Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jelly Filler

🎯 Role Definition

The Jelly Filler is a skilled production operator responsible for safe, sanitary, and efficient operation of jelly/jam filling equipment and associated packaging lines. The role focuses on accurate portioning and filling, maintaining product quality and food safety standards (GMP/HACCP), executing changeovers, performing routine cleaning and minor mechanical adjustments, and maintaining production records. The ideal candidate blends mechanical aptitude, food safety awareness, and strong communication to meet daily production targets while minimizing waste.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Associate / Line Worker (food or beverage)
General Manufacturing Operator
Sanitation Technician or Warehouse Associate

Advancement To:

Senior Filling Machine Operator
Line Lead / Shift Lead
Packaging Supervisor
Maintenance Technician (with additional technical training)

Lateral Moves:

Quality Assurance Technician
Sanitation / CIP Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Operate and monitor rotary, piston, volumetric, or positive displacement jelly/jam filling machines to ensure consistent fill volumes, accurate portioning and minimal product giveaway while meeting daily production targets.
Set up and prepare filling lines for production runs, including installation of nozzles, hoses, product feeds, pumps and other tooling required for specific jar, pouch, or can formats.
Execute complete SKU changeovers: drain and purge product, swap filling heads and change parts, reprogram line settings, and validate fill accuracy and product presentation before resuming full production.
Perform pre-start and in-process quality checks (weight checks, visual inspection for air bubbles, set/viscosity assessment, seal integrity and jar alignment) and record results in production batch records and logs.
Maintain strict adherence to GMP, HACCP, allergen control programs and site-specific food safety procedures during all stages of filling and packaging.
Conduct CIP (Cleaning in Place) and sanitation of filling equipment, product lines, and tooling according to validated cleaning schedules and standard operating procedures to prevent cross-contamination and ensure regulatory compliance.
Accurately complete lot traceability and batch documentation, including fill volumes, product codes, shift production summaries, corrective actions and deviation reports.
Troubleshoot routine mechanical issues (leaks, pressure drops, misfeeds, nozzle blockages) and perform basic adjustments to pumps, valves and conveyors to minimize downtime.
Escalate complex mechanical, electrical or PLC faults to maintenance and collaborate closely to restore production quickly, participating in post-repair verification testing.
Monitor and adjust machine parameters (fill speed, pump stroke, nozzle timing, air pressure) to maintain target weights and acceptable tolerances for jam/jelly viscosity variations.
Verify correct labeling, date/lot coding, lid application and seal integrity after filling and coordinate corrective actions for off-spec or mislabeled product.
Manage line supply of jars, lids, labels and packaging materials; communicate shortages and assist with material staging to prevent production delays.
Maintain a clean, safe work area and follow lockout/tagout (LOTO) and other safety procedures when performing maintenance or cleaning tasks.
Participate in in-process sensory checks and sample extractions for QA testing (pH, Brix, viscosity, microbiological sampling) as directed by quality assurance.
Reduce product waste and overfill by fine-tuning machines and documenting adjustments; implement continuous improvement suggestions to improve fill consistency and throughput.
Train and mentor new operators on machine operation, cleanup, changeovers, food safety, and company SOPs to ensure consistent team performance.
Support first-line troubleshooting and perform root cause documentation for recurring issues, contributing to corrective action plans.
Ensure finished goods are properly labeled, palletized and staged per FIFO and warehouse instructions, assisting with pallet wrapping and basic staging tasks as necessary.
Participate in safety and quality meetings, providing operator perspective and input to drive improvements in line performance and compliance.
Conduct routine checks and simple preventative maintenance (lubrication, fastener checks, hose/clamp replacement) and report parts that require replacement to maintenance planners.
Follow allergen segregation protocols and document cleaning and verification steps during transitions between allergen and non-allergen batches.
Maintain consistent communication with upstream and downstream operators, QA, maintenance and supervisors to coordinate smooth line flow and timely problem resolution.

Secondary Functions

Assist continuous improvement and Kaizen projects aimed at reducing changeover time, improving fill accuracy and reducing waste across the packaging line.
Support internal and external audits by providing accurate production records, participating in line walks and demonstrating adherence to SOPs and GMP/HACCP controls.
Conduct basic inventory counts of spare parts and consumables used on the filling line and report low-stock items to supervisors.
Help implement new product trials and assist R&D and QA with setup, sample runs and objective evaluation of process parameters.
Participate in cross-training to cover bottling, capping, labeling and case-packing roles as needed to maintain flexible production coverage.
Contribute to safety incident investigations by providing factual recounting of events and helping implement operator-level corrective actions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proven operation experience with jelly/jam filling equipment (e.g., piston, volumetric, vacuum, or positive displacement fillers).
Strong knowledge of GMP and HACCP requirements specific to food processing and packaging.
Experience performing CIP procedures and working knowledge of sanitation best practices for food lines.
Ability to perform line changeovers: disassembly/reassembly of fill heads, timing adjustments and verification of settings.
Basic mechanical aptitude: pumps, valves, seals, pneumatics and conveyor troubleshooting.
Familiarity with LOTO procedures and safe machine isolation techniques.
Experience with in-process quality measurements: weight/volume checks, viscosity/ consistency assessments, and visual inspection criteria.
Basic PLC or HMI familiarity (reading and navigating screens, inputting setpoints) and ability to follow operator-level diagnostics.
Competent in accurate production record keeping, lot traceability and batch documentation.
Knowledge of labeling, date/lot coding equipment and basic packaging integrity checks.
Basic math skills for weight and yield calculations and understanding of tolerance limits.
Ability to perform basic preventative maintenance tasks (lubrication, fastener checks, simple part replacement).
Understanding of allergen control and segregation practices in food production environments.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail with a commitment to product quality and food safety.
Excellent communication and teamwork skills—able to coordinate with QA, maintenance and supervisors.
Problem-solving ability and calm decision-making under pressure to minimize line downtime.
Time-management and organizational skills to meet scheduled runs and production targets.
Flexibility and adaptability to work different shifts, overtime and cross-train on multiple line functions.
Reliability and strong work ethic—consistent attendance and punctuality are essential.
Willingness to learn, accept feedback and contribute to continuous improvement efforts.
Positive attitude and customer-focused mindset when representing production standards.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED.

Preferred Education:

Technical certificate or associate degree in Food Science, Mechanical Technology, or Manufacturing Technology.
Food safety certifications (e.g., ServSafe, HACCP training) or on-site certification preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Food Science or Food Technology
Mechanical or Industrial Maintenance Technology
Manufacturing / Production Technology
Packaging Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

0–3 years in food manufacturing or packaging for entry-level roles.
1–5 years preferred for roles requiring independent setup, changeovers and troubleshooting.

Preferred:

1–3 years specifically operating filling machines or packaging lines in jam, jelly, sauces or similar viscous product environments.
Prior experience with HACCP/GMP environments, CIP procedures and basic mechanical troubleshooting.