Cottage Cheese Maker

Job Title: Cottage Cheese Maker 

Company: Westby Cooperative Creamery 

Location: Westby, WI

Description: The Cottage Cheese Maker is to set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of cottage cheese. With a thorough understanding and knowledge of the cottage cheese-making process, they must ensure the manufacturing of a high quality, consistent, uniform curd cottage cheese, while meeting safety, quality, and production standards to ensure customer satisfaction, throughput, and total cost.

Responsibilities:
1. Reviews daily production sheets as production is completed and keeps production on time schedule.
2. Makes sure all equipment is cleaned and sanitized prior to use, and cleans equipment as needed, which includes daily cleaning of valves in ice water line and valves in dressings, the cleaning of other cookers, vats, pumps, and pipes and periodically check equipment for cracks or leaks that could lead to contamination.
3. Makes cottage cheese according to Westby Cooperative Creamery and General Standard Operating Procedures.
4. Responsible for adding all ingredients to the vats at the proper times.
5. Responsible for monitoring agitation, temperature, and pH during the manufacturing process.
6. Tests water for chlorine and citric acid levels and monitors throughout the manufacturing process
7. Responsible for pulling quality check samples and providing them to the lab for testing.
8. Monitors chemical strength for the hot tank and pulls pH samples as needed.
9. Flushes water filters in the basement and start up citric acid pump and chlorine water.
10. Sets up hand wash stations, fill sanitizer pails, and parts tank
11. Pumps whey off of cheese vats when cooking is completed and clean whey pump when finished pumping off whey.
12. Ability to finalize and aid in the packaging of dry curd and cottage cheese.
13. Ability to cream vats and dress vats.
14. Ability to operate equipment such as paddles, cutting knives, travers, dressing tanks, COP tank, and curd drain.
15. Reports to the supervisor when ingredients and supplies need reorder.
16. Provides guidance and direction to the cleaning crew as needed.
17. Cross-trains Assistant Cottage Cheese Maker to perform Cottage Cheese Maker position responsibilities.
18. Performs other duties as assigned. 

Experience, Skills and Abilities: 

1. High school diploma or general equivalency education.
2. Requires less than 12 months of related work experience.
3. Wisconsin Cheese Makers license preferred, but not required.
4. Ability to continuously handle and lift heavy objects and materials and engage in manual/strenuous duties.
5. Provide work leadership and direction for employees.
6. Occasionally use independent judgment to complete work assignments, and choose from limited alternatives to resolve problems.
7. Focus on Safety, Quality, and Productivity and ability to read, understand and follow SOP’s and GMP’s is required.
8. Ability to communicate effectively with internal customers and work in a team or independently with a positive attitude is required.
9. The ability to adapt, multitask, and remain organized is required.
10. Dependability, flexibility, energy, and efficiency is required.

Hours/Employment Type: Full Time 

Salary/Wages: $24-32 per hour 

How to Apply: Visit our online posting

Questions? Please contact Ellen Olson at eolson@westbycreamery.com or (608) 634-3181