On-The-Job Trainer - 2nd Shift

Smithfield Foods; St. Charles (IL); On-site; USD 23,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Smithfield Foods is seeking an On-the-Job Trainer to lead the onboarding of new-hire and job-bid employees on the production floor. You will coach, demonstrate, and reinforce best practices in knife handling, sharpening, and PPE use while documenting progress with care.

You’ll collaborate with plant supervision and the Training Supervisor, participate in meetings, and support start-up projects across facilities with flexible shifts and travel as needed.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; 2+ years in manufacturing preferred.
• In lieu of diploma, 6 years Smithfield manufacturing experience.
• Strong communication skills to guide and support others.

Responsibilities

• Train new-hire and job-bid employees on essential skills on the production floor.
• Document training attendance and progress with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Collaborate with area supervisors to communicate training needs and performance concerns.
• Rotate to different shifts and travel to other facilities as needed to support start-up projects.

Skills

Clear communication

Leadership

Bilingual

Teamwork

Coaching

Problem solving

Time management

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Excel

Microsoft Office

SAP

Job description

Have a seat at our table. When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special – a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet. With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our Core Four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact.

The Value You’ll Bring

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section.

As an On-the-Job Trainer, you’ll be a cornerstone of our team’s success—setting new employees up to thrive from day one. You’ll take the lead in training and developing hourly team members, empowering them with essential technical skills like expert knife techniques, sharpening, and tool maintenance to ensure they work safely, efficiently, and confidently. Most of your time will be hands‑on, right on the production floor, where you’ll work closely alongside new hires—coaching, demonstrating, and reinforcing best practices. You won’t just teach employees how to do the job; you’ll inspire them to do it well and take pride in their work. You’ll also be the go‑to resource for employees transitioning into new roles through the job‑bidding process, providing tailored, on‑the‑job training and guidance to help them succeed. Whether it’s mastering knife sharpening or mastering new responsibilities, your expertise will be essential to their growth. Collaboration is key—you’ll partner with plant supervision and the Training Supervisor to meticulously document and track training progress. Your keen observation skills, clear communication, and patient coaching style will directly contribute to developing a skilled, confident workforce and driving employee retention.

What You’ll Do

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned.

• Employee Training & Skill Development: In this role, you will train new-hire and job‑bid employees on essential job skills, safety practices, and job‑specific techniques, including knife handling and sharpening. You’ll spend time on the production floor observing employees, providing real‑time coaching, and retraining when skills or behaviors don’t meet expectations.
• Documentation, Reporting & Compliance: You’ll be responsible for documenting training attendance, daily observations, and employee progress with accuracy and attention to detail. You will also assist the Training Specialist and Supervisor by preparing progress reports, supporting job‑bid qualification reviews, and identifying trends involving tools, job tasks, or employee performance.
• Communication & Collaboration: As part of your daily work, you will collaborate with area supervisors to communicate training needs and performance concerns. You’ll participate in M‑IQ tier meetings, use Leader Standard Work (LSW) to plan and prioritize tasks, and support onboarding by leading plant tours and training employees on proper PPE use.
• Flexibility, Support & Special Assignments: At times, you’ll rotate to different shifts to support production needs, and you may travel to other facilities to assist with start‑up projects. You will also take on additional responsibilities as assigned to ensure training and operations run smoothly.

What We’re Seeking

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and 2+ years’ relevant experience, required.
• Experience in manufacturing operations, preferred.
• In lieu of a High School Diploma or GED, candidate must have 6 years of Smithfield manufacturing industry experience.
• Communicate clearly and confidently, demonstrating excellent written and oral communication skills to guide and support others.
• Bilingual ability is a plus for connecting with a diverse workforce.

Other Skills That Make You Stand Out

• Work proactively and independently with a high level of personal accountability, demonstrating self‑motivation and the ability to manage time, plan effectively, and execute tasks with minimal oversight.
• Leverage strong interpersonal and teamwork skills to foster respect, approachability, and collaboration, building trust and a positive, supportive work environment in fast‑paced, dynamic settings.
• Exhibit strong problem‑solving and strategic thinking abilities, confidently coaching others through challenges and translating strategy into actionable results.
• Use technology proficiently, including advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and the broader Microsoft Office Suite. Familiarity with SAP is preferred to support operational efficiency.
• Demonstrate strong organizational, analytical reasoning, and adaptability skills to prioritize tasks and thrive amid shifting priorities.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those an employee should possess to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The plant environment will include wet or humid conditions (non‑weather related), extreme cold and heat (non‑weather related), working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, and chemicals.
• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can be loud when in the production area.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.
• Frequently required to sit, stand, walk; use hands to handle or feel, and talk or hear; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, climb or crawl.

IndSpr - Ops

The expected pay range for this position is $16.83 - $26.44 per hour.

Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, location of the position, the candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, external market pay for comparable positions and budget considerations. At Smithfield Foods, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive total rewards package.

Learn more about our benefits package here.

Relocation Package Available No

EEO Information

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non‑job characteristic as directed by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.