Quality Technician - Beverage Lines AM and PM Shifts ($18.00-23.00/hourly)

Come grow your career with Berner Food & Beverage...the EMPLOYER Choice! Experience and Work in our quality department, and became an expert in analyzing the products we produce.

Great opportunity with the EMPLOYER of Choice! Come experience and work on our state-of-the-art automation. Flexible schedule and great benefits! Great pay!

Berner Food & Beverage, headquartered in Dakota, Illinois, is recognized as an employer of choice in the food and beverage manufacturing industry, offering a dynamic, team-oriented environment where employee development and career success are core values. The company is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and innovative workplace, making it an attractive destination for skilled maintenance professionals.

State-of-the-Art Automation

Berner operates a state-of-the-art, SQF Level III-certified facility, featuring advanced automation and manufacturing technologies. Their 290,000-square-foot plant expansion has tripled production space and introduced cutting-edge equipment, supporting a wide range of shelf-stable beverages, dips, sauces, and aerosol cheese products. This modern infrastructure ensures that Maintenance Technicians work with the latest systems and play a key role in keeping operations running smoothly.

Great Benefits and Flexible Work Schedule

Employees at Berner enjoy a competitive wage and a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, dental coverage, and a 401(k) plan. The company values work-life balance, offering flexible work schedules that accommodate different shifts and personal needs, making it easier for technicians to manage their professional and personal commitments.

Industry Recognition

This Year (2025), Berner Food & Beverage was a finalist in the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association’s “Coolest Thing Made in Illinois” tournament, highlighting the company’s innovation and leadership in the industry for its Aerosol Cheese Products. This recognition underscores Berner’s reputation for producing high-quality, in-demand products and its commitment to manufacturing excellence

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following (Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs).

• Quality checks are done in the Quality lab according to work instructions on each form of quality checks.
• Food quality checks i.e. ph, moisture & salt
• Viscosities (using the Boswick meter) for all processes requiring viscosities.
• Color variations using the NCI chart and the Colorimeter.
• Appearance/Flavor/Aroma/Body/Texture/Mouthfeel
• When the line is running, there needs to be a seamer check, which consists of using a CCTV Monitor (small x-ray) and checking for Height, Body Hook, Overlap, Coverhook, and tightness. They are also required to check the countersink
• Drain weights according to the process's requirements
• ATC testing on equipment prior to a production run
• Responsible for Food safety
• Floor Quality Checks
• Verify that the production Paperwork/Charts are being filled out correctly
• Communicating with the Production Supervisor(s)/Production Staff if a problem has arisen...example- GMP, Procedures, and Policy are not being met fully
• Checking label/case code/sticker and pallet pattern to the master file and production sheet per customer request
• Overall package appearance(inside/out) before Warehouse picks up the order
• Weighing in-process product during run time
• X-ray and Tap tone monitoring
• Checking Pressure/vacuum gauges according to the process's requirements
• Using a ruler to measure headspace/pull-up and security checks according to the process's requirements
• Ordering the Gold standard (control) per schedule (per revisions)
• When a product is non-conforming, the Quality Technician(s) are responsible for putting the product on hold and generating an NCP. Once NCP is generated, Quality Technician(s) are responsible for placing hold tags on a product, locking the product up if a red placard, and making sure it is placed into QC status in the Ross System.
• Inspecting/pre-op the cleanliness of the Production equipment and the overall area.

Requirements

• Must be able to lift up to fifty pounds regularly and repetitively
• Must have the ability to read a production schedule/assignment
• Must have the ability to communicate effectively with the Supervisors
• Must have a solid understanding of basic math
• Must be able to stand for 90% of your shift.
• Must be able to read, write, and comprehend English

Working Conditions• Indoors• Walking on wet and slippery floors• Standing/Walking up to 90% of shift.

Pay Range: $18.00-23.00(based on experience); For the PM shift, there is a $1.00 Shift Differential for this position.

Benefits Offered: Medical, Vision, Dental, Flex Spending, Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment; Short and Long Term Disability, EAP, and 401k.

Berner Food & Beverage Hourly employees are eligible for health benefits on the 1st of the month after 60 days of employment.

Berner Food & Beverage Hourly employees are eligible to participate in the 401K plan after 30 days of employment.

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. An employee may perform other related duties as needed to meet Berner Food & Beverage’s ongoing needs.

• Candidates must possess strong computer and math skills
• The candidate must be able to handle highly demands and different situations that may occur.
• At a minimum, on-the-job training should last approximately 3 weeks and could cover all shifts.
• High School diploma/or GED required, will accept experience in lieu of.
• Fluency in written and verbal English is a fundamental requirement for this position