Fermentation Technician

A collective energy and ambition. A place where you can make a real difference.

We’re a company that genuinely cares about our people, our products, our consumers and the environment.

Our unique, informal culture champions courage, determination and collaboration. Knowing we have an open and supportive team means each of us has the freedom to take responsibility and ownership. We have a shared passion to work hard, innovate and push boundaries.

United by the belief that when we strive for growth, anything is possible. While we might not be the largest company in our industry, we believe we can have the biggest impact because: Together We Have the Power to Win.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY:

• Fermentation Technician – 1st Shift
• Monday – Friday, 6:00am – 2:00pm
• The hourly wage for this position is $28.41

Come join our Mason City, IA facility where we manufacture and distribute our Animal Nutrition Products!

ROLE SUMMARY:

Perform all facets of the mixing and blending process to ensure the fill of the production schedules and orders on a continual basis. Ensure all products meet customer specifications. This position is responsible to oversee the operation and control of the production process. This includes all daily operation from the receiving of raw materials to the load out of finished goods. This position will require operation of all packaging equipment and warehousing operations. All Good Manufacturing Practices and Standard Operation Procedures will be followed. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Monitors operations and maintains parameters of production line, mixing and fermentation as assigned with minimal assistance

• Performs all other duties related to production including packaging, mixing of formulas, bulk truck loading, and inventory management with minimal assistance

• Receives raw materials

• Assists in performing maintenance activities as assigned

• Assists in performing lab analysis as assigned on raw and finished goods

• Understands and adheres to all processes related to feed safety requirements and demonstrates a commitment to feed safety by ensuring compliance to regulatory requirements

• Oversee the complete start-up and shutdown of the manufacturing process 

• Effectively operation, monitor, and maintain manufacturing process with SOP’s 

• Performs all packaging within SOP’s 

• Performs loading of all finished product within SOP’s 

• Performs all receiving of raw materials within SOP’s 

• Provide accurate documentation of all log sheets and production records 

• Ensure all required sampling is performed 

• Oversee all duties related to shipping and receiving of raw materials and finished product 

• Keeps work area clean, neat, and free from safety hazards 

• Follows all facility safety rules, policies, and procedures including the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 

• Follow all facility rules to maintain quality and integrity of both raw materials and finished products  

• Maintains proper operation of Control Points and Critical Control Points per the plant HACCP Plan and performs housekeeping as assigned

• Performs Operator Driven Maintenance and Sanitation assignments, minor maintenance activities, and assists in major maintenance activities

• Maintains a positive attitude and is a motivated reliable employee

• All other duties as assigned

MINIMUM EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of a High School Diploma / GED is required 

PREFERED EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Associate degree or technical certification in Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, Animal Science, or a related field is preferred
• 3-6 years previous experience in a manufacturing, feed production, or industrial setting is beneficial
• Experience with fermentation, mixing, or bulk material handling is a plus
• Forklift certification or experience operating warehouse equipment is preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Able to operation industrial feed production equipment 

• Good oral and written communication skills 

• Good basic computer literacy and accuracy 

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy 

• Attentive to organization, detail, and accuracy  

• Attentive to organization, detail, proper documentation requirements, and accuracy. 

• Ability to effectively interact with employees at all levels of the organization. 

• Ability to execute all daily requirements adhering to a production schedule. 

• Ability to work with minimal supervision and be a self-starter. 

REQUIRED TRAINING:

• On-the-job training for equipment operation, packaging, and safety protocols
• OSHA safety training, including Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) and Hazard Communication (HazCom)
• GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) training
• Forklift operation training
• Feed safety compliance training

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work is performed in a manufacturing facility with exposure to dust, noise, varying temperatures, and raw material odors
• Requires standing, walking, and lifting up to 50 lbs. regularly
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with repetitive tasks
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses, safety shoes, and hearing protection as required
• Work may involve exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which could pose a risk to individuals with pacemakers or other medical implants
• Occasional overtime and weekend work may be required to meet production demands

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

 JOB TITLE: Fermentation Technician

TYPICAL WORK CONDITIONS: EXPOSURE TO: Yes No Yes No

Moving machinery X Chemical fumes X

Hot surface / tools X Heat/Cold X

Concrete surface X Slippery surface X

Repetitive motion X Chemicals X

Noise X Other: Dust particulates X

Fork truck batteries X

EQUIPMENT USED: Step stool/ladder X Forklift/jack X

Power hand tools X Computer X

Power Machinery X Box cutter X

Respirator X Hearing protection X

Steel Toe shoes X Gloves X

MAJOR PHYSICAL TASKS:

Dumping bags Lifting 50lbs bags into a mixing tank at chest height

Opening super sacks Bending and reaching while opening super sacks

Driving forklifts Driving a forklift to retrieve and move pallets

Monitoring the fermentation Climbing ladders to observe and monitor fermentation process

Clean outs after each run Using a hose to spray them down, scrubbing, weekly Cip using chemicals

Sampling Taking a sample out of the tanks and running tests on it

ACTIVITY FREQUENCY ACTIVITY FREQUENCY

Lift/Carry: N O F C Movement: N O F C

10 lbs. or less X Bending X

11 – 20 lbs. X Twisting / Turning X

21 – 35 lbs. X Climbing X

36 – 50 lbs. X Crawling X

51 – 75 lbs. X Crouching X

76 lbs. or greater X Kneeling X

Push/Pull: N O F C Reach Above Shoulder X

12 lbs. or less X Reach Outward X

13 – 25 lbs. X Walking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hours 8

26 – 40 lbs. X Sitting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hours 1

41 – 100 lbs. X Standing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hours 2

100 lbs. or greater X Use of foot pedals (Fork truck) X

Other: Every employee is expected to be able to assist and lift up to 50lbs X Type / Keyboarding X

Key: N=Never, O = Occasionally; 1-33% of time, F = Frequently; 34-66% of time, C = Continuously; 67-100% of time

Church & Dwight is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.

For more information on our company, our brands and our culture visit us at http://www.churchdwight.com/