Bakery Processing Operator

Location: Ashland
Shift: 3rd Shift, Sunday through Thursday, 10:50 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Base Rate: $21.40 per hour plus .50 shift differential

Starting times and hours may vary based on production schedules, coverage needs, report-offs, and holidays. Mandatory overtime may be required.

HOW YOU WILL MAKE HISTORY HERE…

As a Bakery Processing Operator, you will help keep our bakery operations running safely, efficiently, and continuously. You will operate processing and baking equipment, monitor product quality, accurately prepare ingredients, and make adjustments throughout production to ensure products meet established Quality Assurance standards.

Your attention to food safety, quality, equipment operation, and detail will help the team consistently produce high-quality products while maintaining a safe and clean manufacturing environment.

WHAT YOU WILL DO…

• Safely operate processing and baking equipment to produce products according to established Quality Assurance guidelines and quality standards.
• Properly mix ingredients and monitor temperature and moisture levels, making adjustments as needed.
• Monitor products throughout processing and remove improperly formed, overlapped, or otherwise unacceptable products.
• Start, operate, change over, and shut down processing and bakery equipment according to established procedures.
• Support preventative maintenance activities and identify or report defective equipment.
• Read and follow batch sheets and recipes, including accurately weighing raw materials.
• Monitor and document temperatures, mix times, item numbers, raw material weights, and piece weights of extruded products, making appropriate adjustments when necessary.
• Monitor production for possible foreign material and communicate or escalate quality concerns to the appropriate team members.
• Follow sanitation procedures during cleanups and changeovers, including established chemical-handling requirements.
• Track and properly dispose of production waste.
• Move raw ingredients using material-handling equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks.
• Maintain appropriate raw-material levels, unload raw-material trailers, and communicate material needs to the appropriate team members.
• When applicable, monitor seasoning coverage and make necessary adjustments.
• Follow established safety, hygiene, housekeeping, 5S, and personal protective equipment requirements.
• Keep work areas, aisles, and exits clean and free of obstructions.
• Follow safe lifting and material-handling practices and promptly report workplace injuries or equipment concerns.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support production needs.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH…

You will work closely with production and bakery team members, supervisors, Quality Assurance, sanitation, maintenance, and other operations partners to maintain safe, efficient production and consistently meet product quality standards.

Clear communication is important in this role, particularly when escalating quality concerns, identifying equipment issues, and maintaining appropriate raw-material levels.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE… (MUST HAVE)

• High School Diploma or GED and/or at least 1 year of production experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to read and understand batch sheets, recipes, production information, and operating procedures.
• Ability to accurately weigh ingredients and record production information.
• Ability to work safely around moving mechanical equipment and follow established food safety, sanitation, hygiene, and chemical-handling procedures.
• Ability to work the 3rd-shift schedule and mandatory overtime when required.
• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the position, including: Frequent to continuous standing and frequent walking. Continuous use of hands. Occasional to frequent climbing. Occasional stooping and kneeling. Continuous talking, hearing, tasting, and smelling. Continuous handling of items weighing up to 25 pounds. Handling up to 50 pounds as required. Occasional handling of heavier items with appropriate assistance.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment that may include moving mechanical parts, wet or humid conditions, airborne particles, chemicals, varying temperatures, noise, dust, vibration, and occasional exposure to elevated work areas or outdoor conditions.

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAVE… (NICE TO HAVE)

• Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification.
• Previous experience operating processing, baking, or other food-manufacturing equipment.
• Experience with equipment changeovers, preventative maintenance, sanitation, or 5S practices.
• Previous forklift and/or pallet-jack experience.
• Experience working in a food production or bakery manufacturing environment.