H-1B Visa Production Operator Jobs
Production Operator roles can qualify for H-1B sponsorship when the position requires a bachelor's degree in a directly related field such as industrial engineering, chemical engineering, or manufacturing technology. Employers in food processing, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and chemical manufacturing are among the most active H-1B filers for this occupation.
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Get Access To All JobsAt Hilmar Cheese Company we improve lives around the world through wholesome dairy products. Since our founding in 1984, Hilmar Cheese Company has been committed to innovation and sustainability. Our state-of-the-art production facilities convert an abundance of locally sourced high-quality milk into a variety of nutritious cheeses, whey protein and lactose. The Cheese and Ingredients that we produce create a wide variety of retail and food service products from sliced and shredded cheeses, to protein supplements and infant formula. We are a trusted partner to premier food and beverage brands in more than fifty countries helping bring their vision into reality.
Throughout our decades of success and growth we have remained committed to our mission and values and these principles unite our people and guide all that we do.
A Typical Day
The primary responsibilities of the Plant Production Operator are to run and maintain Cheese towers, Pepper Feeders and related equipment, Sealers, Leaker Detection, Metal Detection and all Packaging equipment. Complete and maintain all Documentation and Inspections as assigned. Assist specialty products (parmesan, Romano, and peppers) as needed per production schedule.
Job Responsibilities
- Ensure the correct operation and follow all Procedures of the Typical Day assigned equipment.
- Ability to identify flows from HCV’s to packaging including completing Product Transitions.
- Ability to troubleshoot and communicate any Plant issues with related equipment and/or Process.
- Understand and maintain the operation and Sanitation of all Typical Day equipment including: CIP (Clean In Place) system, COP (clean out of place systems), Operator Based Maintenance and Pre and post CIP inspections.
- All In Process Sampling as assigned.
- To notify/communicate with management/maintenance any problems with equipment or processes that could affect Safety, Food Safety or quality.
- Ability to learn and operate computer related processes and controls.
- Responsible for proper product safe handling and reforming procedures.
- Active participation and ownership in your training and development program and associated activities, classes and events, which will be held before, during, after shifts and during scheduled days off.
- Help coach and train teammates and participate in on the job, buddy training.
- Place high priority on food safety and sanitation by understanding and executing HCC’s food safety and sanitation policies and procedures. This includes communicating any food safety incident, observation, or opportunity to your leadership team or teammates as well as participating in food safety and sanitation root cause analysis and improvement activities when required.
- Prioritize safety above all other job duties by having a safety first approach at all times. This includes reporting any safety issues, observations, opportunities to your teams and follow up.
What You Will Need
- English skills must be proficient to understand, read, write and speak English.
- Must be able to work 12-hour variable shifts, including weekends, holidays and overtime as needed.
- Basic computer skills.
- Ability to lift up to 60lbs.
What Will Put You Ahead
- High School diploma or GED from an accredited institution.
- SAP experience.
- 2 years of dairy manufacturing experience.
- Active/past member of department safety team.
- Skilled as a Tower Operator or Packaging Operator (level 1 roles) in Cheese Operations for 3 months.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to:
- Stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and talk or hear.
- Stand and walk almost the entire workday.
- Employees must be physically capable of working in any of the job tasks within their respective area.
- Required to work at heights and in fairly small areas.
- Pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, stooping, squatting, kneeling, handling and grasping, twisting/turning, repetitive bending.
Food safety is a companywide responsibility and each employee must know their role in the manufacture and distribution of safe, wholesome, and high quality products.
This description is a general statement and does not include other duties as assigned.
Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/EEO. We participate in E-Verify.
Salary Range: USD(22.74 - 27.03)
At Hilmar Cheese Company we improve lives around the world through wholesome dairy products. Since our founding in 1984, Hilmar Cheese Company has been committed to innovation and sustainability. Our state-of-the-art production facilities convert an abundance of locally sourced high-quality milk into a variety of nutritious cheeses, whey protein and lactose. The Cheese and Ingredients that we produce create a wide variety of retail and food service products from sliced and shredded cheeses, to protein supplements and infant formula. We are a trusted partner to premier food and beverage brands in more than fifty countries helping bring their vision into reality.
Throughout our decades of success and growth we have remained committed to our mission and values and these principles unite our people and guide all that we do.
A Typical Day
The primary responsibilities of the Plant Production Operator are to run and maintain Cheese towers, Pepper Feeders and related equipment, Sealers, Leaker Detection, Metal Detection and all Packaging equipment. Complete and maintain all Documentation and Inspections as assigned. Assist specialty products (parmesan, Romano, and peppers) as needed per production schedule.
Job Responsibilities
- Ensure the correct operation and follow all Procedures of the Typical Day assigned equipment.
- Ability to identify flows from HCV’s to packaging including completing Product Transitions.
- Ability to troubleshoot and communicate any Plant issues with related equipment and/or Process.
- Understand and maintain the operation and Sanitation of all Typical Day equipment including: CIP (Clean In Place) system, COP (clean out of place systems), Operator Based Maintenance and Pre and post CIP inspections.
- All In Process Sampling as assigned.
