefied gases.

Responsibilities

• Safely operates equipment for the handling and production of packaged gas cylinders, both high pressure and liquefied gases.
• Loads and unloads gas cylinders and/or other products onto and off of route trucks and trailers, moving cylinders with proper carts only.
• Sorts empty cylinders by type to ensure an organized workflow.
• Rolls cylinders and operates a forklift truck for the movement of cylinders on pallets.
• Develops an understanding of hazards of various gases; size and contents of cylinders by reading and interpreting cylinder labels and the color‑coding of tanks.
• Accurately labels cylinders.
• Safely cares for high‑pressure, medical and liquid cylinders.
• Prepares high pressure cylinders and cryogenic vessels for filling.
• Attaches to manifold, evacuates cylinders to eliminate all possible contaminants.
• Contributes to basic cylinder maintenance such as painting cylinders, labeling cylinders, and cleaning the work area.
• Inspects cylinders prior to filling, following standard procedures as required by government, Airgas, and distributor standards.
• Conducts a variety of safety checks per procedures, such as odor tests, checking caps and valves.
• Fills cylinders by pressure and weight, per regulations and standards.
• Checks for cylinder quantities, styles and product, and/or assists the team with inventory.
• Coordinates documentation to DOT, FDA, OSHA, and Airgas standards.
• Completes quality control sheets as required.
• Upholds all government and company standards relating to the safe handling of hazardous materials/cylinder gases.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent (preferred).
• Experience in a manufacturing operation; filling or loading experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with the gas, welding, and safety supply industry or chemical industry is valued.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to ensure team alignment.
• Ability to read and comprehend material safety data sheets to maintain a secure environment.
• Enjoys collaborating with a wide variety of people with different perspectives and backgrounds.
• Supportive customer service skills.
• Self‑motivated and able to contribute effectively in a fast‑paced environment to meet shared deadlines.
• High level of attention to detail and precision.
• Comfortable with basic calculations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing) in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentages.
• Ability to safely operate a forklift (training may be provided).
• Physical dexterity to navigate the plant floor: includes walking, sitting, and using hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reaching, stooping, kneeling, or crouching as needed.
• Specific vision abilities to ensure safety: including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus on objects.
• Regularly utilizes physical coordination to stand, bend, stoop, reach, and grasp; ability to communicate and hear effectively within the facility.
• Sensory awareness to detect environmental cues, such as smelling or hearing gas to ensure site safety.
• Occasionally required to move through the facility, use hands for fine motor tasks or computer entry, and reach with hands and arms.
• Capacity to regularly lift and/or move up to 60 pounds and move up to 800 pounds with the assistance of material handling equipment.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Short‑term and long‑term disability insurance.
• Life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Pre‑tax commuter transportation benefit.
• Parental leave, including a 14‑week paid child‑birth benefit.
• Vacation, sick time, floating holidays.
• Jury duty and funeral/bereavement leave.
• Paid holidays for eligible full‑time employees.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching funds.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Discounted college tuition for eligible employees’ dependents.
• Airgas Scholarship Program for dependent children.
• Benefits start after 30 days of employment.

Pay

$23.50 per hour