DFA Rotational Program - Operations, Engineering, Quality (2027 Program)

This position is part of the Experience program, a rotational program for graduates aspiring to a career in manufacturing. In this role, the Rotational Operations Analyst will rotate through various functions such as manufacturing, engineering, quality and process technology over approximately a two-year timeframe beginning in 2027. This program is designed to offer experience, education and exposure to prepare an individual for a future role in manufacturing.

Location: This program offers rotations across various manufacturing plant locations. Potential locations may include Missouri, Minnesota, New Mexico, Kansas, California, Colorado, or Pennsylvania. These are examples only and are not guaranteed. Rotation locations will be determined based on business needs.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Visit a DFA farm to gain basic dairy farming knowledge and experience

Meet with cross-functional experts to further understand the business and the Cooperative

Work on various plant shifts to gain insight into the manufacturing process, opportunities, and challenges

Complete a manufacturing project using educational experience

Participate in review of production costs, rework meeting, and/or analytics

Participate in on ideation, package design, problem-solving, etc., meetings

Utilize systems throughout rotation, including Power BI, Salesforce, PCM, genesis, trace gains, SharePoint, etc., to analyze data and produce metrics. Produce reports, provide analytics, and build capability around data analysis and critical thinking

Participate in a customer audit in plant (understanding of quality, regulatory etc.)

Prepare and send samples for customers. Understand how to maintain sample and raw material inventory

Participate in a customer call, such as a prospecting call or complaint resolution

Complete a continuous improvement (CI) project involving influence

Run dryer; understand science and methodology to spray drying, blending, etc.

Work on a new product project, commercialization and scale up Prepare and present report on project results and next steps

Assist with new product scale-ups at manufacturing facilities and/or scale up at customer facility where product is used

Attend industry workshop training, such as cheese-making, spray drying, dry blending etc.

Complete OSHA, environmental, ECO lab, and IDFA training courses

Shadow Plant Supervisor, Plant Manager, and Director of Operations

Act in a supervisory role (once leadership training is complete)

Review disciplinary issues with operations leader

Deliver constructive feedback

Participate in the interview and selection process

Onboard new hires, including 30/60/90 day check ins

Coordinate staffing

Research new ingredient process technologies

Shadow the controls team and assist in conducting costing and data analysis

Troubleshoot quality issues in collaboration with food safety & quality team

Assist in the capital management process

Understand and utilize engineering standards

Work with manufacturing, maintenance and engineering leaders to improve plant reliability

Sit in on sales and operations planning (S&OP) and procurement meetings to understand how to schedule product, get bids, and interact with vendors

Rotations may be available at cheese, taste & flavor and dairy powders locations around the country

The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned.