Machine Operator Jobs in Kinston, NC (NOW HIRING)

Mt. Olive Pickle Company is seeking six qualified skilled and motivated Capping Machine Operator's to join our team. The Capping Machine Operator is responsible for operating and monitoring capping equipment to ensure bottles or containers are sealed correctly and consistently. This role includes setting up the machine, performing routine adjustments, inspecting product quality, and troubleshooting minor mechanical issues. The operator maintains a clean, safe work area and supports smooth production flow by ensuring equipment runs efficiently and meets all quality and safety standards.

Work Schedule: Monday - Saturday (during peak season), 5:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. **schedule may vary based on the needs of the department

Summary

Operates controls for the feeding line, brine pump, brine conveyor, capper conveyor, and jar washer conveyor. Is eligible to begin training towards Machine Operator/Mechanic status.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions

Sets up, troubleshoots, repairs, replaces, and operates qualified equipment in the Capping and Pasteurizing Department. Performance criteria includes safety, production, quality, housekeeping, 5S, training and teamwork.

Sets up, adjusts and helps repair all equipment in capping area, including the conveyors, tilt briner, cappers, and dud detection equipment. Assists in rebuilding parts to the capper, including the capper tracks, roller brackets, pulleys, and sealing shoe assembly.

Manually lifts and carries boxes of caps from designated area to appropriate line. Lifts boxes overhead and dumps caps into cap hopper. Important to keep caps in hopper at all times but do not overfill. Flattens cap boxes for disposal.

Visually and physically monitors capping quality on all lines. Manually lifts and places catwalks and trash receptacles on lines prior to startup.

Adjusts brine flow and line speed as needed.

Monitors dud detector throughout shift and sends all ejected jars for rework.

Monitors to assure that all product adheres to food safety and quality critical limits. The machine operator/mechanic’s absence will be covered by another employee trained to monitor food safety and quality.

Performs daily and weekly operational and pre-operational checks on all equipment.

Keeps records of downtime and product checks.

Cleans and maintains assigned work area, including performing equipment PMs, checking oil levels,

greasing, 5S, etc.

Follows safety rules and company policies.

Other duties

Assists in training seasonal machine laborers.

Assists DIN personnel.

May occasionally drive forklift.

Occasionally works on other lines as needed.

Participates in training, employee meetings, committees, project teams, etc. as appropriate.

Receives written instructions from packing schedule or verbal instructions from supervisor on above tasks and performs other work as directed by supervisor.

Benefits:

401(k)

401(k) matching

Profit Sharing

Dental Insurance

Employee Discount

Flexible spending account

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

Paid Time-Off

Referral Program

Vision Insurance

Mt. Olive Pickle Co., Inc. is an Affirmative Action / Equal Employment Opportunity Employer including Veterans and Disabilities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

High school or equivalency needed. Additional trades training a strong plus. Must successfully complete company training module for two pieces of qualified equipment. Ability to speak, read and write English required. Required math skills include addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Intermediate level computer skills needed. CRC (Bronze level or higher) a plus.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None

Machines, Equipment, Tools Used

Capper, Conveyors, Syrup and Brine pump, Tilt brines, Variable Speed Motor, Dud Detector, hand tools such as Pliers, Wrenches, Screwdriver, Hammer, Files, Drills, Air Buffer, Grinder, Tap Gun.

Physical Demands

Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at waist. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerate degree and requires full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.

Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.

Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.

Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.

Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.

Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady forces in order to thrust forward, downward, or outward.

Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul, or tug objects in a sustained motion.

Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a high position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires the substantial use of the upper extremities and back muscles.

Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.

Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.

Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.

Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make fine discriminations in sound.

Medium Work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform and activity such as: operates machines such as lathes, drill presses, power saws and mills where the seeing job is at or within arm’s reach; performs mechanical or skilled trade tasks of a non-repetitive nature such as carpenters, technicians, service people, plumbers, painters, mechanics, etc.

Work Environment

Works inside, subject to some seasonal temperature variation and wetting from some job tasks. Some contact with grease and yellow food coloring. Fumes from hot pepper. Ear plugs required due to irritating machine noise. Head cover and beard cover required. Safety glasses required when using power tools, hammer, chisels, punches, etc.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the position. All employees may have other duties assigned at any time.