Production Operator- Weekend FT Position (Fri, Sat, Sun) 5AM to 5:30PM)

Cérélia operates a state-of-the-art commercial bakery and production facility in Whitehall, Ohio, a 150,000-square-foot plant that opened in September 2021 and serves as the U.S. manufacturing hub for the Jus-Rol brand. Our Whitehall facility specializes in ready-to-bake chilled dough products—including pizza dough, pie crusts, puff pastry, and cookie dough—and continues to expand with new product lines to support national growth. Team members enjoy modern onsite amenities such as a fitness center and EV charging stations, all within a clean, innovative, and fast-growing environment. While our Whitehall plant is new, Cérélia’s roots trace back to 1974, evolving from a France-based bakery into an international leader in dough innovation.

About the role

Detail-oriented and safety-focused individual responsible for operating and monitoring production equipment in a food manufacturing environment. The Production Operator ensures efficient, consistent, and high-quality production by following standard operating procedures, maintaining equipment, and adhering to food safety, quality, and sanitation standards. This role plays a critical part in meeting production targets while supporting continuous improvement, workplace safety, and customer specifications.

Responsibilities

• Inspects equipment prior to start mixing to ensure that it 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’ specifications.
• Documents lot numbers, raw dough temperatures, and fat percentages, communicating to the production supervisor product or ingredient deviations.
• Performs on-line bake-offs and verifies 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 partners with maintenance technicians to resolve issues.
• Calibrates processing and packaging systems as required to meet specifications.
• Maintains clean and organized work area(s) during production.
• Performs changeovers and end-of-run cleans, including disassembly and reassembly of necessary equipment as needed.
• Logs downtime and other maintenance issues into CMMS system to track and trend equipment breakdowns and production issues for continuous improvement projects.
• 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 meets 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 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 at all times.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or Equivalent.
• Strong math and reading skills necessary; must be able to read, write, and speak English.
• 1-3 years of prior manufacturing experience; food manufacturing is a plus.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and 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, including days or nights, weekends, or holidays.
• Ability to work in a team environment; team player.
• Reliable, self-motivated, and quick learner.

Skills

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Interacts professionally with honesty, integrity, and respect.
• Creative Thinking: Re-examines traditional strategies and practices, and proactively looks for new ideas and ways to improve products, services, and work processes.
• 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-Oriented & 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.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods while performing production or warehouse tasks.
• Must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull items weighing up to 50 pounds regularly as part of material handling, product movement, or equipment operation.
• Requires the ability to bend, stoop, kneel, reach, grasp, and twist as needed to perform job duties such as loading products, handling materials, or operating machinery.
• Capable of working in varying temperature environments, including warm production areas, refrigerated rooms, and cold storage spaces.
• Must be able to visually inspect products, labels, equipment, and documentation, with or without corrective lenses.
• Must be able to operate or learn to operate production and/or warehouse equipment, which may include pallet jacks, conveyor systems, or other machinery.
• May require use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, hairnets, hearing protection, safety glasses, and steel-toe shoes when working in production or warehouse areas.
• Must be able to work in a food manufacturing and distribution environment where pork products, alcohol, gluten, dairy, and common allergens—including tree nuts and peanuts—are present.
• May involve working overtime, weekends, or varying shifts based on operational needs.

Schedule

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 5:00 AM - 5:30 PM. Work 36 hours and be paid for 40 hours (employees who work all 36 scheduled hours will receive an additional 4 hours of pay). Receive a 20% weekend shift premium on your base rate for the duration of the weekend crew assignment, in addition to any applicable Peak Challenge incentives.