Cheese Packager

Bongards Premium Cheese; Perham (MN); On-site; USD 36,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Prescription drug coverage

Dental

Vision

Paid time off (PTO)

401(k) with company match

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Voluntary insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Profit Sharing

Internal Career Opportunities

Job summary

Bongards Premium Cheese is seeking full-time Cheese Packagers for its Perham, MN facility. Most openings are PM shifts, 12-hour days. The PM schedule rotates across teams with weekends shared. Bongards emphasizes employee empowerment and internal advancement; leadership often comes from promoted production staff used to strong performance.

The role emphasizes safety, quality dairy production, and teamwork, with training and growth potential in a culture of continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Must demonstrate excellent communication skills.
• Must be able to follow both written and verbal instructions.
• Must demonstrate a commitment to both food and employee safety.

Responsibilities

• Operate block towers and barrel line and related equipment.
• Use forklift to transfer barrels to the cooler
• Operate boxer and related equipment.
• Watch quality of blocks being formed.
• Perform all necessary sanitation procedures for this position
• Perform sanitation of towers, DMM, barrel line and related equipment.
• Give breaks to the DMM operator
• Responsible for maintaining floor sanitation and cleanliness of other work related areas.
• Keep clear, accurate, and timely records.
• Keep work area clean.
• Understand the plant’s commitment to customer’s expectations and quality.
• Must report all quality and food safety and quality concerns to immediate supervisor or their designated replacement.
• All other duties as assigned by the supervisor or lead.

Skills

Excellent communication

Follow written and verbal instructions

Commitment to food safety

Job description

Description

Today Bongards' processes millions of pounds of milk per day, and is among the largest dairy co-ops in the U.S. But we’ve stayed true to our farmer-owned roots ensuring the best quality possible at every step of the production process. We’re looking for dedicated, inspired people who care about unsurpassed quality and doing great things as a team. People who have a passion for problem solving and making an impact where they work. While people come to Bongards for many reasons, they stay because they are valued, heard, and recognized for their contributions.

Job Summary

Bongards is looking to add full time Cheese Packagers for expansion of our Perham, MN facility. Most of the openings are PM shifts. Cheese Packagers work 12 hour shifts. One week would be 3 days and the next week would be 4 days. Bongards' has a culture of employee empowerment and advancement. The majority of the leadership team in Perham comes from production employees who have been promoted due to their performance. The shifts for PM Cheese Packagers are 6 PM to 6 AM. The PM Cheese Packagers are on one of two teams, one team works every Monday and Tuesday and is off every Wednesday and Thursday. The other team works the opposite schedule. The teams split the weekends. Below is the sample of a schedule for someone on the Monday Tuesday rotation.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Week 1 Off 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Off Off 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Week2 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Off Off Off Off Week 3 Off 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Off Off 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Week 4 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Off Off Off Off Week 5 Off 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Off Off 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Week 6 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Off Off Off Off

Job Duties

• Operate block towers and barrel line and related equipment.
• Use forklift to transfer barrels to the cooler
• Operate boxer and related equipment.
• Watch quality of blocks being formed.
• Perform all necessary sanitation procedures for this position
• Perform sanitation of towers, DMM, barrel line and related equipment.
• Give breaks to the DMM operator
• Responsible for maintaining floor sanitation and cleanliness of other work related areas.
• Keep clear, accurate, and timely records.
• Keep work area clean.
• Understand the plant’s commitment to customer’s expectations and quality.
• Must report all quality and food safety and quality concerns to immediate supervisor or their designated replacement.
• All other duties as assigned by the supervisor or lead.

Position Requirements

• Must demonstrate excellent communication skills.
• Must be able to follow both written and verbal instructions.
• Must demonstrate a commitment to both food and employee safety.

Physical Capabilities

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Work environment includes exposure to noise, heat, and cleaning chemicals.

Pay

• Pay for the position will be $26.27 per hour starting with increases in the first year that would get up to $27.85 after 1 year.
• A shift differential of $1.20 per hour applies to all night shifts.

Benefits

• Medical – Prescription Drug – Dental – Vision
• Paid time off (PTO)
• 401(k) with company match
• Disability, life and voluntary insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Profit Sharing
• Internal Career Opportunities

Just ask the people who work for Bongards' now and they’ll tell you that everyone in every function has a true passion for producing safe, high-quality dairy products. That’s what creates the culture of growth and success that you’ll find at Bongards'. When a great team of committed people strives for continuous improvement, opportunities for individual growth will follow. Bongards' history of success is proof of that.