Operator Lead
Employer
13920 County Road 1
Hoople, ND 58243
United States
Job description
H&S FreshPak operates as a potato washing, grading, and packaging facility that is active during the late summer and fall harvest season (August-September) and throughout the washing, grading, and packaging period (October-May). The Operator Lead performs and oversees a variety of duties essential to the operation, beginning with driving farm trucks, operating tractors, managing potato unloading equipment, and assisting with harvest activities. As potatoes move through the facility, the Operator Lead sets up equipment and supplies for daily production runs, ensures all products are properly tagged and tracked using the company traceability system, monitors and operates wash line and production equipment, guides products on conveyors, inspects, grades, sorts, and packages potatoes according to quality specifications, and conducts routine quality checks for defects, rot, bruising, and sizing. The Operator Lead packages potatoes into 50-pound bags and boxes, stacks products on pallets, and operates forklifts to move finished products from the production floor to coolers and to load railcars and trucks according to bills of lading. Responsibilities include maintaining and enforcing strict food safety, sanitation, and hygiene standards, performing clean-in-place procedures and end-of-shift cleanup, troubleshooting production issues, completing routine preventative maintenance such as greasing, bearing checks, and equipment inspections, and making necessary repairs to production equipment. The Operator Lead assists with training new employees on equipment operation, food safety requirements, and company standard operating procedures, while helping coordinate daily production activities to ensure efficiency and product quality. Throughout the year, the Operator Lead performs general maintenance of equipment, facilities, grounds, and landscaping, including repairing farm vehicles, implements, production equipment, and building structures. During the winter months (November-April), duties focus on equipment maintenance and repairs, while spring duties (April-June) include cleaning, servicing, and preparing equipment for the upcoming harvest season. The employer, at its sole discretion, may grant pay increases based on factors such as performance, longevity, and/or experience. Employer may also, at its sole discretion, offer performance-based incentive bonuses that are not guaranteed and are determined by the employer. Workers returning for a consecutive season will be paid at the previous season’s rate if that rate exceeds the current published rate.
Special Requirements
The position requires exposure to extreme outdoor temperatures, extensive pushing and pulling, extensive sitting and walking, frequent stooping and bending, and repetitive movements. Employees must be able to safely operate machinery, farm equipment, and forklifts, lift and carry up to 50 pounds, possess a valid regular driver's license, and have a minimum of three months of agricultural or farm experience in a lead position.