Job Description: Production Operator – Solutions Department
Location: Carol Stream, IL (On-site)
Shifts: (2nd) 2 pm – 10:30 pm
Job Summary
Unlock your potential. The company is a leading global supplier of ingredients and premix manufacturing solutions, trusted by the world's best-known food, beverage, and nutrition brands.
The Production Operator in our Solutions department plays a critical role in the scaling, blending, and packaging of custom dry and liquid nutritional premixes. Operating in a fast-paced, food-grade manufacturing environment, this position is responsible for ensuring that all products are manufactured strictly according to customer specifications, work orders, and strict regulatory standards.
Key Responsibilities
1. Blending & Batch Processing
- Execute Work Orders: Follow exact recipe blend sheets and production routers to scale, weigh, and stage raw food/nutritional ingredients.
- Equipment Operation: Set up, operate, and monitor industrial blending and mixing equipment, ensuring uniform distribution and product integrity.
- Material Verification: Confirm lot numbers, expiration dates, and item numbers of raw materials before introducing them into the blending process.
2. Packaging & Equipment Control
- Machine Operation: Operate and troubleshoot specialized packaging equipment, including auger fillers, bagging systems, pouch fillers, sealers, and weight-verification systems.
- Labeling & Traceability: Ensure proper labeling, lot coding, and container identification are accurately applied to finished goods.
- Palletizing: Assist in stack preparation, palletizing, and wrapping finished products for warehouse transport.
3. Quality Assurance & Food Safety
- Regulatory Compliance: Maintain absolute compliance with FDA, ILDPH, FSMA, and BRC standards.
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP): Adhere strictly to all plant GMPs and HACCP protocols to prevent cross-contamination.
- Documentation: Accurately complete batch records, downtime logs, weight checks, and material usage adjustments in real-time.
4. Sanitation & Workplace Safety
- Line Clearance: Perform thorough equipment washdowns, sanitization, and line clearance protocols between product changeovers to avoid allergen contamination.
- OSHA Standards: Comply with all occupational health and safety regulations, including proper chemical handling and machine guarding.
- 5S Maintenance: Maintain a clean, organized, and audit-ready work environment at all times.
Qualifications & Skills
- Education: High school diploma or GED equivalent required.
- Experience: Minimum of 1–2 years of experience in food manufacturing, chemical blending, or pharmaceutical production environments is highly preferred.
- Technical Skills: Ability to read and interpret blending sheets, work orders, and safety data sheets (SDS). Basic mathematical proficiency for inventory and scaling weights.
- Attention to Detail: High precision in following multi-step formulations and verifying long lot sequences.
- Teamwork: Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across shifts.
Physical Requirements & Working Conditions
- Heavy Lifting: Ability to frequently lift, push, pull, and carry up to 55 lbs (25 kg) independently.
- Stamina: Ability to stand, walk, bend, twist, and squat for extended periods over an 8- to 12-hour shift.
- Environment: Comfortable working in a facility that processes raw dry powder ingredients, which may cause moderate airborne dust particles and strong food/flavor aromas.
- PPE Requirements: Must be willing and able to wear all required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including plant-issued scrubs, hairnets, beard covers, lab coats, face masks/respirators (if required), and steel-toed boots.