Sorting Machine Operator at Food For Education

About the Role

• The Sorting Machine Operator is responsible for the safe, efficient, and quality-compliant operation of the grain cleaning, sorting, polishing and bagging line — including the air-screen cleaner, magnetic separator, de-stoner, gravity separator, vibration grader, polisher, and bagging/packing scale. The role ensures every bag leaving the line meets contracted quality specification (purity, weight, hygiene) while the line runs within its rated throughput band, with strict adherence to SOPs, GMP, food-safety, and daily quality-recording requirements.

Key Responsibilities
Pre-Start, Start-Up & Machine Operation

• Carry out daily pre-shift inspection of all line equipment (air-screen cleaner, magnetic separator, de-stoner, gravity separator, grader, polisher, bagging scale) for damage, leaks, blockages, or worn parts before start-up.
• Follow lock-out/tag-out (LOTO) procedure whenever clearing blockages or working with guards removed.
• Confirm machine calibration status (scale, sorter/camera baseline, screen sizes) and load the correct recipe/settings for the grain variety being run.
• Start and run the line in the approved sequence, and maintain in-feed rate within the specified band per deck/hour to hold target throughput.
• Monitor touch-screen and gauge data continuously (rejection %, temperature, ejector frequency, aspiration pressure, wind pressure, amplitude) and adjust settings within permitted step-limits to keep the process on target.
• Track production and sorting data (e.g. batches run, throughput, bags produced) on Norming (the Sage ERP extension) as required, in addition to machine-level monitoring.

Quality Control, Testing & Sampling

• Perform the scheduled machine-level quality checks at the specified bag-count intervals for each unit, for example:
• ◦     Magnetic separator: daily 10/10 metal-catch pass test before production; metal-trap fullness checks at set times.
  ◦     De-stoner: 5 kg stone-count check (target: zero) and grain-loss check every 100 bags.
  ◦     Gravity separator: 100 g damaged/broken-kernel count (target <5) every 50 bags.
  ◦     Polisher: hourly bran-extraction check against the 0.4–0.7% target, with weight-in/weight-out records.
  ◦     Bagging/packing scale: daily zero calibration and 20-bag interval weight and seal-integrity checks.
• Apply the square-root sampling method for lot-level quality testing: draw n = √N increments across the shift lot, composite and quarter the sample, and submit for moisture, foreign-matter, damaged-kernel and (where applicable) aflatoxin testing.
• Quarantine and escalate to the QA Manager within 15 minutes whenever a test result falls outside specification, and hold the last 2×n bags until corrective action is confirmed.
• Escalate any deviation from target purity, weight, or rejection rate promptly, and support root-cause discussion on recurring quality issues.

Hygiene, Housekeeping & Safety

• Keep the sorting room and surrounding floor clean and free of dust and spillage throughout the shift; vacuum rather than use compressed air inside the sorting room.
• Run the end-of-shift flush and clean-down procedure (screens, pans, ejector valves, rollers, filters) and complete the hygiene checklist, including swab-test points where applicable.
• Manage bran and other combustible residues safely, and sweep/dispose of them at every break.
• Wear and correctly use all required PPE (hearing protection, dust mask, lock-out devices) at all times in the sorting room.
• Follow the applicable SOP guidelines in place for each machine/unit and each task (start-up, in-process control, sampling, clean-down), and escalate to the Supervisor/QA Manager if instructions are unclear or need updating.

Records & Reporting

• Complete all daily quality and machine logs accurately and on time, covering pre-shift checks, in-process test results, stoppages/downtime, and end-of-shift summaries for each unit on the line.
• Ensure all applicable quality and machine forms are fully filled out for every sorting run carried out during the shift, and retained for record-keeping purposes.
• Track and record all sorting and quality-check activity on Norming (the Sage ERP extension) as required, and attach or log the completed forms on Norming so that records are centrally retained and accessible.
• Prepare data and flag areas needing discussion ahead of Performance Dialogues, and report performance on the criteria/metrics defined for the role.
• Proactively share observations and suggested improvements to work instructions with the Supervisor/QA Manager.

Teamwork & Collaboration

• Build good working relationships with fellow operators, shift QC clerks, and maintenance staff to keep the line running smoothly.
• Help colleagues understand and safely follow work instructions, and support handover between shifts with a clear briefing.
• Contribute your own observations and be open to feedback and to trying improved ways of working.

Qualifications and Skills

• Diploma or certificate in a relevant technical, food-science, or engineering field (or equivalent hands-on experience).
• Prior experience operating grain-processing, sorting, or packaging machinery is an added advantage.
• Working knowledge of, or willingness to be trained on, GMP, food-safety, and basic statistical sampling (square-root method).
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail, particularly in reading gauges, recording data, and following numeric tolerances.
• Ability to work under pressure, follow LOTO and PPE requirements, and maintain composure during line stoppages.
• Comfortable using touch-screen machine interfaces and completing structured paper or digital log sheets.
• Good communication skills and ability to escalate issues promptly and clearly.

Working Conditions

•  Grain-processing plant environment with moderate to high noise levels; hearing protection required.
•  Exposure to dust; dust mask required during bin-emptying and cleaning tasks.
•  Extended periods of standing, walking, bending, and occasional lifting.
•  Shift-based work, including weekends and early/late shifts as required by production schedule.