Production Superintendent

Production Superintendent - USDA Steak Processing Facility

Job Summary
The Production Superintendent oversees all daily operations within a USDA-regulated steak processing facility, ensuring safe, efficient, and fully compliant production across raw beef fabrication, portion cutting, trimming, packaging, and cold-chain handling. This role provides leadership to production supervisors and frontline teams, maintains strong alignment with USDA inspectors, and drives continuous improvement in yield, quality, and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Direct and oversee all steak production operations, including receiving, carcass/primals breakdown, trimming, portion cutting, grinding (if applicable), packaging, and shipping.
• Monitor production flows, workforce allocation, and equipment performance to ensure output meets yield, quality, and schedule targets.
• Partner with planning and procurement to ensure correct inventory, accurate cut-plan execution, and optimal product utilization.

USDA & Food Safety Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with USDA regulations, facility HACCP plans, GMPs, SSOPs, and all company food safety procedures.
• Interface daily with USDA FSIS inspectors; respond quickly and professionally to non-compliance findings (NRs) and verify corrective/preventive actions.
• Oversee accurate documentation of CCPs, pre-op/post-op sanitation records, temperature logs, and production traceability records.

Quality Assurance & Product Standards

• Maintain strict adherence to customer specifications for steak quality, trim levels, weights, and appearance.
• Work closely with QA on audits, specification reviews, and corrective actions.
• Continuously monitor product quality and identify opportunities to reduce defects and improve consistency.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and mentor Production Supervisors, Line Leads, and hourly team members across assigned shifts.
• Hire, train, coach, and develop staff to improve skills, performance, and accountability.
• Build a positive, safety-first culture that encourages communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Safety, Sanitation & Compliance

• Enforce all safety policies and ensure a safe working environment in cold-temperature beef processing rooms.
• Lead root-cause investigations for safety incidents or near-misses and implement corrective actions.
• Verify sanitation readiness of processing areas, tools, and equipment before production starts.

Continuous Improvement & Performance Management

• Identify opportunities to improve yields, minimize trim loss, and enhance labor efficiency.
• Support the implementation of lean manufacturing and standardized work practices.
• Analyze daily production data, downtime reports, yields, and KPI trends to drive improved results.

Qualifications

Required

• 3+ years of supervisory or superintendent experience in a USDA-regulated beef/steak processing facility.
• Deep understanding of beef fabrication, portioning, primal/subprimal handling, and yield optimization.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, and USDA/FSIS regulatory requirements.
• Proven leadership experience managing production supervisors and large frontline teams.
• Ability to work in cold-environment processing areas for extended periods.

Preferred

• Experience with high-volume case-ready steak programs or custom portion-cut operations.
• Background in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.
• Associate or Bachelor's degree in Operations, Food Science, Meat Science, or related field.

Work Environment

• Cold-chain beef processing environment (typically 32-45°F).
• Standing, walking, lifting, and supervising production activities for extended periods.
• May require flexible hours, including early mornings, late nights, or weekends based on production needs.

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