Production Technician - Fruit by the Foot and Gushers

General Mills, Inc. manufactures some of the most beloved foods in the world, including Cheerios and Lucky Charms, Nature Valley granola bars, Totino's pizza rolls, and Yoplait yogurt. Blue Buffalo became part of General Mills in 2018, so even your pets love us too. Our Geneva, IL Plant is the newest addition to our North America plant network. To increase capacity and keep pace with the growing consumer demand for the products, General Mills is making a significant investment to expand capacity for our beloved Fruit brands (Gusher and Fruit by the Foot). We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best - bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one another and grow together.

Check out why General Mills Manufacturing is the place to grow a career:

Production Technician - Fruit by the Foot and Gushers - Geneva, IL

As a part of our manufacturing group, you will be responsible for supporting production packaging and processing operations, equipment ownership, sanitation and participation in startup, changeover, and shutdown of operating equipment.

Shift hours:

• We prioritize work life balance, health and wellness, and equal access to resources for development opportunities and advancement. Our Fruit system will have:
  • 12-hour shifts (rotating - see Shift Schedule below)
    • Day shift: 5:30 am to 6:00 pm
    • Night shift: 5:30 pm to 6:00 am
  • Shift Schedule
    • 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off rotating schedule
    • Each work block rotates from days to nights
  • Schedule Perks
    • 182 Scheduled Days Off Per Year
    • Every other weekend is a 3-day weekend
• Ability and willingness to work overtime, any shift, including days, nights, weekends, holidays and emergency events
• Plant operation is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Work Rotation Schedule Example:

Pay:

• $21.80 per hour starting rate
• Internal Advancement Opportunity Rates:
  • Technician I: $22.89 per hour
  • Technician II: $25.19 per hour
  • Technician III: $27.96 per hour
  • Technician IV: $31.32 per hour
  • Technician IV Level Completion: $35.26 per hour
  • Rates includes $1.00 per hour for rotation schedule differential

Benefits:

• 120 hours of vacation annually and 11 paid company holidays
• 48 hours paid sick and emergency time
• Great paid time off benefits
• 401(k) - includes company match, annual company contribution and more
• Health Insurance that includes medical, dental, vision and life
• AND much more!

About our Location:

Our Geneva General Mills facility is located on the western side of the Chicago, Illinois suburbs in Kane County. Geneva is our most recent North America plant network expansion, joining the GMI network in 2024 as they make Betty Crocker desserts and will soon start producing our iconic Gushers and Fruit snacks. Driven by being humble, hungry, and smart, the team is already making an impact and #StandingforGood in their local Chicago suburb community.

General Mills encourages growth for our employees. If you want to be part of a team that will learn and grow, develop leadership skills, drive results quickly, work within a safety-first mindset, and expand your technical capabilities, then GMI is a great place to start!

What your day will look like:

• Creating high quality foods that are eaten EVERYDAY, WORLDWIDE
• Using TECHNOLOGY in a newly built, industry-leading facility
• Working with HIGH-LEVEL operating teammates in a plant with a learning mindset culture
• CHALLENGING yourself to get the JOB DONE RIGHT and gain skills to take with you to your next opportunity
  • Demonstrate leadership behaviors that positively impact results/outcomes for the shift team
  • Equipment Ownership including operation, improvement, and maintenance of equipment
  • Own and manage DMS (Daily Management System) activities inside and outside of shift DDS (Daily Direction Setting)
  • Troubleshoot problems with machinery and partner with maintenance staff for support
  • Calibrate processing and packaging systems daily to meet required specifications
  • Participate in startup, changeover, and shut down of operating equipment
  • Participate in Continuous Improvement initiatives to increase platform performance
  • Skillset and leadership development opportunities with a pay for skills program to achieve higher pay levels by developing and acquiring new skills from an "Equipment Ownership", "Process Ownership" and Leadership" standpoint
  • Assist in training new employees

What you have to offer:

• Minimum of a high school diploma or GED
• Proficient in English
• Basic mechanical aptitude and ability to troubleshoot basic problems
• Ability to learn and build technical skill sets in electrical and/or mechanical
• Willing and able to use powered industrial equipment
• Experience in a manufacturing/production environment preferred

Physical requirements:

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs
• Must be able to perform physical tasks for extended periods of time including standing, walking, climbing, bending, pushing, pulling and twisting over surfaces
• Ability to climb and/or work at heights while utilizing stairs, ladders, personnel lifts, or platforms
• Ability to wear protective clothing and equipment such as safety shoes, face masks, safety glasses, hearing protection, a hard hat, a hair/beard net and gloves when required
• Willing and able to adhere to all grooming requirements necessary for a food manufacturing environment
• Ability to work in hot, cold, noisy, dusty, wet environmental working conditions
• Willing to work around industrial high-speed moving machinery
• Ability to work with allergens that might be present in a food environment

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best - bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one other and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what's next.