Processing Lead Operator at SUGAR FOODS LLC – Whiteland, Indiana

Processing Asset Owner (Processing Lead Operator)

Reports to: Plant Manager
Location: Whiteland, IN
Role Type: Full-time

About the Company

Sugar Foods LLC is a privately owned company with production facilities in Georgia, Massachusetts, California, Indiana, and Mexico. Our products are sold and distributed throughout the U.S. and Canada. Sugar Foods manufactures and packages croutons, tortilla chips, crispy toppings, as well as cheese-based toppings. Additionally, Sugar Foods packages a variety of items including sugar, sweeteners, powdered creamer, and dried fruits and nuts.

The Sugar Foods Way

At Sugar Foods, the Customer is King, and our team is our Family. The vision of Sugar Foods is for our products to be on every plate and in every cup. We continue to grow our business and adapt to changing business conditions to consistently provide value to our customers, our associates, and our community, by adhering to high standards of quality and safety and always acting in a respectful and responsible manner.

Position Summary

Join our team as the Processing Asset Owner, leading operations for food processing systems. You’ll oversee startups, shutdowns, and changeovers while ensuring top-tier quality, safety, and process standards. The Processing Asset Owner is responsible for the day-to-day ownership and performance of processing equipment and systems. This role blends hands-on operation with process ownership, documentation, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the owner of assigned processing equipment and systems
• Lead processing operations, startups, shutdowns, and changeovers
• Ensure adherence to quality, safety, and process standards
• Work with Maintenance Owners to resolve equipment issues
• Create/Maintain SOPs, process documentation, and training materials
• Support operator training and knowledge transfer
• Monitor performance and drive process improvements

Qualifications / Requirements

• 5+ years of processing or manufacturing operator experience
• Strong understanding of processing equipment and systems
  • Preferred experience with FAM cutting equipment, Heat and Control Fryers, Finnis vegetable processing (peeling/ coring), Ovens (Drytek, Aeroglide, IET, Casa Herrera), Seasoning Applicators (LIW, Spray Dynamic), Hapman Systems, RF ovens.
• Some administrative or documentation experience preferred
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with maintenance and quality teams

Career Path

Intended as a development role for future production supervision or operations leadership.

Sugar Foods Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of Sugar Foods Corporation is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.