Job Title: General OperatorJob DescriptionThe General Operator plays a key role in seed production operations throughout the year, supporting harvest, drying, conditioning, packaging, warehousing, and box washing activities. This position works in a safe, fast-paced environment and follows standard operating procedures and work instructions to maintain high levels of safety, quality, and efficiency. The role is highly seasonal, with duties shifting across spring, summer, fall, and winter to ensure seed crops are inspected, processed, packaged, stored, and shipped to customers on time.Responsibilities
- Follow standard operating procedures and work instructions to perform daily tasks safely and maintain seed quality across all assigned activities.
- Support seasonal production needs by performing a variety of tasks that change throughout the year, including crop inspection, seed inventory management, harvesting, packaging, cleaning, and shipping.
- Perform year-round 5S cleaning and housekeeping, including cleaning work areas, painting, and general plant upkeep to maintain a safe and organized facility.
- SeptemberOctober: Receive and process trucks hauling crop from the field, including weighing, unloading, and ensuring carriers are safely unloaded with the correct seed variety.
- Collect samples using a truck probe and verify that quality soybeans are unloaded, entering accurate information on scale tickets and in the computer system.
- Complete harvest activities such as husk and sort operations to prepare crop for further processing.
- Operate dryer equipment to dry crop within prescribed safety, quality, and financial requirements.
- Manage shelling and storage of crop from bins in the dryer facility to maintain proper inventory and product condition.
- Supply the conditioning department with a consistent flow of seed to support ongoing production requirements.
- Apply appropriate treatments to seed according to established procedures and quality standards.
- NovemberMarch: Label, tag, bag, and palletize seed to prepare it for storage and shipment.
- Enter inventory information into computer systems accurately to support tracking and reporting.
- Stage seed for shipment in the warehouse and ensure orders are prepared correctly for outbound delivery.
- Perform warehouse activities including operating a forklift to pick, pool, stage, receive, load, and unload carriers, trailers, and other product movements as required.
- Work closely with the Shipping and Scheduling team to follow standard operating procedures and maintain safety and quality in all warehouse operations.
- Assist dock personnel with handling bags while picking orders and ensure proper use of personal protective equipment, safe movement of bags, and adherence to pedestrian walkways.
- Support cleaning and 5S duties throughout the warehouse to maintain a safe, efficient, and orderly work environment.
- Packaging: Assist the Packaging Operator and Team Lead with operating packaging equipment, machines, and tools that you are trained to use safely.
- Follow standard operating procedures for all packaging equipment and tools, and assist in tracking material inventory to support production planning.
- AprilAugust: Retag in-house seed as required to ensure accurate identification and traceability.
- Re-bag backhaul returned seed to meet quality and packaging standards.
- Inspect pro boxes to ensure they are free of debris, clean, and suitable for reuse.
- Wash pro boxes as necessary to maintain cleanliness and quality standards.
- Box Wash: Assist the Box Wash Operator and Team Lead with box wash equipment operations, inspection processes, repair processes, and associated tools you are trained to operate.
- Follow standard operating procedures for box wash equipment, machines, and tools, and assist with audits of clean boxes and tracking metrics for the box wash area.
- Perform physical tasks such as standing or sitting for extended periods, operating forklifts, repetitive motion activities, and repetitive lifting up to 60 pounds.
- Work both indoors and outdoors in varying warm and cold weather conditions, including walking on uneven surfaces.
- Maintain reliable attendance, arrive on time with dependable transportation, and be prepared to work long hours and rotational shifts, including overtime as needed.
- Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with supervisors, team leads, and coworkers to coordinate tasks and ensure smooth operations.
- Demonstrate enthusiasm, a positive attitude, honesty, and respect toward all colleagues while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
- Perform various other duties as assigned by supervisors and team leads to support overall plant and warehouse operations.
Essential Skills
- Ability to safely perform all assigned duties in a timely manner while maintaining seed quality and adhering to standard operating procedures.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision as well as effectively within a team environment.
- Ability to adjust to changing conditions, seasonal workloads, and shifting priorities while anticipating operational needs.
- Ability to make independent decisions within the scope of assigned responsibilities to keep operations running smoothly.
- Reliable and dependable work habits with exceptional attendance and punctuality.
- Ability to successfully pass pre screening and other pre-employment screenings as required.
- Reliable transportation to the work site and the ability to arrive at the location as instructed.
- Strong work ethic with enthusiasm, a good attitude, honesty, and a willingness to treat all coworkers with respect.
- Ability to work long hours and rotational shifts, including overtime when required to meet production demands.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills to follow instructions, document work, and coordinate with team members.
- Physical ability to lift, push, and pull up to 60 pounds on a regular basis.
- Ability to work indoors and outdoors, including exposure to warm and cold weather conditions, and to walk on uneven surfaces.
- Ability to stand and sit for extended periods and perform repetitive motion tasks in a production and warehouse environment.
- Experience working on a production line or in a similar manufacturing or warehouse setting.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Familiarity with seed production, agricultural operations, or related industrial environments.
- Experience with forklift operation and safe material handling in a warehouse setting.
- Comfort using computer systems to enter inventory data and maintain accurate records.
- Understanding of 5S principles and experience contributing to organized, clean, and efficient work areas.
- Ability to follow detailed work instructions and standard operating procedures for equipment, tools, and safety protocols.
- Willingness to learn new tasks across harvesting, drying, conditioning, packaging, warehousing, and box washing functions.
- Strong attention to detail when labeling, tagging, bagging, and palletizing seed to ensure accuracy and traceability.
Why Work Here?You join a mission-driven organization focused on helping farmers feed the world while protecting the planet, giving your work a meaningful impact beyond the facility walls. The environment emphasizes safety, quality, and teamwork, offering the chance to collaborate with great people in a fast-paced setting where every day brings variety. You gain broad, hands-on experience across multiple areas of production, warehousing, and equipment operation, supporting long-term skill development and career growth. The culture values reliability, respect, and a positive attitude, creating a workplace where your contributions are recognized and where you can take pride in supporting customers worldwide.Work EnvironmentThis role is based in a production and warehouse facility that operates Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with the expectation of long hours and rotational shifts, including overtime, during peak seasons. You work in both indoor and outdoor areas and may be exposed to warm and cold weather conditions, as well as uneven walking surfaces. The environment is fast-paced, safety-focused, and structured around standard operating procedures and 5S principles to maintain cleanliness and organization. You regularly perform physical tasks such as standing or sitting for extended periods, repetitive motion activities, and lifting, pushing, or pulling up to 60 pounds. You use a variety of equipment, including forklifts, dryers, packaging machines, box wash equipment, and computer systems for inventory entry and tracking. The dress code requires steel-toe, over-the-ankle work boots, long pants made of durable material (jeans preferred), and shirts with sleeves that cover the shoulders with no loose clothing. The company provides hi-visibility hard hats, general-purpose gloves, hi-visibility safety vests, and safety eyewear to support a safe and compliant work environment. Job Type & LocationThis is a Contract position based out of Woodhull, IL. Pay and BenefitsThe pay range for this position is $18.00 - $18.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:
Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Job Type & LocationThis is a Contract position based out of Woodhull, IL. Application DeadlineThis position is anticipated to close on Nov 19, 2026. Workplace TypeThis is a fully onsite position in Woodhull,IL.
About Aerotek
Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 200 offices across North America, supporting more than 18,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in workforce and business solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.
Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.
