Meat Processing Operations Graduate — Rotational & Growth

graduate-roi-dawnmeats; Waterford; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Structured graduate development

Paid holidays

Exposure to meat production

Career progression

Competitive compensation

Inclusive culture

Job summary

Dawn Meats is seeking an Operations & Production Graduate for its Irish sites. The programme rotates you through core production functions, quality assurance, supply chain and operational efficiency, with mentors guiding hands-on learning across multiple meat processing environments.

You will work closely with experienced professionals to deliver premium meat products while upholding safety, quality and sustainability standards.

Qualifications

• Recent graduate in a relevant field such as Food Science, Agricultural Science, Agribusiness or Operations Management.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills are essential.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities are required.
• Passion for the food industry and a hands‑on learning approach.
• Willingness to work in a factory environment and adapt to shifts if needed.
• Knowledge of food safety standards and production processes is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Operate across all areas of production and operations.
• Support daily production activities on lamb and/or beef lines.
• Monitor and improve operational KPIs (yield, throughput, downtime).
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma).
• Collaborate with QA, Engineering, and Logistics teams.
• Analyse production data to identify trends and improvements.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, health & safety, and environmental standards.
• Contribute to projects focused on automation, waste reduction and energy efficiency.
• Shadow team leaders to understand leadership and decision-making.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Food Science

Agricultural Science

Agribusiness

Operations Management

Job description

Dawn Meats is seeking an Operations & Production Graduate for its Irish sites. The programme rotates you through core production functions, quality assurance, supply chain and operational efficiency, with mentors guiding hands-on learning across multiple meat processing environments.

You will work closely with experienced professionals to deliver premium meat products while upholding safety, quality and sustainability standards.