Production Operator - Robinson Plant

Pretzels, Inc; Robinson (IL); On-site; USD 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance from day 1

401(k) with match

Stock Purchase Program

Life Insurance

Career advancement opportunities day 1

Job summary

The Hershey Company’s Robinson plant seeks a Production Operator to work in processing and packaging areas, ensuring top food safety, sanitation, and production standards in a fast-paced environment.

You will perform multiple roles across processing and packaging, maintain equipment and quality checks, and comply with GMP and safety practices while supporting continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• At least 18 years of age.
• Authorized to work in the United States.
• High School diploma or GED.
• Ability to read, write, and comprehend English.
• Ability to understand and perform basic mathematics.
• Basic computer knowledge and data entry.
• Flexible to work any shift incl. weekends, holidays, and overtime.

Responsibilities

• Operate processing and/or packaging equipment.
• Operate a forklift to move materials within the plant.
• Follow process instructions and perform quality checks (metal detectors, date codes, weight systems).
• Adhere to safety procedures, GMP, and housekeeping standards.

Skills

Forklift operation

Reading English

Shift flexibility

Math basics

Computer basics

Legal work status

Tools

SAP

LPR

Job description

• Shift Differentials & Overtime Potential!

Note: If you apply for a role at Hershey through our career’s website, we may use technologies that use automation to filter your candidacy based on objective criteria. We also use AI-enabled tools that help us facilitate the selection of our future Hershey talent. These tools may help with activities such as matching and scoring candidates to roles based on requirements and scheduling interviews. These systems process only the information you provide in your application, including your resume, work history, education, and responses to screening questions. While these technologies assist with certain steps in our recruitment process and may provide recommendations, all final decisions, including those affecting whether candidates advance to subsequent stages in the applicant process, are made by our talent acquisition teams with meaningful human review and independent judgment. Depending on your location and the specific role you apply for, additional disclosures about our use of AI in recruitment may be provided to you separately.

Production Operator - Robinson Plant

Posted Date: Aug 25, 2026

Requisition Number: 127302

Job Title: Production Operator - Robinson Plant

Location

Robinson, IL (US)

Position Type

Hourly

Learn more about being a production operator! Take a quiz and see if this role would be a good match for you: https://mfgjobpreview.hersheys.com/

Pay

• Starting Payrate: $24.00/hr


• Eligible for holiday pay on first day


• Shift Differentials & Overtime Potential!


• Eligibility to bid for higher graded positions after successful completion of probation period


• Manufacturing Incentive Plan Eligible

Total Rewards

• Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, & Vision)—Starting DAY 1!


• 401(k) Retirement Plan – with generous company match


• Hershey Stock Purchase Program


• Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability


• Career Advancement Opportunities starting Day 1!

Shifts

• We ask that you are flexible to work any shift, weekends, overtime and holidays


• Schedule assignment upon hire is determined by plant needs. New hires are eligible to bid to a different shift within their assigned department, beginning day 1 (awarded based on seniority within that department).


• Plant Operating schedules: 3 Continuous Operating Schedules (COS) of a 12-hour shift from 6:00pm-6:00am OR an 8 to 10-hour shift on 1st, 2nd or 3rd shift


• Mandatory overtime could be weekly (extra days scheduled) or daily (additional hours added to 8-10hr shifts) or weekends (8 to 12-hour shifts).

Candidate Process

• Candidates are required to take and pass a pre-hire assessment to schedule an interview


• Qualified applicants will receive an email to schedule for an interview (ensure you have access to a valid email).


• Post-Offer Drug Screen and Background Check required*


• Valid ID required

Job Description

Come Make More Moments of Goodness with us as a Production Operator!

The Hershey Company Robinson plant is a non-union plant producing products such as PayDay, Heath, Skor, Milk Duds, Whoppers, and Reese’s Pieces; in a high-speed complex environment. As a Production Operator, you will work in a variety of roles in processing and packaging within the plant. Operators are responsible for maintaining our highest quality of food safety standards, sanitation standards, and production and packaging requirements.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Operating processing and/or packaging equipment.


• Operating a fork truck,


• Following and interpreting information from processes including, performing various quality checks (i.e. metal detectors, date codes, and weight systems) and following Autonomous Maintenance Programs (cleaning, inspecting, and lubricating equipment)


• Observing all safety procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and good housekeeping practices

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 18 years of age at time of hire


• Authorized to work in the United States


• High School diploma or GED Certificate


• Ability to read, write, and comprehend English


• Ability to understand and perform basic mathematics


• Basic computer knowledge with ability to find and enter information


• Must be flexible to work any shift during a 24 hour period (1st / 2nd / 3rd) and any variation of shift length (e.g. 8 hours or 12 hours) 1st / 2nd / 3rd (8 or 12 hour shifts) Must be available to work weekends, holidays and overtime

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a manufacturing/food manufacturing environment including the following: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Safe Quality Foods (SQF), Autonomous/Preventative Maintenance, Continuous Improvement, and Warehouse Management Systems such as SAP/LPR.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position as required by state and federal law:

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs


• Work from heights and in confined spaces


• Repetitive use of hands, wrists, and forearms


• Work in variable temperatures (60-100 degrees Fahrenheit)


• Walking and standing for the majority of the shift


• Reaching, bending, stooping and crawling

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans

If you require a reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact the HR Service Center ([e-mail]).