Protein Plant Operator (Nights)

At Hilmar Cheese Company we improve lives around the world through wholesome dairy products. Since our founding in 1984, Hilmar Cheese Company has been committed to innovation and sustainability. Our state-of-the-art production facilities convert an abundance of locally sourced high-quality milk into a variety of nutritious cheeses, whey protein, and lactose.

About the role

A typical day involves assuring product quality while operating RO, evaporator, and RO water polisher units in production and CIP.

Responsibilities

• Operate evaporator, permeate, and polishing R.O.’s, including production, CIP, and associated pieces of equipment.
• Responsible for maintaining accurate and complete paperwork.
• Follow Good Manufacturing Procedures.
• Understand sanitation in relation to CIP, COP, and clean up.
• Maintain and monitor all Q.C. and production programs per Hilmar Cheese & Ingredient standards.
• Complete and respond to all in-process testing.
• Communicate, interact, and work effectively with team members to help achieve department goals.
• May be required to relieve operators for breaks and lunch periods or when needed.
• Perform master sanitation program duties as assigned.
• Department team participation: GMP audits, behavior sampling, safety audit, accident investigation, management presentations, follow-up on outstanding work orders, etc.
• Promote and follow Company Hygiene Zoning Program.
• All other duties as assigned by the Production Supervisor.
• Active participation and ownership in your training and development program and associated activities, classes, and events, which will be held before, during, after shifts, and during scheduled days off.
• Help coach and train teammates and participate in on-the-job, buddy training.
• Place high priority on food safety and sanitation by understanding and executing HCC’s food safety and sanitation policies and procedures. This includes communicating any food safety incident, observation, or opportunity to your leadership team or teammates, as well as participating in food safety and sanitation root cause analysis and improvement activities when required.
• Prioritize safety above all other job duties by having a safety-first approach at all times. This includes reporting any safety issues, observations, or opportunities to your teams and follow up.

Requirements

• English skills must be proficient to understand, read, write, and speak English.
• Basic computer skills.
• Must be able to work 12-hour shifts, including weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed.
• Ability to lift up to 60 lbs.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED from an accredited institution (will put you ahead).
• SAP experience (will put you ahead).
• Dairy manufacturing experience (will put you ahead).
• Active/past member of departmental safety team (will put you ahead).
• Skilled in Packaging Operator or General Sanitation (Level 1) (will put you ahead).

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and talk or hear.
• Stand and walk almost the entire workday.
• Must be physically capable of working in any of the job tasks within their respective area.
• Required to work at heights and in fairly small areas.
• Pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, stooping, squatting, kneeling, handling and grasping, twisting/turning, repetitive bending.

Pay

Salary Range: USD 23.77 - 28.25 per hour.