Relief Production Operator – Vats; String Make

Description

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

From your PASSION to ours

Lactalis American Group, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a Relief Production Operator IV – Vats (String) based in Nampa, .

The Relief Production Operator IV – Vats (String) is responsible for the portion of the cheese-making process beginning with raw milk silos, milk HTST, and vat operations. This includes making ingredient adjustments based on lab analysis. All critical phases must be monitored and controlled within specification by cheese type. The Operator IV is able to start up, shut down, CIP equipment, and troubleshoot process issues.

• Properly prepare lines for the cheese-making process.
• Operate the milk pasteurizer (HTST), including proper startup (cut-in/cut-out) and shutdown.
• Monitor and record cheese-making parameters by sampling and performing laboratory analysis (pH, titratable acidity).
• Use PLC/HMI controls to properly operate and adjust equipment.
• Follow prescribed recipes for various cheese products.
• Maintain accurate cheese-making records, including deviations, observations, ingredient information, and lab results.
• Prepare equipment for cleaning and perform CIP functions.
• Perform sanitation duties as assigned and keep the work area clean and organized.
• Take immediate corrective action when product does not meet quality or specification requirements.

• High School Diploma or completion of GED preferred but not required.

• Six (6) months of experience in food manufacturing, dairy processing, or a similar production environment preferred.
• Experience operating production equipment such as vats, HTST, or other automated systems helpful but not required.
• Prior exposure to basic lab testing (pH, TA) or recipe-based production processes is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to follow detailed procedures, record data accurately, and work in a fast-paced environment.

• Working knowledge of cheese-making processes, including curd development, cooking, and moisture control.
• Ability to read and follow make sheets, recipes, and production instructions.
• Understanding of basic lab measurements such as pH and titratable acidity (TA) and how…