Production Floor Trainer 1st Shift

Catania Spagna Corp; Ayer (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay and benefits

Equal Opportunity Employer

Job summary

Catania Oils in Ayer, MA is seeking a Production Floor Trainer for the 1st shift to provide structured training on equipment setup, operation, and safety. You will mentor operators, conduct competency evaluations, and coordinate refresher training as needed.

You will collaborate with plant leadership to maintain training materials, reinforce safe work practices, and support onboarding, changeovers, and new equipment implementations on the production floor.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; some college preferred.
• 3–5 years manufacturing experience, incl. 2+ years operating multiple packaging or production lines.
• Ability to train employees and document training.
• Knowledge of OSHA requirements, GMPs, HACCP principles, and food safety practices.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide structured, hands-on training to new and existing employees on equipment setup, startup, operation, shutdown, cleaning, product changeovers, basic troubleshooting, work instructions, SOPs, and standardized work.
• Train employees on filling equipment, capping systems, labeling machines, date coding equipment, vision inspection systems, case packers, palletizers, conveyors, retail and industrial packaging lines, and related support equipment.
• Evaluate operator knowledge and hands-on competency; certify employees before independent operation and coordinate refresher training or retraining when required.
• Develop and support cross-training plans that improve workforce flexibility; identify skill gaps and mentor employees during their transition to independent operation.
• Adapt training methods to employees with varying experience levels, learning styles, and language needs while maintaining consistent performance standards.
• Collaborate with plant leadership to develop, update, and maintain work instructions, one-point lessons, job aids, and other production training materials.
• Under the direction of the Director of Safety teach and reinforce safe work practices, required PPE, role-appropriate Lockout/Tagout procedures and awareness, OSHA requirements, GMPs, HACCP principles, allergen controls, food safety practices and expectations.
• Observe work behaviors, correct unsafe practices immediately, and report or elevate hazards and safety concerns through the appropriate channels.
• Ensure trainees understand equipment-specific hazards, required inspections, and the proper response to abnormal or unsafe conditions.
• Support new-employee onboarding, production line startups, product changeovers, and the implementation of new equipment, processes, or work methods.
• Spend the majority of the workday on the production floor observing operators and providing immediate coaching to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and consistency.
• Partner with Maintenance during equipment training and help employees distinguish routine operator adjustments from conditions requiring maintenance support.
• Reinforce standardized best practices that reduce startup and changeover downtime, prevent operator errors, minimize waste, and improve reliability.
• Participate in problem-solving, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement activities that strengthen workforce capability and operating performance.
• Provide production support during staffing shortages when assigned, without compromising essential training responsibilities, and perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication

Bilingual English/Spanish

Mechanical aptitude

Safety awareness

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Description

Do you take pride in doing things right the first time? Looking for a stable job with room to grow? Ready to join a team that treats you like family? We want to hear from you!

Production Floor Trainer 1st Shift - Ayer, MA

Join a Legacy. Build the Future

Catania Oils, a fourth-generation, family-owned business with 125 years of excellence in the edible oils industry, is looking for a passionate and driven Production Floor Trainer to join our 1st shift team. If you thrive in a fast‑paced environment, love solving problems, and know how to bring out the best in people—this is your moment.

Our Core Values Drive Everything We Do

• We Are Family – We treat every team member with respect and support, just like family.
• Own It – We take responsibility, celebrate wins, and learn from challenges.
• Job Well Done – We strive for excellence and take pride in delivering quality work.
• Customer Focused – We go beyond expectations to ensure our customers succeed.
• Authenticity at Our Core – We act with integrity and stay true to our values, even under pressure.

What You’ll Do

• Provide structured, hands‑on training to new and existing employees on equipment setup, startup, operation, shutdown, cleaning, product changeovers, basic troubleshooting, work instructions, SOPs, and standardized work.
• Train employees on filling equipment, capping systems, labeling machines, date coding equipment, vision inspection systems, case packers, palletizers, conveyors, retail and industrial packaging lines, and related support equipment.
• Evaluate operator knowledge and hands‑on competency; certify employees before independent operation and coordinate refresher training or retraining when required.
• Develop and support cross‑training plans that improve workforce flexibility; identify skill gaps and mentor employees during their transition to independent operation.
• Adapt training methods to employees with varying experience levels, learning styles, and language needs while maintaining consistent performance standards.
• Collaborate with plant leadership to develop, update, and maintain work instructions, one‑point lessons, job aids, and other production training materials.
• Under the direction of the Director of Safety teach and reinforce safe work practices, required PPE, role‑appropriate Lockout/Tagout procedures and awareness, OSHA requirements, GMPs, HACCP principles, allergen controls, food safety practices and expectations.
• Observe work behaviors, correct unsafe practices immediately, and report or elevate hazards and safety concerns through the appropriate channels.
• Ensure trainees understand equipment‑specific hazards, required inspections, and the proper response to abnormal or unsafe conditions.
• Support new‑employee onboarding, production line startups, product changeovers, and the implementation of new equipment, processes, or work methods.
• Spend the majority of the workday on the production floor observing operators and providing immediate coaching to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and consistency.
• Partner with Maintenance during equipment training and help employees distinguish routine operator adjustments from conditions requiring maintenance support.
• Reinforce standardized best practices that reduce startup and changeover downtime, prevent operator errors, minimize waste, and improve reliability.
• Participate in problem‑solving, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement activities that strengthen workforce capability and operating performance.
• Provide production support during staffing shortages when assigned, without compromising essential training responsibilities, and perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

What You Bring

• High school diploma or GED, some college or higher learning preferred.
• Three to five years of manufacturing experience, including at least two years operating multiple packaging or production lines.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with the ability to understand equipment operation and perform basic troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated leadership, coaching, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of OSHA requirements, GMPs, HACCP principles, and food safety practices.
• Ability to train employees with varying levels of experience and work effectively across Production, Quality, Maintenance, Sanitation, Safety/EHS.
• Ability to maintain accurate, timely, and organized training documentation.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the manufacturing facility.
• Ability to lift and move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to climb stairs and access production platforms as required.
• Ability to work in hot, cold, and noisy production environments and wear all required PPE.

Preferred Qualifications

• Food manufacturing or packaging experience.
• Previous experience training, mentoring, or qualifying manufacturing employees.
• Train‑the‑Trainer certification or equivalent instructor development experience.
• Experience with standard work and or root cause analysis.
• Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills.

Why Catania Oils?

• Be part of a company that values teamwork, respect, and continuous improvement.
• Work in a culture that blends tradition with innovation.
• Make a real impact in a company that’s committed to sustainability and quality.
• We offer competitive pay and benefits.

Catania Oils is an Equal Opportunity Employer