Operator 1 - 2nd Shift

Florida Crystals / ASR Group•Buffalo, NY

About The Position

The Packaging Operator is responsible for safely operating, monitoring, and maintaining packaging and related production equipment to support consistent, high-quality manufacturing output. The role ensures products are packed accurately and safely in compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory standards, and completes required documentation. The Operator I works from standard operating procedures under direct supervision, performing basic operating tasks and minor adjustments and escalating issues promptly. The posting also describes Operator II and Operator III responsibilities, which build on the Operator I functions with increasing independence, troubleshooting, training, technical support, and continuous-improvement duties. The role is performed in a manufacturing environment with noise, dust, varying temperatures, and moving equipment. Travel to other ASR/Ingredients Plus locations may be required as business needs arise. The stated pay rate is $23 per hour.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or equivalent experience.
Ability to follow instructions, safety rules, and standard procedures.
Ability to learn new tasks, equipment, and processes through training.
Ability to work safely and maintain attention to detail in a production environment.
Ability to use basic tools and equipment safely.
Ability to observe conditions, recognize abnormal situations, and report issues.
Ability to communicate effectively with team members and supervision.
Ability to maintain accuracy, reliability, and focus during routine and repetitive work.
Ability to adapt to changing priorities, assignments, and production needs.
Ability to work rotating shifts, weekends, holidays, and overtime as business needs require.
Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with noise, dust, varying temperatures, and moving equipment.
Ability to regularly stand, walk, bend, reach, push, pull, grasp, kneel, and climb stairs or ladders.
Ability to regularly lift, move, and handle up to 50 pounds.
Ability to wear required PPE for the duration of the work shift.

Nice To Haves

Manufacturing or food production experience is preferred.
Mechanical aptitude and willingness to learn technical skills.

Responsibilities

Operate assigned packaging machines or production equipment under supervision and according to SOPs.
Perform equipment startup, shutdown, operation, and changeovers according to procedures, with some oversight.
Learn emergency procedures, E-stop locations, and basic Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) awareness.
Understand and follow assigned production schedules.
Feed packaging materials to equipment and remove finished products as required.
Make basic operational adjustments, including clearing jams, cleaning sensors, and making minor part-positioning corrections.
Inspect equipment and critical control points, including metal detectors, magnets, and screens, and perform weight checks.
Complete production, quality, and food-safety documentation, including production counts, downtime, and scrap/reject reporting for OEE tracking.
Use production and equipment systems to support operation and efficiency and record production data; understand basic HMI/PLC screens.
Operate forklifts and material-handling equipment when trained and authorized, as needed.
Use basic hand tools safely as required for assigned tasks.
Identify and report abnormal equipment operation, quality or packaging defects, material issues, and unsafe conditions.
Immediately report equipment damage, spills, accidents, near-misses, injuries, downtime, and food-safety or quality concerns to supervision.
Perform assigned cleaning, sanitation, and housekeeping tasks.
Follow company safety rules, food-safety programs, GMPs, and sanitation requirements, and use required PPE correctly.
Work positively and professionally with others to support production needs.
Participate in required classroom, on-the-job, and cross-training activities.
Follow assigned work and break schedules and perform other duties in support of production operations.
For Operator II and III levels: operate equipment with increasing independence; perform intermediate and advanced troubleshooting and adjustments; monitor OEE and process stability; coordinate material flow; support training, audits, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, standardization, and continuous improvement; and support multiple lines or areas as needed.