Production Operator - Day Shift

Freshpet; Bethlehem (Northampton County); On-site; USD 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Pet insurance

Tuition assistance

Generous PTO

Job summary

Freshpet in Bethlehem, PA is hiring a Production Operator to help produce fresh pet foods, move ingredients through cooking and packaging, and ensure product quality.

The role requires a high school diploma, 1+ year production experience in manufacturing (food/beverage preferred), ability to lift 50 lb, and comfort in a refrigerated environment. Strong teamwork, problem solving, and basic computer skills are essential. Freshpet offers competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• 1+ years of experience in production within manufacturing, ideally in the food or beverage industry.
• Ability to work independently and within a team.
• Solid problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Must be able to work in a refrigerated (40 degrees) food manufacturing environment.
• Ability to lift, push, and pull 50 pounds frequently without assistance.
• Ability to frequently kneel, squat, bend, and stoop, twist, and reach overhead with repetitive motion.
• Ability to spend significant time standing on the manufacturing floor.
• Basic computer skills (Microsoft D365 ERP, Microsoft office).

Responsibilities

• Perform duties with a safety-first approach and support a ‘Safety First’ culture.
• Process and cook raw meat, vegetables, and dry ingredients.
• Manually loading ingredients as well as operating machines using a computer terminal and PLC touch screens.
• Package cooked product into plastic packaging, packing into boxes, palletizing and shrink wrapping.
• Record data on product throughout the shift (times/temperatures, batch ingredients, inventory).
• Startup, assembly/disassembly, changeovers, and shutdown of processing machinery and line equipment.
• Complete paperwork related to production schedule inventory, HACCP plan, and quality standards.
• Ensure compliance with GMPs and HACCP; maintain a clean and sanitary processing area.

Job description

Who We Are

At Freshpet, our goal is to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We strive to strengthen the bond between people and our pets so that we both live longer, healthier, and happier lives while being kind to the planet. We believe that if we can create fresh, real foods that pets love and help them live healthier lives, that their pet parents will also enjoy the many benefits of a rich life shared with a pet.

IT’S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH!

What You Will Do

As a Production Operator, you are responsible for making the highest quality fresh foods that will nourish pets and help them live healthier lives! You will be part of a team operating various production equipment, moving ingredients across the cooking process to packaging the ready-to-eat fresh meals to be delivered to our customers.

Who We Are

At Freshpet, our goal is to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We strive to strengthen the bond between people and our pets so that we both live longer, healthier, and happier lives while being kind to the planet. We believe that if we can create fresh, real foods that pets love and help them live healthier lives, that their pet parents will also enjoy the many benefits of a rich life shared with a pet.

IT’S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH!

What You Will Do

As a Production Operator, you are responsible for making the highest quality fresh foods that will nourish pets and help them live healthier lives! You will be part of a team operating various production equipment, moving ingredients across the cooking process to packaging the ready-to-eat fresh meals to be delivered to our customers.

How You Will Make An Impact

• Perform duties with a safety-first approach and support a “Safety First” culture
• Processing and cooking raw meat, vegetables, and dry ingredients
• Manually loading ingredients as well as operating machines using a computer terminal and PLC touch screens
• Packaging cooked product into plastic packaging, packing into boxes, palletizing and shrink wrapping
• Recording data on product throughout the shift. Cooking times/ temperatures, verify batch ingredients, and finished product count/inventory
• Responsible for startup, assembly/disassembly, changeovers, and shutdown of processing machinery and processing line equipment
• Accurately completes paperwork related to production schedule inventory, HACCP plan, and/or quality standards
• Is responsible for complete processing area machine operation
• Responsible for weighing and staging ingredients for batch making
• Follows all relevant SOPs and corrective action procedures
• Cleans and sanitizes machine parts, equipment, and other areas.
• Assures food safety standards with regards to GMPs and HACCP plan are being followed by self and fellow employees
• Follows established company policies and those outlined in the Employee Handbook
• Other duties as assigned

What You Will Bring

• High school diploma or GED required
• 1+ years of experience in production within manufacturing, ideally in the food or beverage industry
• Ability to work independently and within a team
• Solid problem solving and decision-making skills
• Must be able to work in a refrigerated (40 degrees) food manufacturing environment
• Ability to lift, push, and pull 50 pounds frequently without assistance
• Ability to frequently kneel, squat, bend, and stoop, twist, and reach overhead with repetitive motion
• Ability to spend significant time standing on the manufacturing floor
• Basic computer skills (Microsoft D365 ERP, Microsoft office)

What We Offer

At Freshpet, we offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, basic and optional life insurance, short- and long-term disability protection, flexible spending accounts, and a 401(k) plan with company match, paid parental leave, pet insurance, tuition assistance, a generous PTO plan and so much more!

Our Commitment To a Diverse Workforce

At Freshpet, we embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, sex, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique. Freshpet aims to foster, cultivate, and preserve a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our employees are our most valuable assets. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and company’s achievement as well. Freshpet is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Disclaimers

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas. Freshpet is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Freshpet via-email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of Freshpet. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Freshpet as a result of the referral or through other means.