Night Shift Production Hourly Job at Pilgrim's in Natchitoches

Overview

Live Hangers – Pilgrim’s is the second largest chicken producer in the world, with operations in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico and the U.K. Pilgrim’s processes, prepares, packages and delivers fresh, further-processed and value-added poultry products for sale to customers in more than 100 countries. Pilgrim’s employs more than 50,000 people and contracts with more than 5,200 family farmers. Pilgrim’s is headquartered in Greeley, Colorado, at the JBS USA corporate office. Safety is a condition at Pilgrim’s, meaning the safety of our team members comes first – always.

Purpose: The Live Hanger is responsible for firmly inserting both feet of the chicken into moving shackles using tools (including knives), manual labor, and equipment in accordance with USDA and Pilgrim’s Company product standards and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Live Hanger: place a live bird into every 6th shackle with both feet inserted firmly; the 6th hanger catches and rehangs any birds hung by only one leg while hanging their own shackle; the 1st hanger is responsible for moving the belt forward to bring in birds; process product according to operating procedures and quality/quantity expectations; observe equipment operation, notifying appropriate personnel of malfunctions and/or safety issues/concerns; observe all company personnel, quality, safety, and food safety policies; maintain a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating in a manner to work effectively and cooperatively with customers, clients, co-workers, and leadership teams; follow all company animal welfare guidelines; other duties as assigned to include rotation with other positions (Cage Dumper, Yard Jockey, Floor Relief Person, Backup Killer, Cage Loader, Picking Room Attendant) as described below.
• Cage Dumper: responsible for effectively dumping the proper amount of birds onto the belt in a manner that maintains a steady flow and prevents pileups; ensure cages are dumped in a well-balanced way so hangers do not run out of birds and cages are not over-dumped; bring in a full cage of birds via hydraulic lever; dump birds onto bolts in a well-balanced manner; transfer empty cages to be washed and reloaded onto the trailer.
• Yard Jockey: keeps trailers in proper rotation and birds in the shed so the department does not run out of chicken; keeps trailers loaded in unload area; backs empty trailers into the shed; assists with boom down when time permits; pre-inspects yard trucks.
• Floor Relief Person: keeps all dead birds off the floor around the operation and maintains a clean live hang area; serves as substitute to ensure all live hangers receive their breaks.
• Backup Killer: responsible for cutting the throat of any bird missed by the kill machine.
• Cage Loader: keeps full cages of live birds on the dumper system and loads empty cages onto the proper trailer; perform pre-shift inspections of loaders and report deficiencies; log inspections for the garage.
• Picking Room Attendant: provides the First Processing Eviscerations Department with a proper, clean bird (no feathers, head or feet) and performs general labor duties in First Processing Operations; adjust pickers and head pullers to meet quality expectations; monitor feet production to meet quality standards and yield goals; monitor scalder temperatures and adjust accordingly; write work orders for maintenance and perform maintenance duties as required; ensure a safe work area; provide input for changes in fingers, equipment, process in the picking room; keep area clean by picking up birds from the floor and placing them in proper containers.

Basic Qualifications

• Ability to comprehend simple instructions
• Ability to apply common sense
• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations
• Ability to work in cool temperatures (around 40 degrees in the winter) and hot temperatures (around 100 degrees in the summer)
• Ability to stand and use hands for 8-11 hours per day
• Ability to multitask and work quickly
• Must be a team player and willing to work close to other employees at some stations (less than 3 feet apart)
• Must have good communication skills
• Good hand and eye coordination

Preferred Qualifications

• High School diploma or G.E.D. preferred
• Food or production experience preferred

Work Environment

The work environment includes exposure to both office and production environments with wet and/or humid conditions and moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the production environment is usually loud.

Applicant must be able to: sit 100% of the time; use of both hands and ability to grasp; good eyesight (with or without corrective lenses); perform repetitive tasks; walk, stand, reach, bend, climb, push, pull, and stoop; lift up to 50 lbs.

EOE, including disability/vets.