What are the responsibilities and job description for the Smokehouse Oven Operator position at Vermont Smoke & Cure?
As a Smokehouse Operator, you’ll be at the heart of our production process, crafting high-quality smoked meats that our customers love. We’re looking for a detail-oriented individual who’s passionate about food and committed to maintaining our high standards.
At Vermont Smoke & Cure we pride ourselves in making delicious meat sticks with the finest flavor in every bite. Our team members are the heart of our organization, and we are proud to work with quality-minded, neighborly, respectful people who do things The Vermont Way. If this sounds like an environment you want to be a part of, apply now to join our team!
Details:
- Location: This job is on site at our facility in Hinesburg, VT
- Shift: Monday – Thursday 6:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
- Hourly Rate: Starting from $21.00
Job Summary:
The Smokehouse Operator plays a vital role in our manufacturing process, overseeing the essential cooking stages. This includes moving products from the Raw Processing area, properly loading the smokehouses, selecting and monitoring cook and smoke programs, and testing and verifying each batch to ensure it meets our stringent quality standards. Additionally, the Smokehouse Operator is responsible for transferring cooked products into cooling and chilling rooms. Success in this role requires a detail-oriented, quality-focused individual who can reliably follow schedules, set priorities independently, and maintain precise records.
Major Job Responsibilities:
- Review the production schedule and check the readiness of work-in-process batches to select and load product from the Raw Processing areas into the Smokehouses.
- Use the smokehouse control system to choose the approved programs to cook and smoke product, monitoring the performance of the smokehouses to ensure each batch is completed within standards.
- Perform required checks on Critical Control Points, ensuring that all products meet specific standards.
- Verify the calibration of key data collection devices to ensure accurate quality measurements.
- Record essential information about product batches, process details, and results, and report any trends or anomalies to the QA Department and Plant Managers.
- Adjust smokehouse programs, as directed, to enhance batch performance over time.
- Communicate effectively and collaborate with Room Leaders, Managers, and other team members to continuously improve workflow, capacity, product quality, and food safety.
- Conduct sensory evaluations and perform quality inspections to ensure product standards and consistency
Job Requirements:
- High School degree or equivalent preferred.
- Comprehensive training will be provided to ensure your success in the role.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty at a satisfactory level. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The mental and physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Physical Demands:
- Regularly required to sit, stand or walk for prolonged periods of time
- Regularly bend and lift up to 60 lbs. and/or 25 lbs. repeatedly
- Excellent hand-eye coordination
- Regularly required to talk and hear
- Regularly required to visually observe objects up close and at a distance
- Regularly requires hands to handle or feel and finger dexterity
- Ability to work in 38° Fahrenheit temperature and wet environment
- Regularly required to move heavy racking on rollers containing upwards of 1,000 pounds of product out of warm ovens, on and off scales and into cold chillers
Mental Demands:
- Regularly required to use written and oral communication skills
- Learn and apply new information or skills
- Regularly required to demonstrate poise, tact and diplomacy when interacting with the team
- Ability to visually discern quality and cleanliness and follow food/workplace safety requirements
Working Conditions:
- Work is primarily performed in a manufacturing plant
- English is the primary language; training materials are written in English. For individuals who do not speak English as their primary language, translation will be provided.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $21.00 per hour
Schedule:
- 10 hour shift
- Day shift
Work Location: In person
Salary : $21
