Sawmill Machine Operator: Efficient Lumber Production

United Way of Greenville County; Shreveport (LA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Plain Dealing Lumber seeks a Sawmill Machine Operator to safely operate, monitor, and maintain sawmill production equipment, turning logs into quality lumber per schedules and customer specs. You will work with supervisors, maintenance, and teammates to maximize equipment performance and minimize downtime on the production line.

This role requires strict adherence to safety policies, LOTO procedures, and a clean, organized workspace.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED preferred; not required for candidates with verifiable sawmill or industrial manufacturing production experience.
• Operator 1: no prior sawmill experience required; training provided on assigned position.
• Operator 2: 6–12 months of experience on at least one downstream sawmill production position required.
• Operator 3: proficiency on 3+ downstream positions or cross-training program completion required.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions including run sheets and safety procedures.
• Ability to recognize lumber quality issues such as dimension variation, rough cuts, wane, splits, and grade defects.
• Ability to work in a high-noise, high-dust sawmill environment for full shift.

Responsibilities

• Operate all assigned sawmill machine positions safely and at production pace as directed.
• Make accurate production decisions to maximize lumber recovery and meet specs.
• Monitor material flow, lumber quality, and equipment performance; report issues to Lead Operator.
• Complete thorough pre-shift equipment checks; verify guards, conveyors, saws, and safety measures.
• Coordinate with adjacent positions to maintain smooth material flow and address jams or quality issues.
• Maintain production tally, sort records, and shift log entries; report downtime and counts.
• Follow all safety policies and LOTO; keep area clean and free of hazards.
• Assist Lead Operator in training others; cross-train to advance to Operator levels.
• Report safety incidents and stop operations if abnormal conditions arise.

Skills

Safety mindset

Reliability

Teamwork

Follow instructions

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Education

High school diploma or GED

Industry sawmill experience encouraged

Job description

Plain Dealing Lumber seeks a Sawmill Machine Operator to safely operate, monitor, and maintain sawmill production equipment, turning logs into quality lumber per schedules and customer specs. You will work with supervisors, maintenance, and teammates to maximize equipment performance and minimize downtime on the production line.

This role requires strict adherence to safety policies, LOTO procedures, and a clean, organized workspace.