MILK RECEIVING

Associated Milk Producers Inc; Paynesville (MN); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

PTO

Short-term disability

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Associated Milk Producers Inc. operates multiple Midwest dairy plants and produces cheese and dairy products marketed to foodservice, retail, and ingredients customers. This role emphasizes safety, quality control, and efficient product receiving and shipment processes.

Responsibilities include conducting tests, maintaining records, and ensuring GMP compliance. The position supports maintenance, training, and collaboration with lab and cheesemaking teams to meet regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED preferred.
• Valid forklift operator license preferred.
• Knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, OSHA desirable.
• Prior dairy plant or food manufacturing experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Report safety, food safety, and quality issues to appropriate personnel.
• Responsible for product receiving and shipments; manage sampling and testing.
• Perform TA tests, inhibitor screening, and cryoscope tests.
• Maintain records and documentation for loads, temps, logs, and notifications.
• Sanitize equipment and maintain CIP systems; oversee milk silos handling.
• Assist lab or cheesemaking staff; support training and shift communications.
• Adhere to safety, GMP policies and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Safety compliance

Forklift operation

Recordkeeping

Quality testing

Teamwork

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Dairy manufacturing experience

Tools

Forklift

Job description

AMPI owns six Midwest-based manufacturing plants where 10 percent of the nation's American-type cheese and processed cheese is produced. The cooperative's award-winning cheese and powdered dairy products are marketed to foodservice, retail and food ingredient customers. In 2019, the co-op launched its Dinner Bell Creamery brand and accompanying Co-op Crafted promise, highlighting more than 50 years of dairy farm families partnering with skilled cheesemakers.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as management may deem necessary from time to time:

1. All AMPI employees are required to report any employee safety, food safety, and food quality issues to the appropriate personnel.
2. This position has heightened responsibilities for food safety and food quality
3. Responsible for product receiving and shipments, ensuring proper scaling, sampling, and testing of products, including milk tests such as drip, tank, or CO: T.A., H2O, bacteria, butterfat, and inhibitors
4. Maintain recordkeeping and documentation, including load temperature, silo fill levels, truck Clean in Place (CIP) records, receiving logs, testing logs and notifications, shipment records, and more.
5. Perform T.A. tests, truck inhibitor screening, individual screenings, and cryoscope tests
6. Sanitize and clean trucks, tanks, silos, lines, and work areas, and maintain CIP systems.
7. Oversee and monitor the filling, storage, and agitation processes of milk holding silos.
8. Assist Lab or Cheesemaking employees, or perform additional duties as required and directed.
9. Adhere to current and future WDATCP, USDA, FDA, or any other regulatory agency requirements as necessary.
10. Record and report production deficiencies to foremen and management.
11. Report and communicate critical information during shift transitions.
12. Continuously seek process improvement opportunities and communicate them effectively to others.
13. Support the training of new employees.
14. Assist maintenance personnel with machine repairs or troubleshooting as needed.
15. Adhere to all Safety and GMP policies and procedures, and report any nonconformities
16. Other duties as assigned.

An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. The above list reflects the general details necessary to describe the principle and essential functions of the position and shall not be construed as the only duties that may be assigned for the position.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED) preferred
• Food manufacturing, material handling and forklift operation experience preferred
• Must be able to maintain a valid forklift operator license
• Prior experience in the dairy or cheese industry is preferred
• Prior experience in manufacturing is a plus
• Knowledge of HACCP, GMP's, OSHA and loss control programs is highly desirable
• Previous dairy plant experience in equipment CIP procedure and safe milk handling

BENEFITS/REWARDS

AMPI offers competitive starting pay, PTO, 401k, short-term disability, health, dental, vision, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, employee assistance programs and more.

Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Military and veterans are encouraged to apply.

EXPERIENCE

• Prior experience in the dairy or cheese industry is preferred (preferred)
• Food manufacturing, material handling and forklift operation experience preferred (preferred)

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.