Production Operator I - Meat Room Operator - 3rd Shift

United Petfood•Decatur, AR

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Production Operator – Meat Room sets up, operates, monitors, troubleshoots, cleans, and maintains equipment used to prepare and process ingredients for dry pet food manufacturing at United Petfood’s Decatur, Arkansas facility. The role supports safe and efficient production by following schedules, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and food safety requirements. Duties include equipment setup and changeovers, process monitoring, product inspections, authorized adjustments, production documentation, and sanitation activities. The operator works with Production leadership, Maintenance, and Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA) to maintain consistent processing conditions, meet product specifications, reduce downtime, and handle materials according to safety and quality standards. The role requires attention to detail, mechanical aptitude, dependability, and the ability to work safely and efficiently in a manufacturing environment. The position is located at 2577 AR-59, Decatur, AR 72722. The schedule is Monday through Saturday, 2:00 PM–6:30 AM. Pay is $19.00 per hour plus an additional shift differential.

Requirements

Ability to read, understand, and follow production schedules, work instructions, SOPs, and product specifications.
Ability to safely operate assigned manufacturing equipment following required training.
Basic mechanical aptitude and ability to learn equipment setup, adjustments, and troubleshooting.
Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations and accurately record production information.
Strong attention to detail when monitoring equipment, materials, and product quality.
Ability to complete required production, quality, and sanitation documentation.
Ability to follow established safety, sanitation, and food safety procedures.
Ability to communicate effectively with supervisors and team members and work independently or collaboratively across departments.
Ability to perform the essential physical requirements of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to work assigned shifts, overtime, and weekends as operational needs require.
Ability to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and maintain safe and sanitary working conditions.
Ability to frequently stand, walk, bend, reach, climb, and perform repetitive equipment-related activities.
Ability to use hand tools, operate assigned production equipment, access production equipment and work areas using approved safety procedures, and wear required PPE.
Ability to lift and move materials or equipment components weighing up to 50 pounds as required, with appropriate assistance or mechanical lifting equipment when necessary.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or equivalent.
Previous experience in food, pet food, animal feed, or other manufacturing operations.
Experience operating processing equipment in a production environment.
Familiarity with equipment setup, changeovers, basic troubleshooting, and sanitation procedures.
Experience performing product quality checks and maintaining production documentation.
Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and manufacturing food safety requirements.
Experience with production systems, electronic records, or computerized manufacturing equipment.
Previous experience handling or processing ingredients in a food or pet food manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

Set up, start, operate, monitor, adjust, and shut down assigned Meat Room processing equipment according to production schedules, SOPs, GMPs, and training.
Prepare equipment, materials, and work areas for production; review schedules, instructions, and specifications; and verify equipment and material readiness before startup.
Complete equipment and product changeovers, including loading materials, adjusting settings, and preparing equipment for the next production run.
Monitor equipment, production flow, processing conditions, materials, and products; perform required inspections, checks, and sampling; and make authorized adjustments to meet specifications.
Identify and report product deviations, quality concerns, delays, material shortages, abnormal conditions, and equipment problems to Production leadership, FSQA, or Maintenance as appropriate.
Maintain material identification and traceability, and handle potentially nonconforming materials according to established procedures.
Troubleshoot routine equipment and processing problems within training and authorization; perform approved minor adjustments, basic repairs, routine care, and maintenance-related tasks.
Assist Maintenance with inspections, troubleshooting, repairs, and post-maintenance testing or verification as appropriate.
Clean, disassemble, inspect, and reassemble assigned equipment; perform required cleaning and sanitation during production, changeovers, and scheduled sanitation; and check equipment and work areas for cleanliness before restarting.
Follow approved cleaning methods and chemical-handling procedures, and maintain clean, organized, and sanitary work areas.
Complete production records, process logs, quality checks, sanitation records, and other required documentation accurately and on time; record settings, material usage, downtime, and production activity.
Use designated production systems and computer applications to enter or review operating information and follow work orders and documentation procedures.
Communicate production status, equipment conditions, and outstanding issues during shift handoffs; work with operators, supervisors, Maintenance, and FSQA to support production flow.
Participate in meetings, shift handoffs, training, troubleshooting discussions, and continuous improvement activities; identify opportunities to improve safety, reliability, sanitation, quality, and efficiency.
Follow company safety policies, machine-guarding and Lockout/Tagout requirements, food safety and sanitation procedures, and required PPE practices; report hazards, near misses, injuries, and other safety or food-safety concerns.
Perform other assigned production tasks and related duties as operational needs require.