Specification Writer

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A great job-and a great future-awaits you at Smithfield Foods. We're an $18 billion U.S. food company with nearly 60,000 employees worldwide. We're looking for motivated people who want to join our team and grow lasting and meaningful careers with us. Join our family today. Apply Now!

Your Opportunity

Our team members receive industry-competitive salaries and are eligible for great benefits packages:

• Competitive Pay

• Annual Bonus Earning Potential

• Comprehensive Health Insurance, Retirement Benefits and More

• Education benefit available to full and part time Smithfield team members on their first day of employment.

In addition, we offer opportunities for career growth, professional development, and tuition assistance.

This position is responsible for coordinating, developing, writing, and centralizing product specifications and manufacturing procedures. Assists with the maintenance of the technical services website and PMDM. Works closely with multiple departments to accomplish these tasks. This position also interacts with plants as a technical resource for process and product specifications. The position helps to maintain product quality information in customer and company databases or websites. The position also works with Customer Service in handling complaints, nutrition, and data sheet requests. This position requires an organized individual with exceptional verbal and written communication skills capable of independent decision making. The primary output of the position are specification documents used by the rest of the company to make product to customer requirements accurately. Inaccurate or untimely execution of this function results in significant financial risk to Smithfield Foods. Secondary outputs of the position include key decision-making regarding audit compliance.

Core Responsibilities

Product Specifications

• Write and maintain detailed plant product specifications, manufacturing procedures and follow through with first production runs.

• Coordinate the functionality and uniformity of product specifications in assigned Smithfield facilities or product categories. Responsible for making sure these documents are completed in a timely manner. This is accomplished by coordinating, writing, revising, proof reading, and updating all specifications which provide the information necessary to yield consistent products. These technical documents are used in the manufacturing process to ensure that the product is meeting both Smithfield standards and customer expectations.

• Manage packaging and ingredient change procedures relative to specification updates.

• Subject matter expert for assigned group of products.

Customer Specifications & Nutritional Information

• Create, write, and maintain customer sales sheets, nutritional information and customer specific specification sheets which explain the finished product in a clear and concise manner. This information is necessary for establishing government guidelines as well as marketing and sales to obtain new customers while maintaining current accounts.

• Complete customer information packets when requested.

PMDM System

• Provides data and approvals in the PMDM System Document system.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Food Science or related field and 2+ years relevant experience in the meat or food industry, or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.

• Must be able to travel 10% of the time, with additional travel during initial training period.

• Ability to work in and learn various computer software programs.

• Good knowledge of understanding food science and processing, quality assurance principles, USDA rules and regulations, and statistics.

• Knowledge of database software; Manufacturing software; Spreadsheet and Word processing software; PMDM system and SAP.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

• Good mathematical skills.

• Good decision making, problem solving and conflict resolution skills.

• Able to communicate effectively and respond to common requests about products and processes.

• Ability to work well with others in a fast paced, dynamic environment.

• Must have the ability to complete required applicable forms in English, which requires the ability to read and write in English.

• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

The work environment characteristics & physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Corporate working environment.

• Noise level in the work environment is moderate.

• When located in the plant the environment will include wet, damp, cold, slippery and loud conditions with moving parts, and vibrating parts.

• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

• Specific vision includes close vision and ability to adjust focus.

• Frequently required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and talk or hear.

EEO/AA Information

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.

Salary Range

$60,500.00 - $91,250.00