Bellingham Seafood Processor – New Hire

Northline; Bellingham, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 29,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Northline Seafoods is hiring Seafood Processors for our Fairhaven facility in Bellingham, WA. This temporary position involves head-and-gut, filleting, and logistics tasks across day and night shifts, with pay of $21.00 per hour for day shifts and $22.00 per hour for night shifts (includes a $1.00/hour shift differential).

The role runs from early November through mid-March with potential extension to May based on needs.

Qualifications

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Reliable, punctual, and hardworking.
• Ability to work long hours and stand for extended periods.
• Comfortable working in cold, wet environments for extended periods.
• Able to perform repetitive motions, including bending, lifting, squatting, twisting, and knife work.

Responsibilities

• Receive fish from totes or conveyors and sort by size, species, or quality.
• Operate heading, gutting, and filet machines and perform manual processing when needed.
• Remove bloodlines, organs, bones, and other defects; rinse fish for cleanliness.
• Start, stop, and monitor machines; clear jams and adjust settings for yield.
• Move materials and products using pallet jacks; stage lines and transport frozen items.
• Check fish for bruises, damage, or parasites and report quality issues.
• Pack and label processed fish for shipping or storage; maintain sanitation.

Job description

SUMMARY

This posting is for new applicants who have not previously worked as a Seafood Processor with Northline Seafoods. If you have worked for Northline Seafoods in the past and are interested in returning to work at our land plant, please apply through our Seafood Processor - Returning Employees job posting instead.

Northline Seafoods is hiring Seafood Processors for our Fairhaven facility in Bellingham, WA. This is a head-and-gut, filleting, and logistics facility where processors perform a variety of production tasks.

This temporary position is anticipated to run from early November through mid-March, with the potential to extend through May based on operational needs.

We are hiring for both day shift and night shift positions.

• Day Shift: $21.00 per hour
• Night Shift: $22.00 per hour (includes a $1.00/hour shift differential)

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Fish Handling: Receive fish from totes or conveyors. Sort fish by size, species, or quality. Place fish properly on conveyors for processing.
• Heading, Gutting, and Filleting: Operate mechanical heading, gutting, and filet machines. Manually head, gut, or filet fish with knives when machines miss or require correction. Inspect fish to ensure proper cut, gut removal, and quality standards are met.
• Trimming and Cleaning: Remove remaining bloodlines, organs, bones, or defects from fish. Rinse fish thoroughly to ensure cleanliness before freezing or packing.
• Machine Operation: Start, stop, and monitor heading, gutting, and filet machines during production. Clear jams, adjust machine settings for optimal yield, and perform minor troubleshooting as needed. Maintain a smooth and continuous production flow.
• Material Handling: Safely operate pallet jacks to move fish totes, ice, packaging materials, and finished goods throughout the facility. Stage production lines with raw materials and transport frozen products to storage or shipping areas.
• Quality Control: Check fish for bruises, damage, or parasites. Report any quality issues to supervisors or leads. Follow all company and regulatory quality standards.
• Packaging Preparation: Place processed fish in pans, trays, or onto freezing racks. Weigh and label fish accurately for shipping or storage.
• Sanitation & Safety: Keep the work area and warehouse floors clean and free of hazards. Handle sharp tools, heavy machinery, and forklifts safely. Follow hygiene and food safety guidelines, including use of gloves, aprons, and hairnets.
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Reliable, punctual, and hardworking
• Ability to work long hours and stand for extended periods.
• Comfortable working in cold, wet environments for extended periods.
• Able to perform repetitive motions, including bending, lifting, squatting, twisting, and knife work.
• Previous seafood, machine operation (filet/heading/gutting), or warehouse production experience is a plus.
• Must regularly lift and move up to 25 lbs, and occasionally heavier items (up to 50 lbs for material handlers).
• Able to communicate effectively, follow directions, and adhere to safety requirements; some positions may require reading and writing skills.

DISCLAIMER

The above is not intended to list all possible essential functions or requirements as they are subject to change. The employer reserves the right to revise or change this description. This description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each of the above essential duties and meet the physical demands. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to meet these requirements.

Northline Seafoods is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, veteran or disability status.