Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jam Bottler

🎯 Role Definition

The Jam Bottler is a hands-on food production professional responsible for operating, monitoring, and maintaining jam bottling and packaging lines to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant production of refrigerated and shelf-stable fruit preserves. This role combines technical operation of filling and capping equipment, strict adherence to food safety programs (HACCP/GMP), quality assurance testing (Brix, pH, viscosity), and routine sanitation/CIP to meet production targets while minimizing waste and maintaining traceability from raw fruit to finished jar.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Operative / Food Production Assistant
Packaging Operator / Line Packer
Sanitation or Cleaning Technician

Advancement To:

Bottling Line Lead / Senior Bottling Operator
Production Supervisor / Shift Supervisor
Quality Technician or HACCP Coordinator
Maintenance Technician (mechanical / electrical specialism)

Lateral Moves:

Packaging Technician / Palletising Operator
Sanitation Lead / CIP Operator
Inventory or Warehouse Coordinator (ingredients & packaging)
Production Planner or Materials Handler

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Operate and monitor jam bottling lines and associated equipment (filler, conveyor, capping, lid applicator, labeling machine, and inspection systems) to achieve daily production targets while maintaining safety and quality standards.
Set up line changeovers for different jam SKUs, including adjusting nozzles, fill volumes, conveyor speeds, and tooling; execute fast and accurate changeovers to minimize downtime and maximize OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness).
Perform start-up, shut-down, and end-of-shift line procedures following SOPs to ensure hygienic and safe production; verify product traceability codes, batch numbers, and production labels before release.
Conduct in-line quality checks including visual inspection for presence of fruit pieces, fill level accuracy, lid torque/seal integrity, seal vacuum testing, label alignment, and jar cleanliness; remove and quarantine non-conforming product.
Measure and record product quality parameters such as Brix (refractometer), pH, temperature, viscosity, and particle distribution per QA sampling schedule; escalate deviations to Quality Assurance and Line Supervisor immediately.
Execute routine CIP (Clean-In-Place) and sanitation activities on fillers, piping, and tanks while following HACCP and GMP protocols; accurately document cleaning cycles, chemical usage, and validation checks.
Follow allergen control procedures and segregation practices to prevent cross-contact; ensure accurate labeling and documentation for allergen declarations and batch traceability.
Maintain accurate production records, including batch sheets, weight checks, downtime logs, corrective action notes, and waste/scrap reports for compliance and continuous improvement initiatives.
Troubleshoot common mechanical and electrical issues on the bottling line—such as jammed conveyors, inconsistent fills, sensor misreads, and labeling faults—and perform basic adjustments, component replacement, or escalate to maintenance as needed.
Perform routine preventative maintenance tasks (lubrication, belt tensioning, simple bearings and seal checks) and accurately report equipment faults to the maintenance team for timely repairs to prevent repeated line stoppages.
Coordinate with upstream cooking/receiving teams to verify correct viscosities and fruit inclusion levels; ensure the supply of correct jars, lids, and labels matches production run specifications to avoid SKU errors.
Ensure correct set-up and operation of filler dosers (piston, rotary, or gravity fillers) and adjust fill timing and volume settings to maintain consistent jar weights and reduce giveaway.
Conduct end-of-line packaging activities including flow-wrapping, case packing, shrink-wrapping, cartoning and palletizing; verify case counts, apply pallet labels, and secure loads to shipping standards.
Participate in daily pre-shift briefings and post-shift handovers to communicate production plan, known issues, safety incidents, and quality observations to the next shift.
Support internal audits and external third-party food safety audits by preparing documentation, guiding auditors around the line, and implementing corrective actions for non-conformances.
Enforce and model workplace health & safety practices, including lockout-tagout (LOTO), PPE usage, machine guarding, and ergonomic procedures when lifting jars, cases, and raw materials.
Train and mentor new operators on line operation, hygiene standards, SOPs, and safe equipment handling to build cross-functional line coverage and resilience.
Monitor inventory of packaging materials (jars, lids, labels, boxes) and submit re-order or shortage alerts to procurement to prevent production stoppages due to stockouts.
Implement continuous improvement recommendations on line efficiency, quality yield and waste reduction—document suggestions, trial changes, and collect data to support process adjustments.
Execute quality hold and product disposition protocols when non-conformances are detected; coordinate with QA to quarantine product, complete deviation reports, and perform corrective/preventative actions.
Maintain cleanliness and housekeeping around the production line, removing product residues, jam splashes, and slip hazards promptly to preserve sanitary conditions and reduce contamination risk.
Accurately complete and sign off on all production logs, quality checklists, sanitation records, and batch release documentation for regulatory compliance and traceability.

