Production Operator Lead

Job Type:

Invest in you, Join Agropur as a Production Operator Lead in Little Chute. We dairy you! 

Enjoy a 3-day weekend every other weekend!

How Agropur invests in YOU: 

• Starting Rate: $30.33/hour

• Two pay increases within a year, up to $1.00

• Sunday Double Time

• SCHEDULE: 2-2-3 Nights, 7pm - 7am

• $1.50 Night Shift Premium Pay

• Competitive and comprehensive compensation and benefits package focusing on your physical, financial, and emotional health to include the following perks as well as the standard benefit offerings: 

  • Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Short and Long-term Disability Insurance  

  • 401(k) with up to 7% company contributions 

  • 3 Weeks PTO on day 1

  • Paid holidays and 2 floating holidays

  • Paid parental leave 

• Advancement Opportunities 

• Healthy work/life balance

What’s involved in this role: 

The Production Operator Lead performs all tasks involved in the production of Agropur’s products, ensuring safe and efficient production by following standard work methods and practices. The Production Operator Lead works in all areas of production as needed, assisting all departments in the plant to ensure cheese is in-spec according to customer requirements (fat, moisture, piece count, quality).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Obtain and maintain knowledge of Agropur’s production/cheese process and all equipment/machinery involved.

• Act as back up for plant employees as needed due to breaks, illness, vacations, etc.

• Molders/String

  • Ensure equipment/machinery is operating properly to maintain the quality of cheese to established standards/customer specifications; adjusting and communicating with Laboratory and Packaging departments as needed.

  • Assemble hydra molder during start-up and product changes.

  • Assemble String Machines during start-up.

  • Shut down machine/disassemble at shift’s end.

  • Properly set up form on molders, identifying all forms used according to customer specifications.

  • Properly set up string horns, identifying all horns used according to customer specifications.

  • Complete and document proper CIP/Sanitation.

• ACV’s

  • Working knowledge of running the Milk UF, Permeate pasteurizer, milk pasteurizer, milk separator and cream pasteurizer.

  • Knowledge of all the documentation needed for equipment in the pasteurizer room.

  • Responsible for all ACV procedures in the cheese making process.

  • Ensure milk fats are consistent; adjusting as needed.

  • Ensure the make schedule, recipe and standardization methods are loaded properly in the HMI program.

  • Complete and document proper CIP/Sanitation.

• AFV’s

  • Operate the AFV’s, which includes the pH meter, water addition, and rework addition.

  • Troubleshoot problems with the cheese and salting tables as needed.

  • Complete and document proper CIP/Sanitation.

• Whey Processing

  • Starting up Whey separator, Whey pasteurizer, Whey RO and POL.

  • Properly monitor equipment in whey department and make necessary adjustments throughout the shift.

  • Completing CIP on whey separator, whey pasteurizer, whey RO and POL.

  • Maintaining silo schedule for concentrated whey and water silos.

  • Complete and document proper CIP/Sanitation.

• Brine System

  • Ensure the brine system is running and balanced properly.

    • Adding salt and water as needed.

    • Transferring brine from flume to brine tanks.

    • Start up, shut down and CIP of the Brine UF system.

    • Selecting and running correct flumes based upon production schedule and equipment needing to run for production.

  • Complete and document proper CIP/Sanitation.

• Cooker System

  • Ensuring correct recipes are selected based upon production schedule for make type.

  • Ensuring correct cookers are being used based up production schedule, molder pods and string pods being used for the day.

  • Adjusting cooker temps as needed.

  • Shutting cookers down and completing transfer line flushes for each cooker cell.

  • Complete and document proper CIP/Sanitation.

• Obtain and maintain technical knowledge in cheesemaking to make accura