Relief Team Lead (Onsite)

Grower Direct Nut Company, Inc.; Hughson (CA); On-site; USD 44,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Grower Direct Nut Company, Inc. seeks an experienced Relief Team Lead (Onsite) to support day-to-day operations across production, warehouse, logistics, inventory, and grower deliveries.

You will supervise pasteurizing activities, ensure documentation and reporting accuracy, and drive safety, quality, and efficiency across departments. The role requires hands-on leadership, clear communication, and a proactive approach to maintaining product integrity while meeting production targets in a

Qualifications

• Prior pasteurizing/food processing experience required.
• Strong attention to detail to ensure consistency.
• Knowledge of pasteurizer equipment and process optimization.
• Ability to lead and train a team and promote safety and quality.

Responsibilities

• Set up and monitor pasteurizing equipment for quality and efficiency.
• Coordinate with boiler operator for optimal conditions.
• Manage Napasol crew performance during changeovers and sanitation.
• Ensure nuts are steam-treated to specifications; monitor temps and moisture.
• Identify efficiency improvements and waste reduction opportunities.
• Train and mentor pasteurizer team; enforce GMPs and safety.
• Review production logs and communicate findings to supervisor.
• Liaise with departments to ensure seamless workflow between production, procurement, warehouse, quality and logistics.
• Crosstrain lines and cover absences as needed.
• Maintain compliance with food safety regulations and company policies.

Skills

Pasteurization operations

Detail-oriented

Pasteurizer equipment knowledge

Team leadership

Food safety regulations

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Fast-paced production

Job description

Description

Job Title: Relief Team Lead (Onsite)

Department: Napasol

Report To: Napasol Supervisor

Working Hours: M-F, time TBD, some Saturdays

Payrate: $21.00 - $22.00

JOB SUMMARY

The Relief Team Lead supports day-to-day operational activities across production, warehouse, logistics, inventory, and grower deliveries. This role is responsible for facilitating production processes, ensuring accurate documentation and reporting, maintaining regulatory compliance, and coordinating the flow of materials and activities across departments. Responsible for ensuring that team members are properly motivated and effectively trained to safely and reliably complete their tasks. This included, but not limited to, operating equipment, supervising, as well as performing general labor as needed.

The position requires strong organizational skills, cross-functional collaboration, and hands-on involvement to drive operational efficiency, quality, and workflow consistency throughout the plant and related supply chain activities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Set up, monitor, and adjust pasteurizing equipment to ensure optimal performance and product quality.
• Coordinating with the boiler operator to ensure boilers and auxiliary equipment are working at optimal conditions for treatment.
• Manage the Napasol crew performance for product changeovers and sanitation cycles.
• Ensure nuts are steam-treated to precise specifications, monitoring temperature, time, and moisture levels to achieve consistency.
• Identify opportunities for efficiency, waste reduction, and quality enhancement, implement improvements as needed.
• Support operations including production support functions such as warehouse and maintenance activities.
• Train, mentor, and oversee pasteurizer team members to maintain high performance and adherence to safety and quality standards.
• Follow all food safety regulations, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and company policies to maintain product integrity.
• Review production logs, record adjustments, and communicate findings to the Napasol Supervisor and management.
• Liaise with other departments to ensure seamless communication and coordination.
• Facilitate communications and workflow between production, procurement, warehouse, quality and logistic teams.
• Crosstrain production lines to assist as needed.
• Cover absences of shift team leads as a relief team lead as needed.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

• Previous experience in pasteurizing operations, food processing, or related manufacturing role.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain consistency in production.
• Knowledge of pasteurizer equipment, troubleshooting, and process optimization.
• Ability to lead a team, train new employees, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Understanding of food safety regulations and quality control principles.
• Excellent communication, observation, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced production environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Will frequently stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle and feel, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear, taste and smell.
• Operate an electric lift truck to move and prepare raw materials for processing.
• Must use both hands simultaneously for rapid mental muscular coordination.
• Must lift objects with arms up from floor to waist, waist to shoulder of 30 pounds.
• Must be able to constantly stand/walk/bend up to 12 consecutive hours.
• Use of tablet for extended periods up to 12-hours to operate machinery remotely.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• May work near moving mechanical parts.
• May work around wet or humid conditions, in high, precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, outdoor weather conditions, extreme cold (non-weather), extreme heat (non-weather).