Location: Northbrook, Illinois
Base Pay: $26.00 per hour
Shift Premium: Additional $1.00 per hour
Total Pay: $27.00 per hour
Employment Type: Full-Time | Onsite
Position Summary
We are seeking a reliable and safety-focused Spray Dry Operator to manufacture high-quality spray-dried flavor and ingredient products in accordance with customer specifications, production requirements, and food-safety standards.
This position is responsible for preparing liquid emulsions, operating industrial spray dryers, monitoring drying conditions, sifting finished powder, packaging completed products, and thoroughly cleaning production equipment. The operator must accurately follow batch cards, maintain complete production records, and comply with GMP, HACCP, allergen-control, SSOP, kosher, and workplace-safety requirements.
The ideal candidate has experience in spray drying, batch manufacturing, compounding, blending, food processing, chemical processing, or production-equipment operation.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesBatch and Emulsion Preparation
- Review production schedules, batch cards, formulas, and manufacturing instructions.
- Retrieve liquid and dry raw materials from designated inventory locations.
- Verify ingredient identification, lot numbers, quantities, expiration dates, and material status.
- Accurately weigh and measure raw materials according to approved formulas.
- Prepare emulsions by adding ingredients in the correct sequence.
- Operate tanks, mixers, agitators, pumps, valves, and material-transfer equipment.
- Monitor mixing times, temperatures, consistency, and other required batch conditions.
- Collect samples and submit them to Quality Control for testing and approval.
- Make authorized adjustments according to documented instructions and quality results.
- Maintain complete ingredient and product traceability throughout the process.
Spray-Drying Operations
- Set up and operate industrial spray dryers, scrubbers, sifters, and related processing equipment.
- Transfer approved emulsions into the spray-drying system.
- Monitor inlet and outlet temperatures, feed rates, pressure, airflow, and other operating parameters.
- Make routine adjustments to maintain product quality and production efficiency.
- Observe equipment for unusual noise, vibration, leaks, buildup, blockages, or operational concerns.
- Inspect spray-dried powder for color, texture, moisture, particle size, and other quality characteristics.
- Identify and report deviations, out-of-specification conditions, or equipment problems.
- Troubleshoot minor operating issues and notify Maintenance or management when repairs are required.
- Minimize product loss, downtime, and waste while meeting production expectations.
- Perform kosherization procedures when required.
Packaging Responsibilities
- Operate sifters and related powder-processing equipment.
- Fill finished powder into bags, boxes, drums, or other approved containers.
- Accurately weigh each container according to product and customer specifications.
- Apply correct labels, product codes, lot numbers, dates, and identification information.
- Seal, inspect, palletize, wrap, and prepare completed products for storage or shipment.
- Inspect packaging for damage, contamination, incorrect labeling, or improper seals.
- Maintain lot control and product traceability throughout packaging and palletizing.
Cleaning and Sanitation
- Clean and sanitize spray dryers, tanks, mixers, scrubbers, sifters, pumps, hoses, utensils, and production areas.
- Disassemble and reassemble designated equipment according to established procedures.
- Follow lockout/tagout requirements before cleaning, inspecting, or servicing equipment.
- Remove powder buildup, product residue, allergens, and other possible contaminants.
- Follow established sanitation schedules, chemical concentrations, and cleaning procedures.
- Complete sanitation records and equipment-release documentation accurately.
- Maintain a clean, organized, sanitary, and audit-ready work area.
- Follow allergen-changeover and cross-contamination-prevention requirements.
Documentation and Safety
- Complete batch records, production logs, downtime reports, waste records, quality checks, and sanitation documentation.
- Record ingredient lot numbers, processing information, packaging quantities, and finished-product details.
- Operate forklifts and other material-handling equipment safely.
- Follow GMP, HACCP, SSOP, allergen-control, kosher, food-safety, OSHA, and personal protective equipment requirements.
- Report injuries, unsafe conditions, spills, equipment damage, and product-quality concerns immediately.
- Serve as backup for other trained Spray Dry Operators when required.
- Perform additional manufacturing responsibilities as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- Previous manufacturing, machine-operation, batch-making, compounding, blending, or food-production experience.
- Mechanical aptitude and ability to operate industrial processing equipment.
- Ability to read and follow formulas, batch cards, work orders, production schedules, and procedures.
- Basic math skills involving weights, measurements, decimals, percentages, and conversions.
- Ability to accurately weigh ingredients and completed products.
- Ability to complete production and sanitation records accurately.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to safety and product quality.
- Ability to troubleshoot basic equipment and processing issues.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a production team.
- Dependable attendance and punctuality.
- Ability to work overtime, weekends, or flexible hours when required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous spray-drying experience.
- Experience preparing emulsions or liquid batches.
- Experience in food, flavor, beverage, dairy, chemical, pharmaceutical, or ingredient manufacturing.
- Experience operating industrial dryers, scrubbers, sifters, mixers, tanks, pumps, or powder-processing equipment.
- Forklift certification or previous forklift experience.
- Familiarity with kosherization procedures.
- Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, SSOP, allergen-control, sanitation, and food-safety requirements.
- Experience with lockout/tagout and industrial equipment disassembly.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
- Ability to bend, kneel, reach, climb, push, pull, and perform repetitive movements.
- Ability to lift and move ingredients, containers, hoses, tools, and production supplies as required.
- Ability to safely climb stairs and work from elevated production platforms.
- Ability to work around heat, steam, airborne powders, strong aromas, production noise, and moving machinery.
- Ability to work in areas that may be wet or subject to changing temperatures.
- Ability to wear all required personal protective equipment, which may include safety glasses, gloves, safety shoes, hearing protection, protective clothing, and respiratory protection.
Pay: $25.00 - $27.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