Secondary Functions

Support line-level inventory reconciliation and assist with packaging material counts and FIFO rotation during shift changes.
Assist Quality Assurance with targeted sampling plans, shelf-life testing coordination, and documentation required for customer specifications.
Participate in small-scale product trials and pilot runs for new recipes or packaging formats; provide operator feedback to R&D and engineering teams to optimize manufacturability.
Act as point of contact for cross-functional shift handovers to ensure continuous communication on product quality, equipment tags, and open corrective actions.
Contribute to routine safety and food safety training sessions and help update SOPs when incremental process improvements are adopted.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient operation of food bottling lines: rotary/piston fillers, cappers, labelers, conveyors and case packers common to jam and preserve production.
Strong understanding of food safety systems: HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, allergen management and traceability requirements.
Practical knowledge of CIP processes, chemical handling, and sanitation validation procedures for wet-fill and hot-fill operations.
Ability to perform food quality testing: measuring Brix (refractometer), pH testing, temperature monitoring, and basic viscosity checks.
Mechanical troubleshooting skills: identifying common faults on fillers, conveyors and labeling equipment and performing basic mechanical and electrical adjustments.
Familiarity with batch documentation and production record-keeping, including ability to use MES/ERP or production log templates for traceability.
Experience with common packaging materials and specifications: jar inspection, lid torque, seal testing, label integrity and case packing standards.
Basic forklift or pallet jack operation (preferred) and safe material handling for loading/unloading packaging and finished pallets.
Competence in performing changeovers, set-ups and calibration to achieve accurate fill volumes and consistent product quality.
Knowledge of OEE concepts and basic waste/scrap analysis to support production efficiency improvements.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail and observational skills for detecting subtle quality deviations on the bottling line.
Good verbal communication skills to relay quality and safety concerns during shift handovers and team meetings.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, temperature-controlled food production environment and adapt to shift work schedules.
Team-oriented mindset with willingness to train and support colleagues across production, QA, and maintenance.
Problem-solving attitude with initiative to identify root causes and suggest practical improvements at the line level.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance production targets with safety and quality checks.
Resilience and physical stamina for standing, lifting, and repetitive tasks associated with bottling and packaging operations.
Compliance-driven mindset focused on following SOPs, food safety rules, and audit readiness.
Customer-focused quality awareness to understand that consistent product quality protects brand reputation.
Continuous improvement orientation: willingness to participate in Kaizen events, 5S and other lean manufacturing activities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent (required)

Preferred Education:

Certificate or vocational training in Food Technology, Food Manufacturing, Mechanical Maintenance or similar
Forklift certification or approved material handling training

Relevant Fields of Study:

Food Science / Food Technology
Mechanical or Industrial Maintenance
Manufacturing Engineering or Process Technology
Hospitality / Culinary (relevant for sensory awareness)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years operating food production or bottling lines (entry-level operators with relevant internships or sanitation experience considered).

Preferred:

2+ years specifically on jam, preserve, or viscous product bottling lines with demonstrated competency in changeovers, CIP procedures, and QA sampling.
Experience working under HACCP/GMP regimes and participating in external food safety audits is strongly preferred.