Relief Operator III - 2nd Shift

Relief Operator (RO) III – Powders

The Relief Operator (RO) III – Powders is responsible for the safe, efficient, and sanitary operation of equipment used in lactose and whey protein concentrate (WPC) processing. This includes, but is not limited to, separators, heat treatment systems, filtration units, crystallizers, decanters, dryers, and evaporators. The RO III ensures consistent product quality by actively monitoring processing parameters, adjusting controls as needed, and performing routine maintenance and sanitation tasks.

All work must be completed in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOPs), safety guidelines, and quality assurance standards to support optimal production performance and regulatory compliance.

Schedule:

2nd Shift: 3:00 PM – 3:00 AM. Shifts operate on a rotating 2-2-3 schedule. A 2-2-3 schedule is a rotating 12-hour shift schedule where you work 2 days, have 2 days off, then work 3 days. The following week, the pattern flips so you work 2 days, have 2 days off, and then work 3 days. This allows for every other weekend to be a 3-day weekend and gives you more days off throughout the year compared to a traditional Monday-Friday schedule.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

General Lactose Plant Duties:

• Operates equipment involved in lactose production, including crystallizers, decanters, evaporators, and bagging systems.
• Monitors flow rates, pressure, temperature, and other critical parameters throughout the lactose process.
• Troubleshoots operational issues and reports or resolves minor mechanical faults.
• Ensures raw materials and consumables are available and properly staged.
• Monitors product levels, temperatures, and flow in whey tanks, balance tanks, cream tanks, and the RO system; accurately records data on production logs.
• Performs routine sanitation of all whey plant equipment in accordance with cleaning schedules, documents cleaning procedures per regulatory and company standards.
• Complies with all company policies related to Safety, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Immediately reports any food safety or quality concerns to supervisors or authorized personnel.
• Trains new team members in lactose plant duties, operating procedures, and safety protocols.

Dryer Operation:

• Operates and monitors lactose dryers (spray dryer, fluid bed, or other) to ensure optimal drying parameters are maintained.
• Adjusts temperature, airflow, and feed rates as needed to ensure consistent product moisture and quality.
• Conducts regular visual inspections to identify issues such as buildup, clogging, or abnormal noise/vibration.
• Collects and test in-process samples for moisture, particle size, and purity.
• Performs cleaning-in-place (CIP) and manual cleaning procedures on the dryer and auxiliary systems as required
• Controls the reverse osmosis (RO) and polisher systems to produce high-quality concentrated whey, adjusting flow rates, pressure, and temperature as needed; directs product to appropriate storage tanks and conducts in-process testing.
• Manages whey plant cleaning chemicals, maintains proper inventory levels, and assists with receiving and storage of incoming chemical deliveries.

General WPC Plant Duties:

• Operates equipment involved in whey protein concentrate production, including separators, heat treatment, filtration, evaporators, and bagging systems.
• Monitors flow rates, pressure, temperature, and other critical parameters throughout the WPC process.
• Troubleshoots operational issues and report or resolve minor mechanical faults.
• Ensures raw materials and consumables are available and properly staged.
• Monitors product levels, temperatures, and flow in whey tanks, balance tanks, cream tanks, and the RO system; accurately records data on production logs.
• Performs routine sanitation of all whey plant equipment in accordance with cleaning schedules, documents cleaning procedures per regulatory and company standards.
• Complies with all company policies related to Safety, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Immediately reports any…