About the position
As a Pellet Mill Operator at Drax, you will play a crucial role in our mission towards a zero-carbon, sustainable future. This position requires a hands-on approach and a commitment to teamwork and adaptability in a fast-paced environment. Your primary responsibility will be to provide cleanup support and assistance throughout the plant, ensuring that production teams can meet their targets while maintaining high safety standards. You will be actively involved in monitoring the operation of pellet mills, hammer mills, and related equipment, anticipating and solving problems as they arise, and identifying opportunities for improvement. In this role, you will follow standard operating procedures for all operator areas, including start-up, shutdown, and normal operations. You will ensure that safety and housekeeping standards are upheld, perform basic maintenance on equipment, and demonstrate a commitment to safe working practices. Your ability to solve problems quickly and logically will be essential, as will your capacity to communicate effectively within your business unit and with external stakeholders. You will be responsible for completing logs and records related to plant checks and will cover other positions as necessary to meet business needs. Flexibility in working hours, including the willingness to work unscheduled overtime, weekends, and holidays, is a requirement of this role. Additionally, you will operate equipment to regulate systems, inspect machinery for damage or mechanical issues, and record operational data such as readings on meters and gauges. The role demands physical stamina, as you will be performing repetitive and physically demanding tasks, including lifting, walking, and working at heights. Understanding risk and following detailed Job Risk Assessments (JRA) and Task Risk Assessments (TRA) to avoid hazards is critical to your success in this position.
Responsibilities
- Constantly review the operation of pellet mills, hammer mills, and related equipment to monitor production and quality.
- Follow standard operating instructions and procedures for all operator areas including start-up, shutdown, and normal operations.
- Ensure standards of safety and housekeeping are maintained throughout the plant.
- Perform basic maintenance to keep equipment in clean, good working order.
- Demonstrate a commitment to safe working practices and behaviors.
- Solve problems safely, logically, quickly, and confidently.
- Work flexibly within competence and provide effective communication within and external to the business unit.
- Complete logs and records to document plant checks and operational data.
- Cover other positions as necessary to meet business needs.
- Willingness to work flexible hours including unscheduled overtime, weekends, and holidays.
- Operate equipment to start, stop, or regulate systems as needed.
- Inspect equipment, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems.
- Record or report operational data such as readings on meters, instruments, and gauges.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent required.
- Minimum of 3-5 years of industrial experience.
- Ability to adapt to working within a team or lone working environment with minimal supervision.
- Responsible for meeting Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE), quality, and production targets.
- Perform quality control inspections and complete appropriate paperwork.
- Maintain and adjust equipment to maximize production, minimize downtime, and maintain quality standards.
- Must have a professional attitude and work well with others.
- Promote a safe working environment and follow all workplace and job safety procedures.
- Perform and coordinate good housekeeping in the facility.
- Must have the competency to learn and become certified to operate mobile equipment.
