Hatchery Associate
The Hatchery Associate is responsible for supporting the daily operations of a poultry hatchery by ensuring a clean, safe, and efficient production environment while maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare, biosecurity, safety, and quality. This position performs a variety of production and sanitation duties, including egg transfer, hatch preparation, chick handling, equipment cleaning, and facility maintenance. The successful candidate must be dependable, safety-conscious, and capable of working in a fast-paced agricultural environment.
Job responsibilities include maintaining cleanliness and sanitation throughout the hatchery facility in accordance with company sanitation, biosecurity, and food safety standards. Duties also include cleaning and sanitizing hatchery equipment, transferring eggs from setter machines to hatchers, preparing newly hatched chicks for processing, handling day-old chicks carefully and humanely, assembling chick boxes, assisting with hatch pull operations, monitoring work areas for cleanliness and safety hazards, following all company policies, maintaining accurate production records, supporting inventory management, participating in routine preventive cleaning and maintenance activities, assisting with facility housekeeping, and working collaboratively with team members to meet daily production schedules and operational goals.
Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent preferred but not required.
- Previous agricultural, poultry, manufacturing, production, warehouse, or sanitation experience is preferred but not required.
- Ability to perform repetitive work while maintaining attention to detail and quality.
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision and as part of a team.
- Demonstrated reliability, strong work ethic, and consistent attendance.
- Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
- Must possess reliable transportation to and from work.
- Willingness to work flexible schedules, including weekends and holidays, based on business needs.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Commitment to animal welfare and humane handling practices.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain quality standards.
- Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced production environment.
- Ability to prioritize work and meet production deadlines.
- Basic understanding of workplace safety practices.
- Ability to communicate effectively with supervisors and team members.
- Willingness to learn company procedures and participate in ongoing training.
Physical Requirements
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
- Frequently stand and walk for extended periods throughout the workday.
- Frequently bend, stoop, squat, kneel, twist, and reach.
- Regularly lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds.
- Perform repetitive hand, wrist, and arm movements, including gripping, grasping, and twisting.
- Work with approved cleaning chemicals, detergents, and disinfectants while using required PPE.
- Work in environments that may be wet, damp, dusty, noisy, and have agricultural odors.
- Regularly interact with live poultry and hatchery materials.
- Work in varying temperature conditions, including both warm and cool environments.
- Routinely work up to six (6) days per week, including weekends and holidays, as production demands require.
Benefits
Aviagen provides a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our employees. Eligible employees may participate in medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Teladoc, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability benefits, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plan documents.
In addition, employees are eligible for:
- Company-paid holidays
- Paid Time Off (PTO) beginning at 14 days annually, prorated based on hire date
- 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match (where eligible)
- Training and career development opportunities
Work Authorization
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and must maintain authorization to work in the United States throughout their employment with Aviagen.