Why join us?
At Southern Fresh, located just 10 minutes out of Hamilton in Tamahere, we’re passionate about growing and delivering top-quality salads, herbs, and baby vegetables. As a proud family-owned New Zealand business, we value teamwork, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.
Our operations are always evolving, and we’re looking for skilled problem-solvers like you to help us operate and optimise our salad processing machinery.
About the role
We’re looking for enthusiastic and motivated Machine Operators to join our salad processing and washing team.
You’ll be responsible for operating production machinery efficiently, maintaining high standards of quality and safety, and supporting continuous improvement within the high-care area.
This is a full-time afternoon shift, working Monday to Friday, 2pm – 11:30pm. There may be occasional days where overtime is required to meet production demands.
Key responsibilities
- Operate salad washing and vertical form-fill-seal packaging machines
- Monitor bagging operations to ensure maximum efficiency
- Set up machines correctly, including changing packaging and settings as needed
- Troubleshoot basic machine issues and breakdowns
- Enter production data into the ERP system (Dynamics)
- Complete daily machinery checks and quality inspections
- Ensure product quality, weights, sealing, and labelling meet specifications
About you
- Previous experience in food manufacturing or machine operation preferred
- Basic understanding of food safety and hygiene requirements
- Strong problem-solving and communication skills
- Good English literacy and computer skills
- Attention to detail and a mechanical mindset
- Comfortable working in a cold environment (3–5°C)
What’s in it for you?
- Competitive wages
- Ongoing training and support
- Staff benefits and rewards
- Proudly New Zealand owned and operated
