Production Associate

The Production Associate supports plant operations by performing general cleanup, operating bagging and palletizing equipment, loading trucks and railcars, and completing basic quality checks. This role is hands-on and physically demanding, involving material handling, equipment operation, and maintaining a clean and safe work area in a heavy industrial environment.

• Perform general cleanup throughout the plant, keeping the load-out area free of material and debris.
• Empty trash cans weekly in both the office and plant areas.
• Assist other production personnel with cleaning and housekeeping in various areas of the plant as needed.
• Operate bagging equipment to bag and palletize finished product according to production requirements.
• Perform pre-startup checks on bagging equipment and complete all associated forms and inspection documentation.
• Bag finished product from the bagging system, including working with silos and chutes to manage material flow.
• Stack bags by hand on pallets, handling 100150 lb bags and ensuring stable, safe pallet builds.
• Use stretch wrap and a heat gun to secure and finish pallets for storage and shipment.
• Load trucks with bagged material, confirming the correct product is loaded for each order and ensuring careful placement of all pallets.
• Operate forklifts and other mobile equipment, completing daily mobile equipment logs for each machine used.
• Complete required quality testing on materials and accurately record all analysis results on pick slips and related documentation.
• Inspect all trucks and railcars internally and externally before loading to comply with safety practices.
• Install and record seals in the rail book and on order pick slips for all railcars.
• Load trucks and railcars evenly with material to proper weights, following loading guidelines.
• Fill out railcar and truck checklists and submit track checklists to the office daily so rail logs can be matched against office records.
• Keep loading areas, including truck and rail loading zones, clean and organized.
• Operate loader equipment to feed the hopper with raw material and maintain material flow.
• Assist in clearing back bunkers and managing raw material such as coal slag pushed up to the feed hopper.
• Support production operations involving screening, drying, and crushing processes that produce various grades of product (coarse, fine, extra fine, ultra fine).
• Use shovels, skid steers, and other tools to move material and maintain a safe, efficient work area.
• Remain flexible and willing to switch positions and help out in different operational areas as needed, including bagger, blower/stomper, and loader duties.

• At least 1 year of physical labor experience in an industrial, construction, or similarly demanding environment.
• Demonstrated good job tenure with consistent employment history.
• Experience with general production or general labor work.
• Ability to perform repetitive heavy lifting, including handling 100150 lb bags and frequent material movement.
• Comfort working in a dirty, heavy industrial environment with dust, noise, and physical exertion.
• Ability to operate or learn to operate production and packaging equipment, including bagging systems and related machinery.
• Basic inspection and documentation skills, including completing checklists, logs, and pick slips accurately.
• Attention to detail when matching product to orders and loading trucks and railcars evenly and safely.
• Willingness to assist across operations and adapt to different tasks throughout the shift.
• Reliable attendance and strong work ethic in a full-time, 40-hour workweek setting.

• Construction or roofing experience is a plus, especially experience with heavy materials and outdoor or industrial job sites.
• Experience in packaging, inspection, and general production environments.
• Comfort using tools and equipment such as stretch wrap machines, heat guns, shovels, and skid steers.
• Ability to operate or learn to operate forklifts and loaders, including completing daily mobile equipment logs.
• Familiarity with industrial processes involving raw material handling, drying, crushing, and screening.
• Basic understanding of loading procedures for trucks and railcars, including weight distribution and sealing requirements.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and communicate clearly with production and operations staff.
• Adaptability to switch positions and support different parts of the operation, such as bagging, blower/stomper, and loader roles.

This opportunity offers above-average starting pay for a full-time role in a stable industrial operation. You join a team-oriented environment where hard work and reliability are valued, and where you can gain hands-on experience with a variety of equipment and processes. The structured shift schedule supports work-life balance, and the role provides room to grow your skills in production, material handling, and heavy equipment operation.

The role is based in a heavy industrial plant environment associated with power generation and raw material processing. Work involves handling coal slag and other raw materials that are fed into hoppers, dried, crushed, and screened into various product grades used in applications such as asphalt shingles and blasting media. The environment is physically demanding, dirty, and dusty, with frequent material movement and bag handling. You will work with equipment such as bagging systems, blowers, silos with chutes, loaders, forklifts, skid steers, stretch wrap tools, and heat guns. Duties include throwing and stacking heavy bags, shoveling material, and operating mobile equipment. The facility emphasizes cleanliness in load-out and loading areas, requiring regular cleanup and housekeeping. The position is full-time at approximately 40 hours per week, with shifts typically running 7:00 a.m.3:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.11:00 p.m. You may switch positions during the shift to support different operations, and you should be comfortable working in a physically intensive, dirty environment while maintaining safety and quality standards.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Pawnee, IL.

The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $20.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Pawnee, IL.

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 26, 2026.

This is a fully onsite position in Pawnee,IL.

Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 200 offices across North America, supporting more than 18,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in workforce and business solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.

Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.