Summary/Objective

The Process Operator position consists of six main areas of responsibilities: Partially trained Separator, High Temperature/Short Time (HTST), Receiving, Mix Making, Curd Room, and Technal Operation. Process Operator I are required to perform at least two of the main areas of responsibilities or be a partially trained Separator and know how to perform testing procedures to meet regulatory standards and requirements. This position directly affects yield, operating costs and quality.

The position follows standard work methods and practices safe work habits to ensure that the processing function in the production plant is as efficient and safe as possible.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

All areas of responsibility:

· Participates in Continuous Improvement Process

· Follows all Quality policies and procedures and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s)

· Follows all Safety policies and procedures and participates in monthly observations

· Maintains regular, predictable attendance

· Performs other duties as assigned

Operator responsibilities:

• Knowledgeable of control panels and computer operation and ability to run items on manual if necessary
• Completes required paperwork including charts, reports, and Labware entries
• Ability to read and understand schedules and trial forms
• Performs scheduled teardowns and inspections of equipment
• Keeps equipment not in use clean and sanitized
• Monitors all processing parameters, functions and assures proper operation of equipment
• Clean In Place (CIP) all tanks, silos and associated line circuits and trucks
• Cleans undersides of all pumps, homogenizers, piping, tanks, ladders and steps, watersets, catwalks, and panels daily
• Foams ceiling, vents, walls, tanks, equipment and floor daily
• Self-inspection of equipment and environment after cleaning to assure cleanliness and proper completion of duties
• Proper storage of all cleaning supplies at the end of the shift

Separator responsibilities (partially trained):

• Responsible for proper and efficient operation of A, B and C separators on a daily basis assuring minimal losses and maintaining proper moistures to maximize yield for all mix types
• Assures whey lines are set up for Advanced Food Products (AFP) collection
• Operates CEM for maintaining required moistures
• Shuts down mid-day and starts up mid-day
• Shuts down at the end of the day or starts up at the beginning of the day
• Operates soft body dressing process
• Cleans online lab weekly and maintains
• Runs all types of curd and adusts curd types if moistures are incorrect
• Pumps cheese from both homogenizers to any necessary destination (both conebottoms, line 1 bypass, and the curd room)
• Completes all associated paperwork and testing

High Temperature/Short Time (HTST) responsibilities:

• Responsible for proper operation of the HTST assuring an efficient quality run for all mix types
• CIP Operation of HTST and all associated lines
• Assists with the state inspection of the HTST
• Handles drain responsibilities including the drain at the dressing PHE water set and the drain at the CIP system
• Maintains the cleanliness and space spraying of the culture room
• Makes, sets and breaks starter during the week and on weekends
• Cleans fill lines and tanks as required

Receiving responsibilities:

• Daily receiving of milk, cream and other products
• Maintains testing equipment for raw receiving and all paperwork
• Maintains chemical inventory for the processing department
• Maintains the receiving supplies (filters, sample vials, soap etc.)
• Cleans receiving office daily
• Cleans sample refrigerator weekly
• Assures proper age of products in the silos and monitors silo activity
• Maintains cleanliness of the receiving bay and equipment in the bay
• Maintains sampling license and testing certification as required
• Assists separator operator as needed

Mix Making responsibilities:

• Prepares the daily mix needs for all mix types
• Assures proper age of products in the silos and usage
• Maintains the weekly silo charts and the recorder temps
• Tears down and inspects the tri-blender on a routine basis
• Cleans the mix room and equipment and throws out trash daily
• Reads the schedules to determine mix needs and amounts
• Assure the needs for mixes a day ahead and informs supervision of excess or lack of required ingredients
• Knows parameters, formulations, procedures, and testing for all mix needs and trials
• CIPs mix lines and all associated pipework
• Cleans daily and maintains housekeeping of silo areas

Curd Room responsibilities:

• Responsible for making all the specialty curd types
• Determines amount of each curd type needed by reading the schedule
• Properly weighs ingredients for the next day’s production
• Communicates with both the Packaging team for needs, and Processing for cheese availability
• Performs Preventative Maintenance (PM) of equipment in the Curd Room - homogenizers, filters, and valves
• Cleans the Curd Room and the equipment
• Sets up piping both to and from the Curd Room daily based on requirements for the day
• Completes paperwork properly and in a timely fashion

Tecnal Operation (for Corrazza fillers) responsibilities:

· Responsible for operating, and cleaning the Tecnal cheese line which supplies cheese to the Corazza fillers

· Responsible for operating, and cleaning the ingredient system which injects flavors into the cheese flow

· Cleans the system that supplies cheese to the Curd Room for making the Corazza Curd

· Communicates with the Corazza Operator about issues throughout the shift to assure the most cost-effective operation of both systems

· Communicates with the Ingredient Blenders on quantity of ingredient slurry for production needs

· Responsible for communicating cheese inventory in the storage tanks, and recommending when additional quantities (other than scheduled quantities) are needed due to the performance of the line to leadership

· Completes all of the environmental cleaning and associated pipework

· Informs Maintenance and leadership of any maintenance issues that arise

• PM of key equipment such as homogenizers, pumps, and valves

Competencies

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibility.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in a manufacturing environment with the following conditions:

· Exposure to hot or cold Climate continuously

· Exposure to chemical frequently

· Exposure to noise and vibration continuously

· Exposure to wet and humid conditions continuously

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

· Stand – continuously

· Stoop/Bend – occasionally

· Squat – occasionally

· Crawl – never

· Climb Stairs or ladders – occasionally

· Reach – chest level, above or below – occasionally

· Push – >35 lbs occasionally

· Pull – >35 lbs occasionally

· Lift/carry – >55 lbs occasionally (depending on area of responsibility)

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours vary depending on the shift and department. Overtime and weekend work is required at times. Vacation coverage as needed.

Travel

None is required for this position.