Food Production Supervisor: Job Description and Requirements

Food production supervisors are responsible for researching and coordinating the manufacturing of food. Food production supervisors may be responsible for a single task, such as quality control, or an entire assembly line process. Read on to learn more.

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Job Description for a Food Production Supervisor

Some food production supervisors may oversee the daily operations of food processing. Their job may be to ensure that production meets health, sanitation and quality standards set by the corporation, food industry and government agencies. These food production supervisors may also be responsible for coordinating shifts, arranging schedules and monitoring employee performance.

Other food production supervisors may be more involved with the design of machinery, such as assembly line or processing equipment. These professionals generally review manufacturing processes for efficiency, noting areas for improvement and researching alternative machinery, equipment or modifications. Additionally, these food production supervisors may also recommend incorporating lean manufacturing systems, that train assembly line workers in all aspects of production in order allow managerial flexibility in times of worker absences or vacations.

Food Production Supervisor Requirements

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), industrial production employers generally prefer applicants who have completed a bachelor's degree program in business administration, industrial engineering or a related field (www.bls.gov). A March 2011 job search on CareerBuilder.com found that employers within the more narrowly focused food production industry tend to prefer applicants who have completed a bachelor's degree program in food science or manufacturing engineering or those with related food industry experience.

Food science and manufacturing engineering programs generally begin similarly, with courses in mathematics, like trigonometry and calculus, as well as courses in biology and chemistry. After completing core requirements, students in these majors typically begin to specialize. For example, food science majors may move on to more advanced topics in meat grading, food microbiology and food safety assurance, while manufacturing engineers may focus on fluid mechanics, control systems and automation.

Some employers may also favor job seekers who have previous experience in food production or a supervisory role. Others may seek to hire candidates who are familiar with manufacturing principles, such as Six Sigma. Applicants may also enhance their employment opportunities by attaining working knowledge of international standards, like ISO9000.

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