Operator 2 - Dries (Eckard)

Job Title: Operator 2 - Dries

Shift: Nights

Site: Mars Petcare (Fort Smith, AR)

Mars Petcare is seeking a Operator 2 - Dries to join our exciting pet food business at a Fort Smith, AR manufacturing plant. We focus on the unique needs of cats and dogs. Our obsession with detail allows us to deliver precise, effective nutrition and help them become their magnificent best.

As part of our overall total compensation package, Mars Petcare offers a competitive benefits package to all associates: Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance, Short- & Long-Term Disability, and 401k match. Associates are also immediately eligible (based on hire date) for up to three weeks of vacation, 12 Paid Holidays per year, Sick Pay, Maternity & Parental Leave, and annual bonus earning potential, plus many other ancillary benefits not listed here.

Operator 2 - Dries is responsible for the following activities:

• To have the correct dry ingredients in the proper amounts in the proper storage locations available for use when called for by other areas of the factory.
• Operate the loading, unloading and transferring systems related to the dry ingredients bins.
• Perform preventative maintenance on all equipment in the area.
• Troubleshoot equipment and computer software problems.
• Keep area cleanliness at an acceptable level for both sanitation and safety reasons.
• Perform inventory transactions in a correct and timely manner to ensure accurate inventory counts and levels.
• Help ensure that new associates in the area receive proper skills and safety training.
• Perform Quality Audits as required.
• Able to complete all tasks in the area assigned by the manager abiding by the Mars Safety and Quality Practices.
• Can perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.
• Must be able to adapt to temperature and environmental extremes such as hot and cold, dust, dirt and chemicals.
• Every associate at Mars has responsibility for the achievement of quality and food safety.

Mission Critical Competencies:

• Attention to detail.
• Ability to train and delegate duties to temporary associates.
• Completely competent in operating a forklift.
• Being able to read and accurately interpret product schedules.
• Able to lift and use 150-200, 50 pound bags of ingredients per day.
• Able to correctly manage area inventory (counting, ordering, and unloading of 2-6 trailers of dry ingredients).
• Able to unload trucks of HAEC by vacuum hose to the silo.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Accountable for day-to-day running of extruder in line with global standards & monitoring regimes
• Accountable for the performance of several machines, processes, or pieces of equipment – by following good hygiene practices & manufacturing practices. 
• Monitor all activities on all production lines, immediately reporting downtime to Supervisor, Maintenance or Quality Assurance when downtime cannot be corrected by the operator.
• Facilitate good communication and planning with other leads and operators to ensure that changeovers are done timely and effectively, optimization of production lines, quality checks are being performed, schedules are achieved with little downtime, waste is reduced or managed effectively.
• Escalate issues as appropriate, give full and accurate verbal and written handover 

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Interested candidates must meet all qualifications to be considered for this position.

About Mars, Incorporated 

Mars is a family-owned business with over a century of history, making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals, Blue Pearl®, VCA® and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire its more than 100,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.