Production Technician

Syngenta is one of the world’s leading companies with 28,000 employees in over 90 countries dedicated to one purpose: bringing plant potential to life. We contribute to addressing some of the planet’s most critical issues such as the rising demand for food from a growing population.

To produce a reliable supply of high quality seed by executing production plant tasks assigned by Plant Management. Organize, perform and lead in assigned departments to ensure all required processes, procedures and production requirements are met. Position will take on several roles based upon field production practices, plant processing requirements and distribution needs. Manage field operations, seed receiving, and conditioning equipment operations to insure that all seed is properly handled and conditioned so the highest quality seed will be packaged to meet sale demands.

* Assist site maintenance manager in making repairs and improvements to plant equipment * Foster an operational culture founded on adherence to all applicable HSE and other corporate policies, procedures and guidelines * Assist in presentation of all safety training classes * Monitor costs as necessary * Supervise employees and third party personnel as required * Perform other duties as required to meet plant or site needs * Actively support an image that reflects the highest regard for cleanliness and organization * Balance KPI’s to meet the annual improvement objectives **Plant Maintenance** * Monitor all plant equipment and keep in good state of repair through a preventive maintenance schedule * Ensure all equipment is properly calibrated and routinely inspected * Active participation in plant upgrade projects and risk analysis * Minimize downtime through proper Preventative Maintenance program * KPI driven on downtime and safety guarding initiatives **Conditioning and Warehousing Roles** * Work in conditioning, treating, packaging, or other areas to meet facility needs * Provide leadership and overall seed quality expertise to plant activities * Responsible for maintaining, documenting, and adherence's to established plant procedures * Responsible for product quality assessments and adherence to product specifications * All seed picked and transported to specified area is identified accurately and checked against production order * Fill all orders per production order instructions * Ensure all clean-downs and changeovers are done correctly to eliminate any product mixture * Develop and implement a preventive maintenance program for the plant equipment **Quality Role** * Conduct Product Simulation (PS) testing * Conduct internal field audit and quality checks * Coordinate field inspection program and self certification requirements * Track and monitor potential quality lots through disposition of product * Conduct seed testing and reporting activities, to maintain company quality standards * Responsible for product quality assessments and adherence to product specifications * QBS process audits and coordination of site documentation **Shipping/Distribution** * Timely and accurate data entry into SAP * Inventory management and tracking * Picking and pooling of shipments * Physical inventory and seed return operations * Forklift operation **Field Operations Roles** * During growing season will be assigned production area to monitor seed quality through field inspections and record keeping * Support Agronomists in field related activities as directed * Pooling and distribution of parent seed to grower base * Planting of seed production fields and parent seed returns * Assist with field mapping and isolation documentation requirements * Accurate and timely crop scouting and data collection of emergence and vegetative growth stages, silk and pollen shed notes, stand counts, and IPM scouting thresholds * Coordination of field labor needs to ensure rouging and detasseling operations are completed to quality standards * Coordination of male row destruction and equipment operation * Accurate and timely SAP and Data collection entry during the field productions season * Ensure all clean-downs and changeovers are done correctly to eliminate any product mixture **Harvest Operations – Plant and Field Roles** * Harvest area coordination includes but is not limited to scheduling of pickers, loads, transportation and dump cart operations * Husking operations includes but is not limited to the receiving of green corn, husker operation, and supervision of sorters, moisture sampling, quality checks, chopper operations, scale operations and by-product movements * Dryer operations and monitoring, data collection, equipment clean downs, sampling and expectation of long hours and shift work * Shelling operations, coordination of bulk storage and dryer capacity, moisture checks, quality sampling * Ensure all clean-downs and changeovers are done correctly to eliminate any product mixture **Critical Success Factors & Key Challenges:** * Development and execution of processing plans required to meet key business strategies and product availability requirements * Proactive communication both interdepartmentally and cross functionally to assure that field and processing efforts are performed in a manner consistent with accommodating business demands and requirements * A proactive response when seed is not meeting approved Product Specifications standards * Rigorous Plant and Equipment R & M scheduling and tracking * Diligent continuous improvement processing efforts with accompanying employee motivations * Timely execution and provisions of informational requirements * Adherence to Lean principles and ways of working * Strict adherence to HSE protocols and all corporate policies and processes

* Must be High School graduate or have GED degree * Associate degree in agronomy (or related plant science), Ag. Business is preferred but not required * An Agricultural background is also preferred but not required * Commercial Pesticide Applicators License preferred * Knowledge of office functions and processes, including MS Office, MS Databases and Spreadsheets, and SAP * Ability to operate state of the art conditioning, chemical and packaging equipment * Ability to receive a chemical applicators license * Excellent analytical and deductive reasoning skills * Excellent organizational and communication skills * Ability to work positively and effectively with outside vendors/agencies and internal personnel and departments * Working knowledge of inventory management principals * Must be able to be forklift certified * Ability to be CDL certified preferred **Critical experience:** * Minimum 2 years of seed industry experience preferred * Management experience preferred but not necessary * Experience in inventory, distribution processes and/or managing quality transactional data in SAP may be preferred in some locations **Critical technical, professional and personal capabilities:** * Excellent communication skills to work well with co-workers on plant tasks and in field production management with farmer growers * Excellent organization skills to plan out work and conditioning schedules that will best utilize the plant and receiving storage capacities * Good writing and math skills * Team orientated to work with everyone at the plant to successfully complete work schedule and to accomplish safety targets. To work together on in-bound seed into receiving storage and with bagging supervisor on bin space available to condition seed into * PC and business software skills, willingness to learn SAP if necessary * Supervisory skills * Decisive * Trusted - Will need to make good sound judgment calls in regards to seed quality management that will be for the best interest of the company * Results oriented * Innovative - To always look to implement new procedures or technologies to improve work efficiencies * Detail/Accuracy Oriented - All procedures and policies must be understood and followed. Data entry into data management systems must be accurate due to decisions being made by other departments based on the information given * Ability to adapt to changing environmental/situational needs such as rain, snow storms and very cold temperatures that can affect the scheduling and operation of the plant * Ability to make timely, effective decisions * Ability to remain flexible and responsive when faced with multiple urgent requests due to change in schedule because of weather or variety changes * Self motivated **Critical leadership capabilities:** * Focuses on customers - Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers * Manages for performance - Skillfully plans, organizes and monitors performance to create value and achieve excellence in delivery. * Collaborates across boundaries - Collaborates effectively across organizational and functional boundaries, and leverages diversity. **Physical Demands of the Essential Functions:** * Ability to work days, evenings and weekends * Must be able to travel by car * Ability to walk fields in all weather conditions and on various types of terrain * Ability to be on your feet for a majority of the day * Ability to lift 70 lbs. * Ability to operate standard office equipment including phone, fax, copier and computer **Other:** * Must have a valid driver’s license