Production Supervisor; Food Product Manager

Position Highlights

The School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences (ACBS) seeks to fill the role of Production Supervisor (Food Product Manager I). This position maintains the daily functional status of the Food Product and Safety Lab (FPSL). The successful candidate will perform nonroutine or precision functions involving working in slaughtering, meat processing, and meat packaging. The work of this position may include specialized slaughtering tasks, cutting standard or premium cuts of meat for marketing, grinding, and packaging of cooked and raw product.

The successful incumbent will maintain and update HACCP records.

ACBS puts science to work to provide translational research and knowledge to support everything from food production and safety to veterinary science. From preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases to developing new vaccines, from the agricultural and horse racing industries to biomedicine—our work has real-world impact. We offer opportunities in the classroom, the lab and through hands‑on experience at facilities like the Campus Agricultural Center and the FPSL.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work‑life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please .

• Manage and supervise positions in the FPSL to include staff and student employees.
• Assign tasks to production employees, students, and staff and ensure they are completed efficiently.
• Train current and new employees in all policies, procedures and best business practices of the Food Product and Safety Lab.
• Set standards, objectives and targets for each team member.
• Develop and maintain a positive culture, maximizing the morale and motivation of all employees within the area.
• Recognize and align production processes with the educational mission and goals of the university, integrating opportunities for student learning and development where possible.
• Develop contingency plans and protocols for handling emergencies or unexpected events, such as equipment failures, product recalls, or adverse publicity, to minimize disruptions to production and to mitigate reputational risks.
• Respond directly/positively to customer feedback and follow through as required, including with complaint procedures.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant health and safety regulations, including USDA regulations and university policies.
• Ensure effective cleaning in all processing areas, maintaining a high standard consistently.
• Maintain humane animal handling standards and practices, ensuring that all slaughtering procedures are conducted in a humane and ethical manner, consistent with the industry’s best practices and university values.
• Ensure that standard operating procedures are adhered to in relation to waste and continuously look where improvements may be suggested.
• Verify and complete Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) records that are necessary to comply with USDA Guidelines regarding harvesting, fabrication and processing.
• Oversee and provide support to employees working in slaughtering, meat processing, and meat packaging.

• Excellent knife skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to complete work, goal-oriented and results driven.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of related work experience or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

• Fully qualified meat production specialist with a minimum of 5 years of butchery experience, preferably in a processing plant.

FLSA Exempt
Full Time/Part Time Full Time
Number of Hours Worked per Week 40+
Job FTE 1.0
Work Calendar Fiscal
Job Category Agriculture and Extension
Benefits Eligible Yes -…