Packaging Shift Mechanic

About U.S. Sugar

U.S. Sugar is a leading integrated sugarcane producer in the U.S., headquartered in Clewiston, Florida. The company cultivates over 200,000 acres across several counties and employs around 3,000 people, offering well-paying skilled jobs in automated settings. Annual sugarcane production ranges between 650,000 and 700,000 tons, contributing close to 8% of the country's sugar supply.

U.S. Sugar values its workforce highly, rewarding employees through ownership opportunities via an ESOP, competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and a safety-focused, growth-oriented work environment.

Position Summary

This role involves rotating shifts with mandatory overtime and recall on nights, weekends, and holidays. The employee will work independently or collaboratively to maintain high-speed automated packaging and process equipment, aiming to reduce downtime and ensure continuous operation.

Key Duties

• Adhere to company, local, state, and federal policies, particularly those related to safety and operations.
• Complete all required training, safety sessions, and certifications.
• Use computerized systems to schedule and perform preventative maintenance checks to identify risks, clean equipment, and maintain operational readiness.
• Inspect, troubleshoot, and repair packaging machinery such as labeling machines, palletizers, stretch wrappers, bagging machines, metal detectors, and related gear.
• Maintain safety tools and equipment relevant to the role.
• Independently plan and may supervise complex tasks based on experience and judgment.
• Operate lifting equipment following proper rigging protocols, including overhead cranes.
• Pass pulmonary function tests and operate touch-screen automated controls.
• Learn and apply Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP), including housekeeping standards.

Qualifications

• Must be Ramsay qualified and at least 18 years old.
• Proficiency in English for instruction comprehension and safe work communication.
• Successful completion of drug screening, background checks, and required training.
• Minimum 3 years of experience with pumps, conveyors, hydraulics, pneumatics, gearboxes, and equipment alignment or similar heavy industry maintenance experience.
• Basic computer skills with ability to interpret graphical process data.
• Strong work and disciplinary record; passing company tests for job-related skills and aptitudes.
• Good physical health to fulfill job duties, including manual handling and physical activities.
• Possession of basic mechanic's tools and knowledge of rigging (slings, chain-falls).
• Ability to use cutting torches and perform basic welding (tacking).

Working Environment

• Approximately 80% of work occurs indoors in controlled environments featuring noise, heights, dust, with PPE use including hard hats, goggles, hair/beard nets, ear plugs, and chemical suits.
• Physical efforts involve climbing, kneeling, crawling, bending, stooping, squatting, overhead reaching, and navigating uneven surfaces.
• Remaining 20% involves outdoor exposure to variable weather, lifting up to 75 lbs., handling chemicals, magnetic fields, pressurized steam, heavy machinery operation, and occasional confined space entry.
• Employees may need to wear respirators.

Equal Opportunity

U.S. Sugar provides equal employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other legally protected attributes across all employment activities.