Meat Processing Specialist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Role Summary:

The Sanitation Specialist is responsible for performing cleaning and sanitation activities throughout Carnivore Meat Company's manufacturing facility to ensure production equipment, processing areas, warehouse spaces, and facility infrastructure meet company sanitation standards and all applicable food safety and regulatory requirements. This role plays a critical part in maintaining a clean, safe, and compliant manufacturing environment that supports the production of high-quality pet food products.

The Sanitation Specialist works closely with the Sanitation Lead, Production, Maintenance, Food Safety & Quality Assurance (FSQA), and Operations teams to execute daily sanitation procedures while promoting workplace safety, food safety, and operational excellence. 

Role Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

•  Clean and sanitize production equipment, conveyors, processing lines, packaging equipment, utensils, and manufacturing work areas according to established sanitation procedures.
•  Perform cleaning of facility floors, drains, walls, ceilings, refrigeration units, warehouse areas, employee common areas, and facility infrastructure.
•  Follow Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), HACCP requirements, FSMA regulations, and company sanitation programs.
•  Safely prepare, mix, handle, and apply cleaning chemicals according to manufacturer specifications and company procedures.
•  Disassemble and reassemble production equipment as necessary to ensure thorough cleaning and sanitation.
•  Conduct visual inspections of equipment and production areas to verify cleanliness prior to production startup.
•  Assist with ATP testing, environmental monitoring, allergen cleaning verification, and other sanitation verification activities as directed.
•  Properly operate sanitation equipment including pressure washers, foamers, floor scrubbers, chemical dispensing systems, and other cleaning tools.
•  Remove waste materials and maintain clean, organized work areas throughout the facility.
•  Maintain sanitation logs, cleaning records, chemical usage documentation, and other required records accurately and completely.
•  Report equipment damage, maintenance concerns, sanitation deficiencies, or chemical issues to the Sanitation Lead.
•  Maintain sanitation supply inventories and notify leadership when supplies require replenishment.
•  Support internal audits, customer audits, regulatory inspections, and food safety initiatives.
•  Identify and immediately report food safety hazards, sanitation concerns, quality issues, or employee safety risks to the Sanitation Lead and FSQA personnel.
•  Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Education and Experience:

•  High school diploma or equivalent (Required).
•  Previous sanitation, janitorial, custodial, warehouse, manufacturing, or food production experience (Preferred).
•  Experience within food manufacturing, pet food manufacturing, meat processing, or regulated manufacturing environments (Preferred).
•  Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), sanitation procedures, and food safety principles (Preferred).
•  Experience operating industrial cleaning equipment and chemical dispensing systems (Preferred).
•  Forklift certification or willingness to obtain certification (Preferred).
•  HACCP Certification (Preferred).

Skills and Abilities:

A successful Sanitation Specialist will: 

•  Demonstrate a strong commitment to food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety.
•  Follow detailed sanitation procedures while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
•  Work efficiently and independently while contributing effectively as part of a team.
•  Safely operate sanitation equipment, pressure washers, foam systems, floor scrubbers, and cleaning tools.
•  Communicate effectively with Sanitation, Production, Maintenance, and FSQA personnel.
•  Maintain accurate sanitation records and documentation.
•  Demonstrate strong organizational and time management skills.
•  Adapt to changing production schedules and sanitation priorities.
•  Exercise professionalism, accountability, dependability, and integrity.
•  Support continuous improvement and operational excellence throughout sanitation operations.

Physical Requirements:

This position operates primarily within manufacturing, warehouse, processing, and refrigerated production environments. The office environment allows pets, and candidates must be comfortable working in a pet-friendly workplace. Employees regularly operate pressure washers, foamers, floor scrubbers, chemical dispensing systems, hoses, hand tools, and other sanitation equipment.

The position requires frequent standing, walking, climbing ladders and stairs, bending, kneeling, squatting, crawling, reaching, pushing, pulling, and repetitive movement throughout the workday. Employees routinely work in wet, humid, refrigerated, and high-moisture environments and are exposed to sanitation chemicals, food residues, manufacturing equipment, elevated work areas, and varying noise levels while wearing required personal protective equipment (PPE), including waterproof clothing, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, face shields, rubber boots, and other protective equipment as required.