Banana Ripener

Monitor the handling and ripening banana processes, conduct quality inspections, review ripening cycles, and banana handling, to comply with customers’ expectations.
- Schedule a hybrid ripening cycle based on a 6-day conditioning process, monitoring all processes, to comply with customers’ requirements.
- Conduct required inbound inspections to ensure Dole fruit meets specific customer criteria, advise disposition of fruit accordingly prior to ripening process.
- