Farm Operator-DOTH

Summary

The Farm Operator is responsible for overall farm care and the unloading of rail cars into the Plant. This position reports directly to the Farm Supervisor. The operator may also take directions from the Farm Superintendent, Production Manager, Maintenance Manager, EHS Manager, or Plant Manager. The Farm Operator is responsible for the day-to-day tasks on and around the Farm as well as complying with all safety policies.

Shift

This role is typically a standard 1st shift position. The operator must be able to maintain a consistent work schedule and be available to work extended hours if needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain a safe work environment for yourself and your team.
• Keep up to date with company safety and food safety policies.
• Irrigate based on direction from the Farm Supervisor and in direct compliance with ADEM.
• Hook up, steam, and unload molasses from railcars to outside bulk tanks.
• Perform routine maintenance on pivots such as but not limited to changing nozzles, hoses, repairing leaks, changing motors, and changing tires.
• Maintain farm logs and records.
• Maintain ideal field conditions with duties such as bushhogging and rut-filling.
• Keep grass areas outside of the irrigation fields maintained.
• Supervise maintenance performed by outside contractors.
• Collect stormwater samples on a semi-annual basis.
• Perform minor maintenance on small engines such as lawnmowers.
• Contribute to LEAN and Continuous Improvement Projects.
• Assist in other projects as deemed by the Farm Superintendent, EHS Manager, Maintenance Manager, or Plant Manager.

Education and/or Experience

• High School Diploma required

• 2 to 3 years’ experience as a Farm Operator/Farm Hand or in similar position preferred.
• Maintenance experience is preferred.
• Must be able to operate heavy equipment
• MS Word/Excel proficiency preferred.

Travel Requirements

• None

Competencies

All Employees

• Open minded
  • Show curiosity and openness
    • Listen actively to different ideas and points of view
    • Adopt a positive attitude to change
    • Show empathy (put him/herself in others’ shoes)
    • Open to diversity
    • Accept and ask for feedback
  • Act as an innovation – change agent
    • Come up with creative ideas to improve situations (processes, systems, services, products…)
    • Experiment different and new ways of working
    • Challenge the status quo with a mindset of continuous improvement
    • Innovate while remaining constantly attentive to customers’ needs
    • Learn from failures and treat them as Learning, Growing, and Improving moments
  • Accountable
    • Show proactivity
      • Implement necessary actions and changes without delay
      • Take ownership
      • Come up with solutions instead of problems
    • Concentrate on priorities
      • Differentiate between essential and trivial matters
      • Accept support from others, ask for it when needed, escalate when required
      • Concentrate on his/her direct perimeter
      • Consider team and group priorities in decision
    • Achiever
      • Strive for results and performance
        • Focus on deliverables/expected results
        • Back up statements with facts and figures
        • Do what has been committed to
        • Go the extra mile
        • Deliver results while remaining customer centric
      • Show professionalism and perseverance
        • Work efficiently
        • Remain focused on objectives
        • Show resilience when facing obstacles
        • Act honestly and ethically
      • Team player
        • Promote cooperation, collaboration, and team spirit
          • Support others
          • Remain available even under pressure
          • Share information and best practices
          • Learn from others
          • Open to work with other departments
          • Encourage others to do their best
          • Put Team’s interest before own interest

Other Skills:

Reasoning Ability

Possess the ability to apply practical understanding to execute instructions provided in written, oral, or diagrammatic form.  Capable of resolving operational issues by applying established procedures to real world situations.

Physical Demands

The physical requirements described here are essential for successfully perform the core duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to fulfill these duties. This role regularly involves sitting, using hands to manipulate, handle, or feel objects, as well as communicating verbally or listening. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms, as well as stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The position requires specific vision capabilities, including close and distance vision.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; extreme cold; and extreme heat.  The employee is frequently exposed to outside weather conditions and risk of electrical shock.  The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.