Kettle Operator

US-OR-Portland

Job ID: 2026-9361
Type: Regular Full-Time
# of Openings: 1
Portland Plant

Overview

Ajinomoto Foods North America is a leading frozen foods company, committed to providing nutritious and delicious meals globally. With a rich history of diverse ethnic brands, our brands have become household favorites all across America. We are dedicated to contributing to a healthier lifestyle through nutritious and balanced Umami foods. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, all our products are cooked with our customers in mind, providing healthy and delicious meals for all.

We are currently looking to add a Kettle Operator to our AFNA Prep team. In this position you can expect to prepare and cook raw foods, oils, and sauces using a standard recipe that ensures consistent quality across all of our products. The Kettle Cook will follow all company policies with regards to Safety, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Food Safety and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards.

Schedule: Monday - Friday with occassional Saturdays. Starting at 6:00am. 8-9 hour shifts.

Starting pay is $20.00/hr

If you choose to work with us, you will be an integral part of a team with a rich and diverse culture that learns, grows, and succeeds together. You will also have access to some amazing benefits such as:

• Medical, Dental, Vision insurance on DAY ONE
• Company paid STD, LTD, and Life Insurance on DAY ONE
• 80 hours of vacation and 40 hours of sick time per fiscal year
• 401(k) Retirement Savings plan that includes company’s matching contributions up to 4.5%
• Wellness reimbursement towards gym membership and/or exercise equipment
• Referral bonuses totaling $750 when an employee refers someone to work with our company
• Quarterly sales of product to employees

Responsibilities

• Proper setup and breakdown of the cooking equipment at the beginning and end of the shift to ensure safe and efficient working order.
• Ability to consistently follow recipes accurately and without any deviations. Scale ingredients according to recipes with accurate math skills.
• Add ingredients/product into the machine, regularly lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Complete production paperwork and food safety HACCP checks and documentation in English.
• Responsible for inspecting and recognizing defective product and notifying leads/supervisors when making appropriate adjustments.
• Maintain Production and Quality reports in an accurate and timely manner.
• Takes ownership of assigned cooking equipment.
• Actively engages with other members of the company to continuously strive to improve processes, create efficiencies and reduce costs.
• Perform safe operation of various machinery during normal operation and/or during troubleshooting.
• Understands and adheres to the Company Allergen Management Policy and other company policies pertaining to the Kettle Operations.
• Assist with other sections of the department as needed.

Qualifications

• Must be able to:
  • lift up to 50 lbs consistently throughout the shift
  • stay focused on the task at hand
  • work around high cooking temperatures
  • follow written and verbal instructions accurately
• Previous cooking or batch making experience is a plus
• Food manufacturing experience a plus
• Lean or Kaizen or 5S knowledge a plus
• #INDPOR