How to hire a seafood processor

How to hire a seafood processor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step seafood 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 seafood processor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new seafood processor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a seafood processor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The seafood processor hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A seafood processor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, seafood processors 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.

   Here's a comparison of seafood processor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Seafood Processor	Description	Hourly rate
   Seafood Processor		$9-13
   Processor	Processors are employees who deal with clients and ensure that the clients' requests are provided. Processors usually handle loans or any other related claims... Show more	$11-19

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Processing Equipment
   • Gut
   • Processing Plant
   • Food Products
   • Places Product
   • Cold Storage
   • Assembly Line
   • Factory Equipment
   • Alaskan
   • Case-Up
   • Wet Environment
   • RAN
   • Quality Standards

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Utilize CMMS system to address and make equipment changes to improve equipment operational uptime and minimize equipment downtime.
   • Work in the case-up department.
   • Clean machinery to FDA regulations.
   • Review workspace for cleanliness and safety.
   • Maintain and operate according to GMP's.
   • Revise multiple HACCP plans to meet regulatory compliance.

   More seafood processor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your seafood processor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A seafood processor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, seafood processors' average salary in louisiana is 37% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level seafood processors earn 34% less than senior-level seafood processors.
   • Certifications. A seafood processor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a seafood processor's salary.

   Average seafood processor salary

   $11.36hourly

   $23,630 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level seafood processor salary

   $19,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average seafood processor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$28,117	$14
   2	Texas	$24,693	$12
   3	Virginia	$23,888	$11
   4	Alaska	$21,288	$10
   5	Massachusetts	$21,113	$10
   6	Louisiana	$20,718	$10

   Average seafood processor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	PeopleReady	$25,135	$12.08	1
   2	SmartTalent	$24,624	$11.84
   3	Monroe Staffing	$24,512	$11.78
   4	J M Clayton Co	$24,263	$11.66
   5	Snelling	$24,221	$11.64
   6	Sealaska	$23,948	$11.51
   7	Silver Bay Seafoods	$23,874	$11.48
   8	Sea	$23,769	$11.43	1
   9	Peter Pan Seafoods Inc	$23,729	$11.41
   10	Pacific Choice Seafood	$23,729	$11.41	10
   11	Jeri's Seafood Inc	$23,634	$11.36
   12	Ocean Beauty Seafoods	$23,611	$11.35
   13	Trident Seafoods	$23,599	$11.35	4
   14	Icicle Seafoods	$23,578	$11.34
   15	Ocean Gold Seafoods	$23,575	$11.33
   16	North Coast Seafoods	$23,569	$11.33	7
   17	SITKA Gear	$23,559	$11.33
   18	BJ's Restaurants	$23,527	$11.31

4. Writing a seafood processor job description

   A job description for a seafood processor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a seafood processor job description:

   Seafood processor job description example

   • 18+ years old.
   • Authorized to work in the U.S.
     • Perform physical, standing work for up to 12 hours per day, seven days per week.
     • Process, touch, and be in proximity of seafood products.
     • Work in cold, wet, loud plants with strong seafood odors.
     • Work safely around moving machinery, forklifts, vehicles, and elevated walkways.
     • Use hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders repetitively.
     • Safely lift up to 50 pounds.
     • Possess visual acuity and tactile dexterity to perform processing tasks.
     • Demonstrate prompt and reliable attendance.
     • Follow verbal and/or written directions.
     • Physically evacuate the area in a swift manner in case of an emergency.
   • Willing to work with a culturally diverse workforce.

   Company DescriptionMonroe Staffing, a division of Staffing 360 Solutions, has been servicing companies for 50 years. Our clients range from Fortune 100 to new start-up organizations. We work with job seekers in an equally broad range within the light industrial sector. With offices throughout the Northeast and our newest offices in North and South Carolina, we make it our business to know the local employment markets and our clients’ industries. Monroe Staffing provides a broad range of employment services and best practices approach. From last-minute fill-ins to long-term strategic staffing plans; from a single high-level executive placement to a project team of specialists, we’ve developed effective strategies for finding and screening the most qualified staff based on our clients’ needs. For larger staffing projects, Monroe Staffing offers both vendor on-site and partial on-site solutions.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find seafood 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 seafood processor job on Zippia to find and recruit seafood processor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit seafood processors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   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 seafood processor

   Once you've found the seafood 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new seafood processor. 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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How much does it cost to hire a seafood processor?