Food Production Machine Operator Jobs in California

Job Title: Food Production Machine Operator –Swing Shift

Job Description

This role operates and monitors bakery production and packaging equipment in a fast-paced food manufacturing facility producing baked goods such as donuts, pastries, and muffins. You ensure that all products meet specified weights, settings, packaging, speeds, labels, and ingredient requirements while maintaining strict safety, GMP, and quality standards. You work closely with production teams and supervisors to keep lines running efficiently, troubleshoot minor mechanical issues, and uphold a clean, organized, and compliant work area across night and swing shift operations.

Responsibilities

• Operate, monitor, and adjust bakery production and packaging equipment, including mixers, conveyors, fillers, ovens, and packaging machinery.
• Set up machines according to production orders, including calibration, changeovers, and configuration of speeds, weights, and packaging parameters.
• Follow all safety, GMP, food safety, and quality policies and procedures at all times.
• Ensure product specifications are consistently met, including weights, labeling, packaging accuracy, and ingredient usage.
• Perform routine quality checks on in-process and finished products, documenting results in production logs and batch documentation.
• Monitor production lines to identify issues that may affect product quality, efficiency, or safety and take prompt corrective action.
• Troubleshoot minor machine issues and escalate major mechanical or operational concerns to maintenance or supervision.
• Assist with material handling, including staging ingredients, loading materials, and supporting batching or blending processes.
• Support filling, packaging, and line support activities to maintain continuous product flow and meet daily output goals.
• Complete required production documentation accurately, including logs, batch records, and equipment checklists.
• Follow FIFO and other inventory handling practices to ensure proper rotation and usage of ingredients and packaging materials.
• Perform routine safety checks on equipment and work areas and actively promote a safe work environment.
• Maintain clean, organized, and sanitary work areas during and after production runs in accordance with GMP and sanitation standards.
• Participate in preventative maintenance procedures as directed, including basic inspections and cleaning of equipment.
• Assist with machine changeovers between products, ensuring proper cleaning, setup, and verification before restart.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors, HR, and team members to address production challenges, clarify expectations, and coordinate tasks.
• Participate in cross-training to learn multiple machines and production processes and provide support across different lines as needed.
• Adhere to all PPE requirements and facility rules, including dress code and hygiene standards on the production floor.
• Engage in the interview and onboarding process by attending phone screens, onsite interviews, and facility walkthroughs as scheduled.

Essential Skills

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Minimum 6 months to 1 year of production or manufacturing experience preferred.
• Experience operating machinery in a production or manufacturing environment.
• Basic mechanical aptitude and the ability to troubleshoot minor equipment issues.
• Ability to read and follow SOPs, production orders, and product specifications.
• Familiarity with GMP, food safety, or sanitation practices (preferred).
• Strong attention to detail and a consistent focus on product quality.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively in a team environment.
• Comfort performing repetitive tasks such as bending, stooping, and reaching.
• Ability to stand for 8 to 12 hours per shift and lift, push, and pull up to 50 pounds consistently.
• Comfort working in varying temperature conditions, including hot, loud, and cooler areas.
• Ability to adhere to strict PPE, hygiene, and compliance requirements in a regulated environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Previous experience in food manufacturing, bakery, or beverage production environments.
• Experience working in production environments involving chemicals, batching, or blending processes.
• Familiarity with food safety standards such as GMP and HACCP, as well as sanitation protocols.
• Experience operating or assisting with production equipment such as mixers, ovens, fillers, conveyor systems, and packaging equipment.
• Exposure to high-volume, fast-paced production settings with strict quality and safety standards.
• Experience with material handling, batching, or ingredient preparation in a manufacturing environment.
• Basic understanding of preventative maintenance procedures, machine setup, changeovers, and calibration.
• Experience working with production logs, batch documentation, and quality assurance processes.
• Knowledge of FIFO practices and disciplined inventory handling.
• Comfort working under strict PPE requirements, including hairnets, gloves, non-slip footwear, and hard hats.
• Strong teamwork, communication, and reliability in a production setting.
• Willingness to cross-train and learn multiple production processes and machines.

Why Work Here?

You join a stable, long-term employer that invests in retention, training, and career growth. The company offers a competitive benefits package, consistent scheduling with available overtime, and clear pathways to advance into higher-level operator roles. You work in a team-oriented environment that prioritizes safety, quality, and collaboration while gaining hands-on manufacturing experience in a well-structured food production setting.

Work Environment

This role is based in a fast-paced food manufacturing facility producing baked goods such as donuts, pastries, and muffins. You work on production lines with continuous machine operation and collaborate closely with teammates to meet daily output goals. The production floor is often hot and loud due to ovens and machinery, with strong bakery-related odors, and some areas may include cooler or refrigerated environments depending on the process. You must follow strict GMP and food safety standards and wear appropriate PPE, including hairnets, gloves, non-slip footwear, and a hard hat at all times. The facility emphasizes cleanliness and sanitation, requiring you to maintain an organized, hygienic workspace throughout each shift while working swing hours and standing for extended periods.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Sacramento, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $21.00 - $21.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Sacramento,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 26, 2026.

About Aerotek

Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 200 offices across North America, supporting more than 18,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in workforce and business solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.

Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meet their goals, skills, and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role in solving companies’ construction, manufacturing, and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are-everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.