Team Lead Pilot Plant

You’ve probably enjoyed our fries without even knowing it! As a leading manufacturer in our industry, we inspire and bring people together with foods they love and trust. Our customer base includes international food service providers, restaurants, and households in over 100 countries around the world. A highly innovative global corporation with a start-up mindset, we empower every individual to make a genuine difference. You’ll gain access to hands-on training to fuel your growth and success, explore opportunities for new solutions, and join a winning team of 10,000+ people all dedicated to raising the bar—together.

About the role

The Pilot Plant Team Leader will conduct tests in the laboratory and pilot plant typical of Process Technicians, along with tracking, ordering, and organizational responsibilities. This role includes conducting safety training for employees and temporary employees, directing technicians, and ensuring adherence to food safety programs. Team Leaders may also manage warehouse and ingredient operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide effective direction and coordination of all pilot plant activities, including daily processing, packaging, cleanup, and large-scale productions.
• Interface directly with product development scientists.
• Construct weekly schedules and assign work to technicians in the absence of the manager.
• Ensure on-time delivery of work and equipment readiness.
• Attend equipment acceptance tests and develop documentation as needed.
• Maintain a safe and orderly work environment that meets GMP regulations and provides a sanitary environment for producing food products.
• Construct processes in food preparation and processing, assuming lead on projects as needed.
• Aid in training all incoming personnel, focusing on safety aspects.
• Assist the Quality Specialist with food safety programs, focusing on ingredients and allergens.
• Order parts and ingredients, including all cutting equipment parts.
• Track incoming ingredients, packages, and products.
• Measure and track metrics.
• Coordinate cuttings for internal and external customers as needed.
• Assist in equipment modification and acquisitions.
• Communicate problems and pertinent information to the pilot plant manager.
• Mentor and train other departments to improve company training overall.

Requirements

• 5+ years of potato processing experience required.
• Good understanding of current plant processing capabilities.
• Clear ability to relate to and motivate people.
• Effectively train personnel.
• Demonstrated sense of urgency and bias for action.
• Strong problem-solving ability.
• Effective oral and written communication skills, with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Adhere to Lamb Weston core values and beliefs.
• Proactive, self-starter; willing to accept responsibility for business tasks.
• Ability to plan, prioritize, and execute tasks effectively and efficiently.
• Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills.
• Capable of independent development work design and execution.
• Demonstrated basic knowledge of food process technologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Process Quality Certification preferred.

Skills

• Financial & Business Acumen: Ability to understand and leverage business opportunities, company strategies, and key metrics in making decisions that deliver expectations. Understands basic company financial concepts used to produce desired results.
• Innovative and Strategic Thinking: Proactively frames and evaluates ideas, concepts, and opportunities in creative ways (even with imperfect information) to deliver enterprise-level thinking and vision. Easily produces innovative ideas or links a group of ideas together.
• Product & Manufacturing Knowledge: Leverages knowledge of product, packaging, supply chain, market, and customer to influence decisions and drive a competitive advantage. Applies knowledge of portfolio to develop new products and innovate processes.
• Concept Creation & Development: Translates diverse insights to build and scale innovative packages and products to meet the needs of consumers and customers. Builds ideas.
• Project Planning and Execution: Develops, implements, facilitates, and manages comprehensive cross-functional project plans that deliver objectives. Develops and implements plans to deliver project objectives using standard project management methodologies.
• Value Chain Optimization: Understands and considers the entire value chain (product, packaging, and process), key strategies, and potential risks to optimize Lamb Weston returns. Applies knowledge of adjacent functional areas to successfully collaborate.
• Work Process Discipline and Execution: Develops, documents, implements, and maintains standardized processes, procedures, and programs. Integrates and optimizes work processes to drive compliance and efficiencies.
• Food Science: Knowledge of food science principles (including chemistry, engineering, microbiology, and sensory) to design, develop, and enhance products from ideation to commercialization. Understands and applies food science.
• Packaging Engineering: Understands and uses knowledge of material sciences, manufacturing, and equipment capabilities to design, develop, and enhance packaging from ideation to commercialization. Applies knowledge of packaging material and technology.
• Commercialization: Translates formulations and specifications from batch to full-scale production, including the handoff to Supply Chain utilizing food safety standards. Executes and understands the manufacturing of food products.

Physical Environment/Demands

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and to stand, walk, bend, stoop, twist, and turn frequently.
• Exposure to a noisy environment with temperatures varying from hot to cold.
• Exposure to manufacturing environments for up to 8 hours per workday, including loud noise, excessive heat, cold, wet, slippery conditions, dirt, fumes, smoke, smells, and allergens.
• Ability to perform repetitious arm, wrist, and hand movements required for job actions and procedures.
• Must be able to work with hands and arms overhead and under equipment.
• Requires manual dexterity, overall coordination, and good balance to work both at ground level and in high places.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Valid Driver’s License and driving record that meets Lamb Weston Driving Standards preferred.
• Exposure to temperatures ranging from -20°F to 35°F in Freezer Operation and 37°F to 90°F in Plant Operation.
• May need to sample food while evaluating Lamb Weston products.
• Climbing to various heights via stairs or ladders on a regular basis.

Benefits

• Health Insurance Benefits – Medical, Dental, Vision.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Health and Dependent Care, and Health Reimbursement Accounts.
• Well-being programs including companywide events and a wellness incentive program.
• Paid Time Off.
• Financial Wellness – Industry-leading 401(k) plan with generous company contributions, Financial Planning Services, Employee Stock Purchase Program, and Health Savings Accounts, Life and Accident Insurance.
• Family-Friendly Employee events.
• Employee Assistance Program services – mental health and other concierge-type services.

Benefits may vary based on location, job role/level, job status, and/or the terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Pay

A reasonable annual estimate of the range for this role is $59,010.00 - $88,510.00. Actual compensation may be higher or lower based on job duties, experience, expertise, and work location.