Equipment Operator III

The Wonderful Company; Mission (TX); On-site; USD 30,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Continued training

Education Reimbursement

Job summary

Wonderful Citrus in Mission, TX, is seeking an experienced Oil Recovery Operator to oversee the oil recovery system, ensuring efficiency and strict QA and safety compliance in a high-volume citrus plant. You will operate multiple aging and finishing units, monitor process parameters, and support sanitation and maintenance activities.

You will train teammates on SOPs and CSOPs, work with QA and production staff, and handle hazardous materials following safety guidelines.

Qualifications

• Experience in a Food Production Facility and Associated GMP’s desired.
• HACCP trained and certified; citrus processing experience desired.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as policies and MSDS; communicate with QA/Production.

Responsibilities

• Oversee oil recovery system and operate desludgers, polishers, pre-polisher and finishers.
• Understand citrus composition and process parameters to optimize recovery.
• Perform preventive and scheduled maintenance and sanitation on equipment.
• Verify operations per SOPs and QA/safety guidelines.
• Adjust equipment per SOPs and expected results; operate valves, switches, etc.
• Train new personnel on Work Instructions, SOPs and CSOPs.
• Complete paperwork related to operation and sanitation.
• Handle hazardous materials safely (caustic soda, hypochlorite, cleaners).

Skills

PLC knowledge

GMP awareness

HACCP certified

Forklift certification

MSDS reading

Policy/doc reading

Citrus processing

Tools

PLC driven equipment

Job description

Wonderful Citrus is North America’s leading integrated grower, shipper and packer of fresh citrus, including clementines/mandarins, navel and Valencia oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and other citrus varieties. Wonderful Citrus farms more than 74,000 acres of fresh citrus and has supplier relationships around the world to ensure a year-round supply. Our citrus can be found in all channels of distribution, with our consumer brands most visible in the produce department of grocery stores across the globe under our flagship consumer brands, Wonderful Halos Mandarins, Wonderful Seedless Lemons, and Wonderful Sweet Scarletts Texas Red Grapefruit.

Job Description

Overview:

Person will oversee the Oil Recovery Operation, assuring the best efficiency of recovery and understanding all the aspects that effect oil recovery to adjust and re-check parameters during production.

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Will operate 3 Desludgers,2 Polishers,1 Pre-Polisher and 2 Finishers that comprise the oil recovery system.
• Required to understand the composition of the Citrus Fruits and the different parameters and quality considerations that are important in our plant to recover products and by-products efficiently.
• Required to understand the function and efficient operation of desludgers, polishers, pre-polishers and finishers to be able to perform preventive maintenance and scheduled maintenance and sanitation on them.
• Verifies process is operating as per company procedures and assures compliance with Q.A. guidelines and Safety Policies.
• Adjusts desludgers and polishers per SOP’s and expected results.
• Will make use of ball valves, butterfly valves, buttons and switches to operate equipment.
• Required to understand flow diagrams, and to be familiar with PLC equipment.
• Trains new personnel on Work Instructions, SOP’s and CSOP’s.
• Fills out paperwork pertaining to operation and sanitation.
• Handles hazardous material like Caustic Soda, Hypochlorite 12% concentration, Enviro Klor Plus-foaming Detergent, among others.
• Train and cross-train others in the operation of area equipment.
• Perform sanitation activities during and after production, using specialized cleaning agents.
• Follow company safety guidelines at all times.

FOOD SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES

• The employee shall take all reasonable measures and precautions to ensure compliance with 21CFR 110.
• Disease Control: Any employee who, by medical examination or supervisory observation, is shown to have, or appears to have, an illness, open lesion, including boils, sores, or infected wounds, or any other abnormal source of microbial contamination by which there is a reasonable possibility of food, food-contact surfaces, or food packaging materials becoming contaminated, shall be excluded from any operations which may be expected to result in such contamination until the condition is corrected.
• Cleanliness: All employees working in direct contact with food, food-contact surfaces, and food-packaging materials shall conform to hygienic practices while on duty to the extent necessary to protect against contamination of food.
• Be aware of and comply with current good manufacturing practices regarding; proper food handling techniques, food-protection principles, the danger of poor personal hygiene and unsanitary practices

Qualifications

Here’s what you’ll bring to the table:

• Experience in a Food Production Facility and Associated GMP’s desired. HACCP Trained and Certified. Citrus processing experience desired
• Familiarity with PLC driven equipment
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as company policies and MSDS. Ability to communicate effectively with Q.A., Production and Management Personnel.
• Ability to count and perform basic math operations.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to analyze observable data and Q.C. tests results to determine adjustments needed to maximize oil recovery from the system
• Some individuals may be required to have forklift certification. HACCP certification.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be frequently required to; stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, stoop, speak, hear, taste and smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. This position may require long hours including working weekends and nights.

Additional Information

Wonderful’s dedication to you:

• Continued training and generous Education Reimbursement Program

Wonderful Citrus is part of The Wonderful Company, a privately held $6 billion global company dedicated to harvesting health and happiness around the world. Its iconic brands include FIJI Water, POM Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Halos, Wonderful Seedless Lemons, Teleflora, and JUSTIN and Lewis Cellars wines. The Wonderful Company’s connection to consumers has health at its heart and giving back in its DNA.

Wonderful Citrus and The Wonderful Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and with opportunities for advancement. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories.