Production Operator

Production Operator

Pay Rate: $26.93 per hour plus Shift Differential: $1.50 per hour 

Shift & Working Hours: 4:45 PM to 5:15 AM; Weekends/Overtime/Holidays as needed. 

Sign on Bonus:���$1500 - $250 paid after 30 days of employment. $500 paid after 6 months of employment. $750 paid after 12 months of employment. 

In this role, you will be a key member of our Land O’Lakes, Inc. manufacturing team, performing front-line production processes that add value and quality to the inputs and creation of final high-quality products. You will gain skills and experience of taking raw materials to produce our final products for customers. This will include operating machinery and equipment, packaging the final product. Join our team to become part of a member-owned co-op that is Rooted in Tomorrow. 

The Deck Operator role oversees the cheese-making process, including milk pasteurization, vat operations, and sanitation procedures. Responsibilities include monitoring acidity and pH, ensuring accurate ingredient measurements, conducting clean-in-place (CIP) between fills, and maintaining compliance with safety and quality standards. The position requires coordination with various teams, accurate documentation, and active participation in continuous improvement efforts. Cross-training as a starter operator is included. 

This role is part of our Dairy Food business who creates dairy products that stand for real, simple goodness. We believe there’s power in every drop of milk our farmers produce, and by improving production and finding innovative uses for that milk, we add a little good to people’s lives. 

 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Performance of job duties may include any one or more operator roles as needed on the assigned team/shift. This position will cross train as a starter operator. 
• Able to perform startup (including HACCP documentation), operation, shutdown and CIP of milk pasteurizer. 
• Insure proper recipes, ingredient amounts and parameters are in place for vat process. 
• CIP vats between each fill. 
• Monitor acidity and pH of each vat. 
• Coordinate vat deck activities and communicate with DMC operators, TQ Leaders and Whey department. 
• Generate accurate, complete make records and pasteurizer documentation. 
• Follow all sanitation and quality SOP’s to ensure all equipment is clean and ready for production. 
• LEAN Manufacturing – Contribute to a continuous improvement environment by participating in activities to include line side problem solving. 
• Participate in 5S program to contribute to a safe and organized work environment. 
• Ensure accuracy and timely completion of all department paperwork 
• Follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), HACCP guidelines and LQMS requirements 
• Actively contribute to a behavioral based safety culture by completing a minimum of one behavioral observation (BOS) per month. 
• Demonstrate working knowledge of machine operations and overall production process 
• Other duties as assigned by Shift Lead or Production Manager 

Required Experience and Skills: 

• Must be 18 years or older.