Swine Technician

Position Overview:
This role will also involve working on a modern day, state of the art farrow to wean sow farm. This position is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious individual who is looking to learn the ins and outs of the swine industry and gain practical knowledge. This position reports to the Farm Manager.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Learn and apply WFR core values and contribute to a positive culture.
• Ensuring all animals are receiving proper feed, water, and ventilation
• Complete and assist with daily laundry duties, including washing, drying, and folding clothes for farm.
• Complete basic cleaning duties for offices, shower rooms, bathrooms, and supply rooms to maintain a clean and organized work environment.
• Shipping and receiving animals
• Treating animals
• Heat checking and breeding sows and gilts via artificial insemination
• Assisting with the birthing process of sows and gilts including sleeving
• Caring for piglets and ensuring they are off to a good start
• Moving animals with a sort board
• Cleaning facilities including power-washing, disinfecting, scraping manure, picking up cleanings, and removing deceased animals
• Weaning piglets from their mothers and giving wean shots
• Processing piglets including castration, docking tails, tattooing, and giving injections
• Following the proper steps for timely euthanasia
• Pen management, culling, sorting
• Keeping detailed, accurate records that comply with integrator
• Collect and send blood, saliva, fecal, fluid, and tissue samples for testing as needed.
• Perform basic farm maintenance and repairs as needed and promptly report equipment, facility, or infrastructure issues that require additional assistance.
• Demonstrate accountability and dependability by arriving on time, completing assigned responsibilities thoroughly, and communicating promptly when tasks cannot be completed as expected.
• Work efficiently and prioritize daily responsibilities to ensure animal care, health, welfare, and production needs are met within established timelines.
• Complying with safety protocols, including proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safe operating procedures
• Remain flexible and willing to assist with changing farm needs, including rotating between production areas, cross-training in different responsibilities, covering shifts, and responding to urgent animal-care or facility needs outside the regular schedule when necessary.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding company information, animal health records, production information, biosecurity practices, and other proprietary or confidential information.
• Understand & follow WFR’s biosecurity protocol, must shower in and out of the facility
• Understand & follow WFR’s animal welfare policy
• Understand & follow WFR’s handbook and procedures
• Work cooperatively and respectfully with a diverse team of approximately 3-18 employees, contributing to a positive, professional, and team-oriented work environment.
• Maintain PQA+ certification

Reasonable Accommodations Statement: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties of the position.

Education and Experience

• No previous experience required. Must have willingness to learn.

Qualifications

•  Strong interest in work with animals with a desire to learn and self-develop
• Self-motivated team player with a positive attitude
• Strong prioritization and organizational skills
• Effectively communicate with team members

Physical Requirements

 The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation. 

• Frequently stand and walk and be on feet for extended periods, typically 8 to 10 hours a day and longer as production needs require, including on concrete, slatted flooring, and wet or uneven surfaces
• Frequently bend, stoop, reach, squat, and kneel to handle, treat, and process animals and to clean and service equipment
• Capable to do repeated actions, including sorting, injecting, processing, washing, and scraping
• Regularly lift, carry, push, or pull a minimum of 50 lbs., and occasionally more with assistance
• Frequently push, pull, and guide animals with a sort board, and safely work in close contact with sows, gilts, and piglets
• Occasionally climb stairs and ladders and work in confined or low-clearance areas within the barn
• Ability to comply with biosecurity requirements, including showering in and out of the facility and wearing required personal protective equipment
• Sufficient vision, hearing, and speech to observe animal condition, read records and labels, and communicate clearly in a noisy barn environment
• Ability to tolerate exposure to livestock, animal dander, dust, odors, cleaning chemicals, wet conditions, temperature extremes, and moderate to loud noise

Work Environment

• Schedule: Must work full-time, a minimum of 80 hours each pay period. Hours are set by the manager. Rotating weekends and holiday schedule are required. Additional hours may be available. Employees are expected to be punctual and reliable to hours set.
• Environment: indoors and outdoors, dusty environments, hog farm. Noise level is usually moderate to loud.
• Travel: Requirements are limited. May have to travel occasionally for meetings, supplies, etc.

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of duties or responsibilities. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.