Oven Operator - Full-time

Business Unit Overview

Michael Foods, Inc. is a leader in the food processing and distribution industry with business in egg products, refrigerated grocery and potato products. We offer exciting job possibilities throughout our organization where you can enhance your career, sharpen your talents and make an impact. Join our company and be part of an innovative team that's First in Food.

Location Description

Michael Foods, Inc. located in Lenox, Iowa and often called the "Pearl of the Prairie" is where you can find small town living, focused on family and friends, with big city amenities not far from reach in Des Moines, Omaha, and Kansas City. Located in southwest Iowa, Taylor county, with a population of around 1400, the Lenox area reaches far beyond the city limits with beautiful and productive fields of corn, beans, and other croplands. Lenox holds an amazing four day Rodeo every July and is home to a beautiful 36-9 hole golf course, several fishing and boating lakes, great area hunting, a beautiful city park with swimming pool, and many picnic parks. The MFI location in Lenox produces primarily pre-cooked egg patties. With its friendly atmosphere, safe environment, and progressive spirit, Lenox is a great place to live, work, play, and raise a family.

Responsibilities

#firstinpeople

2nd Shift

SUMMARY:

This position exhibits the ability to safely operate any of the mold or belt ovens in the Pre-Cooked Dept., producing egg patties, omelets and French toast, to equally high standards of efficiency as set forth by the department. Thorough knowledge of all products; product specifications, cook procedures, pre-heat systems, and basic mechanical and technical knowledge of the ovens are required. This person needs to understand the use and controls of steam, oven temperatures, and dampers to produce product of the highest standard and document all parameter checks as prescribed (product temperature, weight, size, color, oven conditions, spiral conditions), on a timely basis.

This position has the responsibility to comply with Safety work rules at all times as well as an obligation to reinforce Safety as a Core Value. Ensures that all policies, procedures and activities, related to Food Safety & Quality, are followed and complied with uniformly, in an effort to reduce product and process variability.

Qualifications

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Ability to start production run of oven, achieve and maintain desired production levels on molded ovens.
2. Know how and when to set or adjust pre-heat temperatures, oven temperatures, and flow rates on molded ovens.
3. Know how to set fill parameters of hi-bar pumps and injectors and adjust as needed on molded ovens.
4. Replace O-rings and gaskets on pumps, change out fouled injector tips as needed, change pumps as needed.
5. Understanding of product recognition- need to develop knowledge of different products run on the oven and the specifications of those products, and when adjustments need to be made (for size, weight, color, and shape or "cupping") and take corrective action as needed.
6. Understand use of steam in the cooking process and use of dampers for air control within the oven and how to adjust if needed.
7. Documentation - keep thorough and accurate record of production data as outlined on Operators check sheets and do Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) documentation.
8. Know and understand the basic operation of spiral freezers.
9. Work with Lead Person to learn corrective actions appropriate to oven and/or product.
10. Knowledge of transfers from oven to spiral, belt placement and speed adjustments.
11. Ability to communicate with Lead and/or Supervisor issues and concerns pertaining to operations.
12. Remove and document waste/shrink, and assist in the general good housekeeping of the area as needed.
13. Understand the responsibilities of line workers assigned to molded ovens, monitor their performance and make corrections if necessary.
14. Work as a team member.
15. Expected to adhere to safe work practices, follow GMP and HACCP guidelines, maintain sanitary conditions and ensure that product quality is maintained. Report to management any conditions or practices that may adversely affect food safety, food quality or personnel safety.
16. Performs other duties as assigned.
17. Ensures regulatory compliance at all times.

EDUCATION AND EXPEREINCE REQUIRED:

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

Less than high school education.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, REGISTRATIONS:

Examples of licenses, certificates, and registrations required:

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Specific skills and abilities required that are not included in other sections:

1. Basic mechanical skills – use of allen wrenches, screwdrivers, and other general tools.
2. Basic computer skills in order to work Programmable Logic Controls (PLC's) of ovens and spirals.
3. Work well under pressure (i.e., during power outages, spiral or belt stoppage, or oven failure, etc.).
4. Ability to travel stairs.
5. Know and practice Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's) and Safety procedures as outlined by the company
6. Wear the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the area (Bump Cap, Hearing Protection, Steel-toed Safety Shoes, etc.)
7. Show proficiency to perform and operate all ovens, belt or mold, within 1 year.
8. Ability to operate specific equipment or tools

Michael Foods provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, status as a covered veteran and any other category protected under applicable federal, state, provincial and local laws.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)