- To notify/communicate with management/maintenance any problems with equipment or processes that could affect Safety, Food Safety or quality.
- Ability to learn and operate computer related processes and controls.
- Responsible for proper product safe handling and reforming procedures.
- Active participation and ownership in your training and development program and associated activities, classes and events, which will be held before, during, after shifts and during scheduled days off.
- Help coach and train teammates and participate in on the job, buddy training.
- Place high priority on food safety and sanitation by understanding and executing HCC’s food safety and sanitation policies and procedures. This includes communicating any food safety incident, observation, or opportunity to your leadership team or teammates as well as participating in food safety and sanitation root cause analysis and improvement activities when required.
- Prioritize safety above all other job duties by having a safety first approach at all times. This includes reporting any safety issues, observations, opportunities to your teams and follow up.
What You Will Need
- English skills must be proficient to understand, read, write and speak English.
- Must be able to work 12-hour variable shifts, including weekends, holidays and overtime as needed.
- Basic computer skills.
- Ability to lift up to 60lbs.
What Will Put You Ahead
- High School diploma or GED from an accredited institution.
- SAP experience.
- 2 years of dairy manufacturing experience.
- Active/past member of department safety team.
- Skilled as a Tower Operator or Packaging Operator (level 1 roles) in Cheese Operations for 3 months.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to:
- Stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and talk or hear.
- Stand and walk almost the entire workday.
- Employees must be physically capable of working in any of the job tasks within their respective area.
- Required to work at heights and in fairly small areas.
- Pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, stooping, squatting, kneeling, handling and grasping, twisting/turning, repetitive bending.
Food safety is a companywide responsibility and each employee must know their role in the manufacture and distribution of safe, wholesome, and high quality products.
This description is a general statement and does not include other duties as assigned.
Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/EEO. We participate in E-Verify.
Salary Range: USD(22.74 - 27.03)
See all 259+ Production Operator jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Production Operator
Verify your degree aligns with the role
H-1B approval for Production Operator positions depends on proving specialty occupation status. Pull the O*NET profile for your target job title and confirm your degree field directly maps to the stated education requirements before applying.
Target industries with consistent LCA filings
Pharmaceutical manufacturers, semiconductor fabs, and chemical processors file LCAs for Production Operators far more regularly than general manufacturing plants. Prioritize employers in these sectors when your timeline is tight and you can't afford lottery uncertainty.
Check prevailing wage levels using OFLC Wage Search
Production Operator prevailing wages vary sharply by SOC code and geography. Run your exact job title and work location through OFLC Wage Search before accepting an offer to confirm the employer's wage level meets DOL requirements for your petition.
Search verified H-1B sponsors on Migrate Mate
Filter Production Operator listings by employers with documented H-1B filing history on Migrate Mate. This cuts the time you'd otherwise spend cold-applying to companies that don't sponsor, so you're directing energy toward employers who have already cleared DOL and USCIS processes.
Negotiate offer timing around the April cap window
H-1B cap petitions for Production Operator roles must be filed in April for an October 1 start. If you receive an offer in summer or fall, ask HR whether they'll hold the role through the next filing cycle or offer cap-exempt employment in the interim.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before your start date
Production Operator roles at manufacturers often involve federal contracts or STEM-adjacent processes that trigger mandatory E-Verify participation. Ask HR to confirm enrollment status during the offer stage, not after your I-94 admission period has already begun.
Production Operator jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Production Operator JobsProduction Operator H-1B Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Production Operator role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
It depends on how the employer defines the position. USCIS requires that the role normally requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field. Production Operator jobs in pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, or chemical engineering that explicitly require a degree in industrial or chemical engineering are strong candidates. Generic floor or assembly operator roles without a degree requirement typically don't qualify.
Which industries sponsor H-1B visas most often for Production Operators?
Pharmaceutical manufacturers, semiconductor fabrication plants, specialty chemical producers, and food and beverage companies with process engineering requirements are the most active H-1B sponsors for Production Operator roles. These sectors rely on degree-specific technical knowledge that supports the specialty occupation argument. You can search for employers with verified LCA filing history on Migrate Mate to narrow your targets before applying.
What SOC code covers Production Operator roles for prevailing wage purposes?
Most Production Operator positions are classified under SOC 51-9199 (Production Workers, All Other) or a more specific code depending on the industry, such as 51-8091 for chemical plant operators. The SOC code your employer selects on the LCA directly determines your prevailing wage level, so confirming the correct classification before the petition is filed protects you from a DOL audit later.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new Production Operator employer mid-status?
Yes. Under H-1B portability rules established by AC21, you can start working for a new employer as soon as your new employer files a transfer petition, provided your original H-1B was approved and you've been maintaining valid status. The new employer must file a new I-129 and LCA demonstrating the role meets specialty occupation and prevailing wage requirements independently.
What documentation should I prepare to support an H-1B petition for a Production Operator role?
Your employer will need a certified LCA, Form I-129, and supporting evidence that the position qualifies as a specialty occupation. On your side, gather official transcripts showing your degree field, any professional certifications relevant to the production process, and a detailed letter from your employer explaining why the role requires your specific degree. Industry-standard job postings for equivalent roles that list degree requirements also help substantiate the petition.
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