Hay Equipment and Production Operator

Thank you for your interest in joining our team! We hire right, train smart, empower our employees to make decisions, and provide ample opportunities for growth and ultimate success.

Zen‑Noh Hay, Inc. (ZHI) was founded in 1995 to establish a link between the United States and the Japanese livestock farmers who require top quality forage products for their livestock. The combination of our assets provides a growing organization that is celebrating over 25 years of strength and stability!

This job functions as a general operator position that works in various departments as assigned. Responsibilities are ensuring that production and rolling stock equipment are operated safely while maximizing production. In addition to running equipment, this job will perform various duties such as sweeping, cleaning, quality control and other duties assigned by the department supervisor and/or shift lead.

Actual responsibilities will vary depending on level of Operator, daily needs and type of facility.

All levels of this job perform all duties within compliance of OSHA, company safety, and environmental regulations; including wearing appropriate PPE for task being performed.

• Cut and remove strings, wrap and straps from bales and prepare or stage for future processing or reprocessing.
• Sweep and clean production areas to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
• Perform quality inspections.
• Perform limited equipment operation controls such as starting/stopping equipment, operating control levers or touch screen interactions as instructed.
• Operate forklift to move/stack raw material and finished good bales.
• Inspect production and rolling stock equipment prior to use.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Cut and remove strings, wrap and straps from bales and prepare or stage for future processing or reprocessing.
• Sweep and clean production areas to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
• Perform quality inspections.
• Inspect production and rolling stock equipment prior to use.
• Fully operate production equipment and/or rolling stock (top pick, loader, telehandler, etc.).
• Ability to lead a shift in the department supervisor’s absence.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Cut and remove strings, wrap and straps from bales and prepare or stage for future processing or reprocessing.
• Sweep and clean production areas to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
• Perform product quality inspections.
• Inspect production and rolling stock equipment prior to use.
• Fully operate production equipment and/or rolling stock (top pick, loader, telehandler, etc.).
• Oversee and ensure a safe work environment within their department.
• Mentor and lead team to meet production goals.
• Consistently prevent and solve problems.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required - High school diploma or equivalent, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required – None.
Preferred - 1 year’s experience working in an industrial environment with a dependable work record;
Experience in operation of additional various heavy equipment.

• Basic knowledge of or ability to learn the operation and maintenance of assigned equipment.
• Basic knowledge of or ability to learn the occupational hazards of the work and of necessary safety precautions for the safe operation of assigned equipment.
• Effective interpersonal, oral and written communication skills with the ability to interact with all levels of people within and outside the organization.
• Ability to identify operating deficiencies and defects, determine necessary corrective measures, and make minor repairs/service assigned equipment.
• Ability to remain focused on exceptional customer service, both internally and externally.
• Ability to safely maneuver equipment in tight spaces.

Ability to lift/push/pull 70 lbs. consistently.

Ability to climb, crawl, stoop, kneel and balance.

Acutely aware of surroundings with ability to quickly adjust to a signal or change in environment.

Ability to understand and communicate verbally, in person and over two‑way…