Controls Specialist – Dairy Foods (UHT & Cheese Manufacturing)

Job Description: Controls Specialist – Dairy Foods (UHT & Cheese Manufacturing)

Position Title: Controls Specialist

Department: Controls / Engineering

Reports To: Plant Manager

Employment Type: Full-Time

Facility Type: Dairy Processing (UHT & Cheese Manufacturing)

Position Summary

The Controls Specialist supports and maintains the automation and control systems across our dairy processing operations, including UHT (Ultra-High Temperature) processing lines, cheese-making and cheese-cutting/packaging systems, and related utilities (CIP, pasteurization, homogenization, and packaging equipment). This role requires strong Allen-Bradley PLC and HMI expertise, the ability to read PLC logic across multiple platforms, and experience upgrading legacy dairy processing equipment. This position plays a key role in ensuring consistent product quality, food safety compliance, and minimal downtime across critical processing systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Program, troubleshoot, and maintain PLC and HMI systems, with a primary focus on Allen-Bradley platforms (ControlLogix, CompactLogix, PanelView) used across UHT, cheese production, and packaging lines.
• Read, interpret, and troubleshoot PLC logic across various platforms (e.g., Siemens, Omron, GE) supporting legacy or vendor-installed equipment.
• Support and maintain controls on UHT processing systems, including aseptic filling, sterilization, homogenization, and heat exchanger controls.
• Support and maintain controls on cheese manufacturing systems, including vats, presses, brining, cutting, and packaging equipment.
• Troubleshoot and maintain CIP (Clean-in-Place) systems and automated sanitation controls to ensure food safety and sanitation compliance.
• Support upgrades and modernization of legacy dairy processing equipment, including control panel retrofits, PLC/HMI migrations, and obsolescence management.
• Diagnose and resolve electrical and controls issues quickly to minimize downtime on high-throughput, time-sensitive production lines.
• Collaborate with Quality, Food Safety, Maintenance, and Production teams to ensure controls support HACCP, SQF, and other food safety/regulatory requirements.
• Assist with robotic palletizing, case packing, or material handling system integration and troubleshooting as needed.
• Support and maintain Ignition and other SCADA/data historian systems used for batch tracking, temperature logging, and traceability as needed.
• Maintain accurate documentation, including electrical schematics, program backups, batch/recipe logic, and change logs.
• Provide training and technical support to maintenance and production staff on control system operation.

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience programming and troubleshooting Allen-Bradley PLCs and HMIs.
• Demonstrated ability to read and interpret PLC logic across multiple platforms/brands.
• Experience upgrading, retrofitting, or modernizing legacy industrial control systems, ideally in a food or dairy processing environment.
• Strong understanding of electrical schematics, ladder logic, and industrial control principles.
• Ability to troubleshoot temperature-critical and sanitation-critical control systems (e.g., pasteurization, sterilization, CIP).
• Comfort working in a food/dairy manufacturing environment, including washdown areas and cold/hot processing zones.
• Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to diagnose issues quickly to minimize downtime on continuous-run production lines.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, regulated production environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with UHT processing systems and aseptic packaging controls.
• Experience with cheese-making equipment controls (vats, presses, brine systems).
• Experience programming or troubleshooting industrial robots (e.g., Fanuc, ABB, KUKA) used in palletizing or case packing.
• Experience with SCADA systems, batch tracking, or data historian platforms.
• Familiarity with food safety and regulatory standards (HACCP, SQF, FDA, PMO/Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance).
• Familiarity with industrial networking protocols (Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, Profibus).
• Associate's degree or technical certification in Electrical, Industrial Automation, Controls, or related field (or equivalent hands-on experience in dairy/food manufacturing).

Work Environment / Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in a dairy processing environment, including exposure to washdown areas, wet/humid conditions, cold storage, and high-temperature processing zones.
• Ability to lift up to [50] lbs, climb ladders, and work in confined or elevated spaces as needed.
• Availability for on-call support or off-shift work to address urgent equipment issues, given continuous/near-continuous production schedules common in dairy processing.
• Compliance with all food safety, GMP, and sanitation protocols required for entry into production areas.
• There will be required time allocation to travel and support the Heyburn Idaho facility on a regular basis which may include some overnight work assignments.

 

Benefits

• Free medical insurance option available to employees!
• Health, Dental, and Vision offered with HSA match up to $1,000
• Paid time off
• Holiday pay incentives
• Weekend pay +$2.50/hr
• 401k with Company contributions.
• Quarterly bonuses to reward your hard work.
• Onsite cafeteria to keep you fueled and energized.

 

For additional questions, please contact  CLYDE: [email protected].

 

For more openings visit our website:

https://gossner.applicantpro.com

At Gossner Foods, we're not just a company-we're a growing family business with three dynamic locations across the western United States. With over 60 years of cheese-making expertise, cutting-edge equipment, and a passionate team, we're proud to be a leader in the dairy industry.

What started as a humble Swiss cheese plant has evolved into a thriving enterprise producing a variety of cheese and offering delicious UHT (Ultra High Temperature) shelf-stable milk in an array of flavors.

Be part of our exciting journey and contribute to our tradition of excellence. At Gossner Foods, every day brings new opportunities to innovate, grow, and make a difference. Join us and taste the success!

 

Gossner Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer

We hire without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws."