Food & Beverage Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Virginia
Virginia's food and beverage industry spans from Smithfield Foods' pork processing headquarters to craft breweries in Richmond and Northern Virginia's restaurant chains. Major employers like Tyson Foods, Mars Wrigley, and Anheuser-Busch sponsor international talent for roles in food science, supply chain management, and culinary operations across Richmond, Norfolk, and the DC metro area.
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SUMMARY
Responsible for loading and unloading product to and from trailers when qualified and as needed in accordance with Preferred Work Methods (PWMs). Both functions require specific equipment and/or process certification. Requires working in freezer, cooler and dry warehouse environments with extreme cold and/or warm temperatures. Performs all duties safely, accurately and meets set productivity standards and goals.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Unloading:
- Inspect trailer for cleanliness prior to unloading. Communicate any unsanitary conditions to supervisor.
- Communicate load, product or pallet issues to supervisor.
- Unload inbound foodservice product, supplies or equipment from trailers or shipping containers onto the dock for receipt utilizing material handling equipment following established PWMs to avoid damage to equipment or product, and according to specified configurations for storage and shipment.
- Reconfigure inbound pallets to meet RDC storage requirements (floor or slip sheet loads).
- Inspect product being moved for shortages, damages, quality issues, or deterioration of packing and report to supervisor.
- Verify refrigerated (cooler) and frozen product temperatures are taken according to established PWMs. Follow temperature abuse process and established PWMs if product temperature is out of accepted tolerance range.
- Control door lights to inform driver if they are clear to position trailer to the door or pull trailer from the door.
- Apply shrink wrap to all lumped pallets to ensure they are secured for effective delivery following established PWMs. Apply shrink wrap to other pallets as needed to secure product for storage and shipment.
- Must successfully complete the forklift certification process and testing and be able to perform the established PWMs.
Loading:
- Inspect and clean trailers prior to loading.
- Inspect product being moved for shortages, damages, quality issues, or deterioration of packing and report to supervisor.
- Load product onto trucks corresponding to truck mapping and to any special instructions; according to established PWMs to avoid damage to product or equipment and to maintain load stability and balance to ensure driver safety.
- Hand load product onto trucks as required.
- Control door lights to inform driver if they are clear to position trailer to the door or pull trailer from the door.
- Must successfully complete the forklift certification process and testing and be able to perform the established PWMs.
All Functions:
- Work effectively with immediate supervisor to minimize warehouse shrink/damage (product loss).
- Responsible for the neatness and cleanliness of assigned work areas and travel aisles, and the accuracy of warehouse locations.
- Report any unfixable/unsafe issues immediately to supervisor.
- Observe and enforce all safety rules to eliminate accidents and injuries.
- Operate appropriate MHE, such as forklifts, order pickers, and pallet jacks in a safe and orderly manner to eliminate accidents and injuries.
- Observe proper lifting techniques and physical work practices in accordance with established PWMs.
- Ensure that MHE is maintained (perform daily inspection) and clean; report repair or service needs to supervisor to minimize equipment damage and down time.
- Use warehouse computers and RF equipment in a safe and professional manner to avoid damage to equipment.
- Understand and comply with all applicable Company policies (i.e. attendance, Code of Business Conduct & Ethics, Associate Handbook, etc.).
- Comply with all applicable State/Federal laws, regulations, and policies (i.e. OSHA {Occupational Health and Safety Administration}, HACCP {Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points}, etc.).
- Supports food safety policies, standard operating procedures, and prerequisite food safety control programs that meet legal and quality requirements and industry best practices as defined in our Food Safety Commitment documentation.
- Performs other warehouse duties as assigned.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
None
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 with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Must pass a functional capacity test.
- Must be able to work effectively in a team environment.
- Must be able to communicate effectively with supervision, management and co-workers.
- Must be able to observe and to communicate those observations verbally and in written form to others responsible for the equipment operation and maintenance.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
High school diploma or General Education Degree (GED) preferred; six months previous warehouse experience and/or training preferred. Material handling equipment experience preferred. Reach truck experience preferred. Crown and/or Raymond reach truck experience a plus.
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Must have ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Must have ability to read and write simple correspondence. Must have ability to speak effectively in one-on-one and in a small group situation and to respond to questions from managers, associates, and peers.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Must have the ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
REASONING ABILITY
Must have the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Must have ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
Certification on material handling equipment is required, or the ability to become certified. See requirement within each individual role.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION
The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. An individual should contact his or her supervisor or the Human Resources Department if he or she believes that an accommodation is needed.
While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The associate is frequently required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and talk and hear. The associate is required to stoop, kneel, crouch or sit. The associate must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Job is performed in a warehouse/operations environment. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is frequently exposed to fast moving material handling equipment or other mechanical equipment, extreme cold or heat in freezer/cooler warehouse environments including temperature of zero degrees. The associate is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, contained toxic or caustic chemicals, low voltage electrical equipment and vibration. The noise level in the work environment usually is loud.
WORK HOURS
This is a full-time position. The incumbent must have the ability to work a varying schedule which might include shift work (days or nights), weekdays or weekends, and some holidays. Work hours may vary, or change based on customer order, departmental or business requirements.
TRAVEL
The position does not require travel.
Shift: Night Shift 11pm-7am Sunday-Thursday
Payrate: $25.57 / HR
The above statement reflects the general details necessary to describe the principal functions of the occupation described and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the occupation.
Food & Beverage Job Roles in Virginia
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Search Food & Beverage Jobs in VirginiaFood & Beverage Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
Which food & beverage companies in Virginia sponsor work visas?
Major sponsors include Smithfield Foods (pork processing), Mars Wrigley (confectionery), Tyson Foods (poultry processing), and Anheuser-Busch (brewing). Regional employers like King's Hawaiian, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, and growing craft breweries in Richmond also sponsor H-1B visas for food scientists, quality assurance managers, and supply chain specialists.
How to find food & beverage visa sponsorship jobs in Virginia?
Use Migrate Mate to search specifically for Virginia food and beverage positions that offer visa sponsorship. Filter by location (Richmond, Norfolk, Northern Virginia) and role type (food science, operations management, culinary). Many positions are concentrated around major processing facilities and the Hampton Roads port area for distribution roles.
What visa types are most common for food & beverage jobs in Virginia?
H-1B visas dominate for food scientists, quality assurance managers, and supply chain analysts at companies like Smithfield and Mars. TN visas work for Canadian food technologists. Some larger processors use L-1 visas for transferring international managers, while specialty restaurants occasionally sponsor O-1 visas for executive chefs with international recognition.
Which Virginia cities have the most food & beverage sponsorship opportunities?
Richmond leads with Mars Wrigley, craft breweries, and restaurant chains. Norfolk benefits from port-related food distribution roles. Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington) offers positions with national restaurant chains and food service companies. Smithfield focuses hiring around its Hampton Roads headquarters for processing and logistics roles.
Are there special considerations for food & beverage visa sponsorship in Virginia?
Virginia's proximity to Washington DC creates higher prevailing wages for Northern Virginia positions. The state's agricultural base means seasonal food processing roles that may not qualify for H-1B sponsorship. Virginia Tech and VCU provide pipeline talent for food science roles, creating competition but also showing employer commitment to the field.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored food & beverage jobs in Virginia?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.