How to hire a mill feeder

How to hire a mill feeder, step by step

Here's a step-by-step mill feeder hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the mill feeder you need to hire. Certain mill feeder 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

   A mill feeder's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, mill feeders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of mill feeders and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Mill Feeder	Description	Hourly rate
   Mill Feeder		$11-38
   Batching Operator	A batching operator conducts quality assurance tests to ensure products comply with industry standards and customer orders. They have the responsibility to oversee the batching plant's daily operations, delegate duties among employees, monitor processes and provide instructions as necessary, and resolve issues and concerns should any arise... Show more	$13-24
   Mixer Operator	A mixer operator deals with the blending of materials such as chemicals, tobacco, color pigments, liquids, and explosive ingredients. The tasks of a mixer operator include measuring ingredients and products to ensure they meet the stated requirements, tending to the machines used for mixing, and reading provided work orders to determine pertinent information... Show more	$13-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Mill Equipment

   Responsibilities:

   • Supervise and successfully run the plant continuously even with shortage of manpower
   • Supervise and successfully run the plant continuously even with shortage of manpower

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your mill feeder job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A mill feeder can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, mill feeders' average salary in utah is 59% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mill feeders 71% less than senior-level mill feeders.
   • Certifications. A mill feeder with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a mill feeder's salary.

   Average mill feeder salary

   $43,845yearly

   $21.08 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mill feeder salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 27, 2025

4. Writing a mill feeder job description

   A mill feeder 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. Below, you can find an example of a mill feeder job description:

   Mill feeder job description example

   At Pilgrim's, Safety Is A Condition, which means the safety of our team members comes first - always.
   
   We have implemented safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are working to ensure social distancing guidelines are followed within our facility. Each day, temperature screens are performed for each employee and visitor before entering the facility. Face coverings are available to all team members and enhanced cleaning and sanitation is regularly performed.
   FEED MILL MAINTENANCE HOURLY
   
   Salary: $39,354
   
   1st shift starting pay rate: ($18.92). Monday-Friday-Some weekend work required.
   
   2nd shift starting pay rate: ($18.92). Monday-Friday-Some weekend work required.
   
   General Summary: Diagnoses malfunctions and repair all equipment and complete daily work orders in the feed mill.
   
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
   
   * Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
   
   Fixing, servicing, aligning, setting up, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical principles.
   * Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
   
   Inspecting or diagnosing equipment, structures, or materials to identify the causes of errors or other problems or defects.
   * Performing General Physical Activities
   
   Performing physical activities that require moving one's whole body, such as in climbing ladders repeatedly on any given day, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, where the activities often also require considerable use of the arms and legs, such as in the physical handling of materials and working in confined spaces.Equipment may be up to 120ft upwards to 20ft below ground reached via ladders and/or man lift (when operable).
   * Controlling Machines and Processes
   
   Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
   * Monitor Processes, Material, or Surroundings
   
   Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, often to detect problems or to find out when things are finished.
   * Communicating With Other Workers
   
   Providing information to supervisors, fellow workers, and subordinates.
   * Evaluating Information against Standards
   
   Evaluating information against a set of standards and verifying that it is correct.
   
   Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
   
   * Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, benefits, repair, and maintenance.
   * Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, and applications including air, water, material dynamics, light, atomic principles, heat, electric theory, earth formations, and meteorological and related natural phenomena.
   * Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
   * The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects up to 70lbs at heights up to 120ft and/or 20 ft below ground.
   * The ability to use one's abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing in excess of 12 hours per day and available on weekends when needed
   * Knowledge of welding and pipe fitting
   * General mathematic ability required to perform job
   * Ability to read and interpret documents and drawings
   * Minimum 1-2 years of experience
   * Must be able to lead a crew of 3 other mechanics
   
   EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT:
   
   High school diploma or equivalent (GED) required. Technical school preferred.
   
   EOE/Vet/Disabled

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find mill feeders for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any mill feeders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level mill feeders with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with mill feeder 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 mill feeder

   Once you've selected the best mill feeder candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new mill feeder. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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