General Labor - Basket Room (896)

Carl Buddig and Company; South Holland (IL); On-site; USD 43,841,000 - 59,314,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401(k)

Training and Development

Vacation & PTO

Referral Bonus Program

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Carl Buddig and Company is seeking a Basket Room Associate in South Holland, IL. The role requires standing for long shifts, lifting up to 35 pounds, and working in a fast-paced meat production environment.

Responsibilities include trimming, packing, smoke house tasks, and driving a powered industrial truck to move baskets and ensure accurate coding and weighing for line efficiency.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• 1–2 years manufacturing experience.
• Legal to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Trim racks quickly while maintaining proper flow of product.
• Read meat code tags and verify proper packing of each basket.
• Unload and move products in the smoke house and tempering areas with HACCP compliance.
• Drive and operate PIT to move meat baskets and create accurate basket tickets.
• Stand for long shifts, lift up to 35 lbs, and work flexible hours.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Reading meat code tags

Quality focus

Forklift operation

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

Powered industrial truck (PIT)

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: South Holland, IL 60473 Position Type: Full Time Salary Range: $18.00 - $18.00 Hourly Job Shift: 1st

About Us

Carl Buddig and Company, a respected name in the meat manufacturing industry, boasts a legacy of over 80 years. Founded as a family-owned company, we have evolved into a leading producer of premium meat products, including renowned lunchmeats, ready-to-eat cooked meats under our Kingsford, LLC division, and savory snack meats from Old Wisconsin. As a third-generation family business, our success is anchored in our commitment to quality, innovation, and community. With a workforce of 2,500 dedicated team members spread across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, we continue to expand, driven by a vision for excellence and a responsiveness to evolving consumer preferences. At Carl Buddig and Company, we foster a culture centered around teamwork and innovation. We strive to create an environment that values creativity and collaboration, ensuring every team member is empowered to contribute to our collective goals. Our dedication extends beyond our business operations. We actively support charitable initiatives and community organizations through direct contributions, volunteer work, and partnerships. We aim to make a positive impact and give back to the communities that have supported us over the years. Join us at Carl Buddig and Company, where tradition meets innovation, and where our passion for quality meat products is matched by our commitment to our people and communities.

Position Summary

The Basket Room Associate will effectively perform all of the required duties of the Basket Room Associate position in an accurate, thorough and safe manner as outlined per the Carl Buddig and Company job description. Employees are responsible for producing a safe and quality food product per USDA guidelines and are required to report all food safety related problems to their supervisor, manager, or to the quality assurance department in order to initiate immediate action.

Key Responsibilities

Trimming

• Associates need to keep up with a quick pace when trimming racks (removing outer edge of casing via the use of a knife) in order to ensure proper flow of product through the basket room and packaging process.
• Able to read meat code tags.
• Must pull (manually manipulate) wheeled meat racks (over 2,000 lbs.).

Packing

• Associates need to be able to pack 3 (three) baskets of fibrous casings or 2 (two) Plastic casings per hour or 1 (one) of Roast Beef every 40-45 minutes.
• Able to read meat code tags and verify the proper packing of one meat code per basket.
• Must be able to bend, hold, and peel logs weighing roughly 25 lbs.
• Must Pull (manually manipulate) wheeled meat racks (over 2,000 lbs.).
• Must move empty racks to cleaning station.

Smoke House

• Associates need to be able to handle the unloading of the smoke houses and pull (manually manipulate) wheeled meat racks of products into the blast cooler after the proper chilling temperature in the tempering room is achieved.
• Make sure to follow all HACCP procedures (associate should receive proper training from QA/QC prior to completing this task).
• Must Pull (manually manipulate) wheeled meat racks (over 2,000 lbs.).

Driving

• Material Handler(s) must be capable of driving a powered industrial truck to move and provide meat baskets to the various slicing lines.
• After baskets are fully packed and closed, material handler should verify that all meat code tags match and then proceed to weigh meat basket and create basket tickets with the correct information that is then put into the KM system for tracking procedures.
• Must be able to twist and bend.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Knowledge & Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum of 1 – 2 years’ experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to legally work in the United States is required.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements

• Must be able to stand for 8-9 hours per day.
• Must have the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be able to bend, stoop and squat as needed.
• Must be able to lift up to 35 pounds on a frequent basis.
• Must be able to pull 2000-pound wheeled racks on a frequent basis.
• Must be able to work 40 or more hours per week.
• Must be able to work mandatory overtime if necessary.
• Must have good hand/eye coordination.
• Must adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s).
• Must be flexible and able to work as needed (4:00AM to Noon, 12PM to 8:00PM, or 8:00PM to 4:00AM-approximate times).

Pay rate for this position is $18.00 per hour.

Benefits for this role include Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Training and Development, Vacation & PTO, Referral Bonus Program, and Tuition Reimbursement.

Carl Buddig and Company does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to make any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, promotion, performance evaluations, discipline, or termination. All employment decisions are made by trained HR professionals and company leaders to ensure fairness, consistency, and compliance with the Illinois Human Rights Act.