How to hire a food processor

How to hire a food processor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step food processor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a food processor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new food processor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a food processor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the food processor you need to hire. Certain food processor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a food processor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a food processor that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of food processors.

   Type of Food Processor	Description	Hourly rate
   Food Processor	Food preparation workers perform many routine tasks under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers. Food preparation workers prepare cold foods, slice meat, peel and cut vegetables, brew coffee or tea, and perform many other food service tasks.	$12-18
   Kitchen Staff	The kitchen staff consists of preparation workers who execute several routine tasks as directed by chefs, food service managers, and cooks. These works should have the ability to follow cooking instructions and deliver well-prepared meals... Show more	$11-17
   Kitchen Helper	Kitchen helpers perform various kitchen tasks in restaurants, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals. Their duties and responsibilities include assisting cooks in the preparation of meal ingredients, helping other staff with unloading food items from delivery trucks, and washing and drying the utensils, dishes, and cookware... Show more	$9-15

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Food Safety
   • Assembly Line
   • GMP
   • Food Preparation
   • Food Processing Equipment
   • Pallet Jack
   • Product Quality
   • Customer Orders
   • USDA
   • Quality Standards
   • RAN
   • Food Orders
   • Processing Plant
   • Safety Regulations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and instruct workers in the art of food preparation as culinary team leader.
   • Take orders and run cash register.
   • Pull pallets of meals into work area using pallet jacks.
   • Handle and process numerous types of livestock in strict accordance to USDA guidelines.
   • Inspect incoming pallets of package food items for damages and defects prior to distribution to airport vendors.
   • Bag groceries, load into cart, and help customers carry and load purchase groceries outside to their vehicles.

   More food processor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your food processor job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A food processor salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a food processor in Kentucky may be lower than in Oregon, and an entry-level food processor usually earns less than a senior-level food processor. Additionally, a food processor with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average food processor salary

   $15.11hourly

   $31,432 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level food processor salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average food processor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Oregon	$39,606	$19
   2	Colorado	$38,614	$19
   3	California	$35,571	$17
   4	Alaska	$35,223	$17
   5	Washington	$35,101	$17
   6	New York	$34,270	$16
   7	Nebraska	$33,341	$16
   8	Utah	$32,545	$16
   9	Minnesota	$31,555	$15
   10	Pennsylvania	$29,846	$14
   11	Michigan	$29,520	$14
   12	Texas	$29,115	$14
   13	Arizona	$28,079	$14
   14	Ohio	$27,833	$13
   15	Indiana	$27,264	$13
   16	Idaho	$24,659	$12
   17	Missouri	$24,477	$12
   18	Georgia	$23,895	$11

   Average food processor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	E.W. Grobbel Sons	$39,466	$18.97	2
   2	Cargill	$38,628	$18.57	11
   3	DiscountMugs	$36,149	$17.38	1
   4	Shearer's Foods	$36,116	$17.36	8
   5	Planit	$34,724	$16.69
   6	Snelling	$31,984	$15.38	2
   7	HireLevel	$31,078	$14.94
   8	paragon Co.	$30,880	$14.85
   9	Allied Universal	$30,832	$14.82
   10	Charlie's Produce	$30,549	$14.69
   11	Baldor Specialty Foods	$30,415	$14.62
   12	Elwood Staffing	$30,323	$14.58
   13	Staff Management	$30,106	$14.47	2
   14	ManpowerGroup	$30,084	$14.46	12
   15	Staffmark	$30,077	$14.46
   16	PeopleReady	$29,965	$14.41	28
   17	Adecco	$29,941	$14.39	9
   18	Allegiance Staffing	$29,828	$14.34
   19	SmartTalent	$29,574	$14.22
   20	Focus Workforces	$29,569	$14.22

4. Writing a food processor job description

   A food processor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a food processor job description:

   Food processor job description example

   PeopleReady of Richmond, CA is now hiring Food Processors! As a Food Processor, you will be responsible for packaging meals by sorting, sanitizing, and taking inventory. As a Food Processor, you should be able to show flexibility by changing priorities and tasks quickly.
   
   Apply today and you could start as soon as tomorrow. No resume or interview required – yep, you read that right.
   As a PeopleReady associate you'll benefit from:
   
   * The freedom to work where you want, when you want and as often as you want.
   
   * Next-day pay* for many of our open positions.
   
   * The ability to choose long-term positions for steady work or short-term positions if you just want some extra cash.
   
   * The ability to sign up for jobs right from our mobile app, JobStack!
   
   Pay Rate:
   
   The pay rate for this job is $17 / hour
   
   What you'll be doing as a Food Processor:
   
   * Prepare a variety of foods for cooking according to instructions
   
   * Receive and store food supplies and equipment
   
   * Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, etc.
   
   * Store food in designated containers and storage areas
   
   * Record temperatures in storage areas to make sure temperatures are complying
   
   Available shifts:
   
   Shift Timings - All Available
   
   Job requirements:
   
   * Must be comfortable with working in a cold storage warehouse
   
   * Ability to stand, lift and bend frequently
   
   * Ability to work 8 to 12 hour shifts
   
   Ready to take control of the way you work?
   
   Complete our application to join the PeopleReady team today. In case you missed it, no resumes or interviews are required!
   
   \#EVER650C
   
   PeopleReady is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religious affiliation, color, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by law. We will get to know you and connect you with jobs that match your skills, experience and preferences. We work hard every single day to find jobs so each employee has opportunity and variety in their work.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find food processors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your food processor job on Zippia to find and recruit food processor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with food processor candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new food processor

   Once you've found the food processor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new food processor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a food processor?