| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Agriculture and Food Processing |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Dairy Plant Supervisor |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 1 to 3 years on a dairy plant floor |
Dairy Technician job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Dairy Technician
Department: Agriculture and Food Processing
Reports to: Dairy Plant Supervisor
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Dairy Technician operates and maintains the equipment on a dairy processing line, from reception and pasteurisation to packing. The role reports to the Dairy Plant Supervisor. A good dairy technician runs the line equipment correctly, keeps it clean and in good order, does the milk and product tests at set points, spots and fixes small faults fast, follows hygiene and food safety steps, keeps output and quality steady on the shift, and keeps the processing line running so the plant meets its production plan without breakdowns or quality slips.
Key responsibilities
- Operate dairy line equipment for reception, pasteurisation, processing and packing.
- Clean and sanitise equipment and lines following the cleaning schedule.
- Carry out milk and product tests at set points on the line.
- Spot and fix small faults and stoppages to keep the line running.
- Follow hygiene and food safety steps at every stage of the shift.
- Set and monitor process parameters such as temperature and flow.
- Support the supervisor in keeping shift output and quality steady.
- Do basic preventive maintenance on the line equipment on schedule.
- Record process readings, tests and downtime on the shift.
- Handle product and packaging material carefully to avoid loss.
Requirements
- ITI or diploma in dairy, food or mechanical trade
- Knowledge of dairy processing and hygiene
- Hands on plant experience is an advantage
- 1 to 3 years on a dairy plant floor
KRAs and KPIs for a Dairy Technician
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Equipment uptime | Line equipment downtime on the shift kept below the agreed level |
| Output | Shift output run against the plan above the agreed level |
| Quality tests | Milk and product tests done at set points without misses |
| Hygiene | Cleaning and hygiene steps completed on the shift without gaps |
| Process control | Process parameters held within range above the agreed level |
| Records | Process and test records kept accurate above the agreed level |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Processing line equipment, Milk testing kits, Cleaning systems, Hand tools, Shift log tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Dairy Plant Supervisor, Maintenance Technician, Quality Analyst
Interview questions for a Dairy Technician
- How do you operate and monitor a pasteurisation line?
- How do you clean and sanitise equipment between runs?
- How do you carry out milk and product tests on the line?
- How do you handle a small line fault to avoid a long stoppage?
- How do you hold process temperature and flow within range?
- How do you follow hygiene rules through a full shift?
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What does a Dairy Technician do?
A Dairy Technician operates and maintains the equipment on a dairy processing line, from reception and pasteurisation to packing. They run the line, clean and sanitise it, do milk and product tests, fix small faults and follow hygiene steps, keeping the line running so the plant meets its production plan.
What is the difference between a Dairy Technician and a Dairy Plant Supervisor?
A Dairy Technician operates the line equipment and does the hands on running, cleaning and testing. A Dairy Plant Supervisor runs the whole shift or section, allocating the crew and answering for output, quality and hygiene. The technician operates; the supervisor oversees the shift.
What qualifications does a Dairy Technician need?
Most roles ask for an ITI or diploma in a dairy, food or mechanical trade with knowledge of dairy processing and hygiene, and hands on plant experience helps. Employers value equipment operation, cleaning and testing skills and the reliability to hold quality and hygiene through a full shift.