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Note: If you apply for a role at Hershey through our career’s website, we may use technologies that use automation to filter your candidacy based on objective criteria. We also use AI-enabled tools that help us facilitate the selection of our future Hershey talent. These tools may help with activities such as matching and scoring candidates to roles based on requirements and scheduling interviews. These systems process only the information you provide in your application, including your resume, work history, education, and responses to screening questions. While these technologies assist with certain steps in our recruitment process and may provide recommendations, all final decisions, including those affecting whether candidates advance to subsequent stages in the applicant process, are made by our talent acquisition teams with meaningful human review and independent judgment. Depending on your location and the specific role you apply for, additional disclosures about our use of AI in recruitment may be provided to you separately.

Machine Operator - B shift - Lenexa, KS

Posted Date:  Sep 16, 2026
Requisition Number:  130396

Why Hershey:

At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey’s enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally—is part of how we do business every day.

Location: Lenexa, Kansas

We are mixing up something new in Lenexa, KS. This is an exciting time to join our team. We hold ourselves to the highest of quality standards. Each bag of Dot’s Pretzels tastes as if they were made straight from the home kitchen of Dot herself. Our foundation is built on relationships. We are family. We believe in our employees and lead by example. The Dot’s Pretzels brand has seen an enormous amount of growth, so we are looking for employees to become a part of our team in the Lenexa, KS location!

 

Pay:

  •  Starting at $23.25/hr
  •   Up to $1/hr pay increase after 6 months of good standing employment
  •  Overtime Potential!  

 

Total Rewards:

  •  Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, & Vision) Starting Day 1!
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan – with generous company match
  • Paid Time Off 
  • Referral Bonus of $500, when eligible 

 

 Shifts:

  • Day shifts available
  • 12-hour shifts: B shift -  1st week: Wed - Sat; 2nd week: Thurs - Sat, (5 am-5 pm)
  • The schedule assignment is determined by plant needs and confirmed during the interview.

 

 Candidate Process:

Please note-communications will be through phone, email and text. Ensure you have access to a valid email

  • Candidates are required to take and pass an online pre-hire assessment 
  • Qualified applicants will be contacted to schedule a phone screen.
  • Post-Offer Background Check required
  • Drug Screen required

 

Job Summary:

The primary responsibility of the Machine Operator is to ensure the proper operation of the automated mixing, baking, packaging, and palletizing equipment. Ensure material and finished product is meeting all quality standards while maintaining good practice in regard to safety, sanitation, and productivity. This individual must strive for continuous improvement of the equipment to maximize operating performance and minimize waste and downtime. This person also plays a critical role in the maintenance and upkeep of the equipment to report issues. The machine operator will also be known as the site expert on shift to maintain programs and train backups.

 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

  • Follow all FDA health and OSHA safety regulations
  • Create, maintain, update, and follow all machine SOPs and SSOPs to keep consistent quality
  • Support all standards of safety, quality, sanitation, and productivity
  • Complete all daily setup, changeover, and shutdown of equipment in a timely manner
  • Visually inspect product quality on a consistent basis
  • Recognize and pull inadequate products off the line
  • Continuously improving to maximize performance of the machine
  • Create and manage all machine program recipes and adjust as needed
  • Minimize equipment downtime and aim for high efficiency and speed of operation
  • Minimize waste in the areas of spillage or giveaway
  • Hit and exceed daily targets set forth
  • Maintain good documentation on traceability of the materials used and the product made
  • Communicate with teammates on the front end and back end of equipment to meet expectations
  • Assist with production line on the front end or back end whenever needed
  • Troubleshoot equipment issues and resolve for continuous operation with minimal downtime
  • See through the completion of necessary work orders to sustain the upkeep of the equipment
  • Ensure all safety precautions are taken with equipment operation and repair
  • Fill out all required paperwork in an accurate and timely manner
  • Ensure the area is clean and sanitized correctly and up to standard at the end of each shift
  • Act as shift expert on equipment and train future operators as backups
  • Other duties as assigned

 

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Minimum of 1- 2 years of experience working with automated machinery
  • Proven experience in troubleshooting machine programs or mechanical problems
  • Proven technical background and expertise
  • Ability to multitask and communicate effectively.

 

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

  • Ability to lift 45 pounds repetitively
  • Ability to bend, twist, and stand on your feet for an entire shift
  • Exposed to food production environment and warehouse environment which may involve noise and fluctuating temperatures.

 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by team members assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, qualifications or working conditions. 

 

 

 

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
 
The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.  

You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability.
You can request an accommodation via phone or email.  

To request an accommodation via phone, please call +1 877-804-1794 and leave a voicemail with your contact information.  You may also email a request for accommodation to ApplicationHelp@hersheys.com. Please be sure to include “Accommodation Needed” in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.

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