Bellingham Seafood Processor – Returning Employees

Northline; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 28,929 - 30,307; Full time

Job summary

Northline Seafoods is hiring Seafood Processors for our Fairhaven facility in Bellingham, WA. This temporary position runs roughly August 15 through May 15 and involves head-and-gut, filleting, and logistics tasks in a high-volume production setting.

Both day and night shifts are available to accommodate production needs. You will handle fish, operate heading, gutting and filet machines, assist with trimming, packing, sanitation, and safety, and move items with pallet jacks while maintaining

Responsibilities

• Receive fish from totes or conveyors; sort by size, species, or quality; place fish on conveyors.
• Operate heading, gutting, and filet machines; manually head/gut/filet when needed; ensure quality.
• Remove bloodlines, organs, bones; rinse fish to ensure cleanliness before freezing or packing.
• Start/stop and monitor machines; clear jams; adjust settings for optimal yield.
• Move fish totes, ice, packaging materials with pallet jacks; stage lines and transport frozen products.
• Check for bruises, damage or parasites; report issues per standards.
• Pack fish in pans or racks; weigh and label for shipping or storage.
• Maintain clean workspace; handle tools and forklifts safely; wear gloves and hairnets.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job description

SUMMARY

This posting is for returning Northline Seafoods employees only. If you have previously worked for Northline Seafoods and are interested in returning for the upcoming season, please apply through this posting. If you have never worked for Northline Seafoods before, please apply to our Seafood Processor (New Hire) 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 expected to run from approximately August 15 through May 15.

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.