Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jelly Packer

🎯 Role Definition

The Jelly Packer is a frontline food production role responsible for operating packaging lines, filling and sealing jelly containers, maintaining strict food-safety and quality standards, and ensuring accurate labeling and traceability. This position focuses on speed and precision while adhering to GMP/HACCP, sanitation protocols, and continuous improvement practices in a high-volume confectionery or preserves production environment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Associate / Line Worker in food manufacturing
Packaging Assistant or Warehouse Packer
Seasonal Food Processing Worker with basic packaging experience

Advancement To:

Senior Packer / Line Lead
Packaging Technician / Machine Operator
Quality Control Inspector (Food Packaging)
Shift Supervisor or Production Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

Inventory Control Specialist
Sanitation Team Lead
Maintenance or EHS (Environmental Health & Safety) Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Operate semi-automatic and automatic filling, capping, and sealing equipment to accurately pack jelly products, consistently meeting predefined fill weights and minimizing giveaway while maintaining line throughput targets.
Set up packaging lines at shift start, including changeover of molds, nozzles, conveyors, and packaging formats to accommodate different jar sizes, pouches, and multi-packs with precise calibration.
Perform in-process weight checks and sampling at regular intervals, record results on batch logs, and take corrective action when weights or counts fall outside specification to maintain product compliance.
Monitor and adjust machine settings (speed, pressure, temperature) to solve jams, spills, or sealing issues, escalating to maintenance when mechanical faults are detected to reduce downtime.
Inspect finished packages for defects—mislabeling, improper seals, leaks, foreign material, or damaged containers—and remove nonconforming product from the line following reject procedures.
Verify and apply accurate labels, lot codes, expiration dates, and allergen declarations to each package, ensuring traceability and compliance with internal and regulatory labeling standards.
Conduct metal detector, checkweigher, and optical inspection checks per schedule, document results, and quarantine batches if contamination or foreign objects are detected.
Follow and contribute to HACCP, SSOP (Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures), and GMP processes, including temperature control, allergen segregation, and cross-contamination prevention.
Perform routine CIP (clean-in-place) and equipment washdowns according to sanitation schedules, including disassembly/reassembly of line components with appropriate lockout/tagout procedures.
Accurately complete production paperwork and electronic batch records, including start/end of shift logs, production counts, downtime entries, and corrective action notes to support traceability and audits.
Coordinate palletization, shrink-wrapping, and staging of finished goods for outbound shipping, verifying pallet labels, counts, and documentation meet shipping and inventory requirements.
Maintain inventory of packaging materials (jars, lids, labels, cartons) during shift, perform first-in-first-out (FIFO) rotation, and requisition replenishments to avoid line stoppages.
Execute allergen control measures during product changeovers (cleaning, segregated tooling, dedicated utensils) and document completion to ensure food safety and regulatory compliance.
Assist quality assurance teams with in-line sampling, moisture/viscosity checks, and microbial sampling when required, providing access and information to support product testing.
Participate in root-cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives to reduce waste, improve throughput, and enhance pack presentation and yield.
Train and mentor new packers on equipment operation, quality expectations, and safety protocols to build a reliable and compliant packaging team.
Enforce PPE usage, machine guarding, and standard EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) practices, reporting near-misses and unsafe conditions immediately to supervisors.
Support traceability and recall readiness by maintaining batch records, label logs, and material lot numbers, enabling quick and accurate responses to quality incidents.
Adjust packaging line to accommodate promotional SKUs, seasonal labels, or new pack formats while validating quality and meeting launch timelines.
Manage minor maintenance tasks such as replacing conveyor belts, tightening fasteners, and lubricating moving parts per maintenance checklists to help maintain line uptime.
Communicate production status, quality issues, and material shortages clearly during shift handovers to ensure continuity and minimize errors across teams.
Participate in scheduled training on food safety, allergen awareness, HACCP, GMP, and equipment-specific certifications to maintain competency and compliance.
Follow company procedures for waste disposal, recycling of packaging materials, and reduction of product giveaway to meet sustainability and cost-control objectives.

Secondary Functions

Support inventory cycle counts and assist warehouse teams with staging packaging materials and finished goods during peak production periods.
Provide feedback to process engineering and quality teams on recurring packaging defects and improvement opportunities.
Help compile shift metrics and KPIs (yield, uptime, rejects/unit) for production reports and daily stand-ups.
Assist in basic troubleshooting of PLC-controlled packaging machines under the guidance of maintenance staff.
Participate in cross-functional projects such as new SKU rollouts, line reconfigurations, and packaging trials.
Support emergency recall drills and mock audits by supplying documentation and procedural knowledge for the packaging stage.
Execute ad-hoc cleaning, sanitation, and organization tasks during downtime to maintain GMP-compliant facilities.
Aid procurement by reporting packaging material quality issues (print defects, lid fit) and suggesting alternative suppliers when appropriate.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Packaging line operation: filling machines (piston/volumetric), cappers, sealers, and conveyors with proven ability to meet cycle rates and fill accuracy.
Weight verification and checkweigher operation: performing in-line sample weighing and adjusting settings to maintain product weight tolerances.
Labeling and coding: applying and verifying pressure-sensitive labels, rotary labeling machines, and date/lot code printers.
Food safety systems: working knowledge of HACCP, GMP, SSOP, and allergen control procedures specific to confectionery/preserve lines.
Sanitation & clean-in-place (CIP): executing documented cleanings and disassembly/reassembly of equipment to sanitation standards.
Metal detection and foreign object control: operating inspection equipment and responding to rejects and hold procedures.
Basic mechanical aptitude: minor equipment adjustments, preventative maintenance tasks, and interpreting mechanical schematics or maintenance checklists.
Quality inspection: visual and dimensional checks, defect identification, and separating nonconforming product according to SOPs.
Traceability and record-keeping: accurate completion of batch records, lot tracking, and adherence to document control.
Safety and compliance: familiarity with OSHA or local workplace safety rules, PPE requirements, and lockout/tagout practices.
Inventory management basics: FIFO rotation, packaging materials monitoring, and communicating replenishment needs.
Familiarity with ERP/WMS or MES systems for logging production data and accessing work orders is a plus.

Soft Skills

Attention to detail with strong observational skills to catch labeling, sealing, or contamination issues before they escalate.
Teamwork and communication: clear shift handovers and ability to collaborate with QA, maintenance, and warehouse teams.
Problem-solving mindset: quickly diagnosing process issues and implementing temporary controls while escalating appropriately.
Time management and reliability: consistently meeting production targets while maintaining quality and safety standards.
Adaptability: comfortable with shift work, frequent changeovers, and seasonal SKU variations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent (required)

Preferred Education:

Certificate in Food Safety, HACCP, or packaging operations (preferred)
Technical diploma in food manufacturing, industrial maintenance, or related field (beneficial)

Relevant Fields of Study:

Food Science / Food Technology
Manufacturing Technology / Industrial Maintenance
Packaging Engineering fundamentals
Quality Assurance / Food Safety

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

0–3 years for entry-level packer roles; 1–5 years preferred for fully independent operation of packaging lines.

Preferred:

1+ years operating food packaging lines, experience with HACCP/GMP environments, and documented experience with labeling/traceability systems. Prior work in jelly, preserves, confectionery, sauces, or other viscous-product packaging is advantageous.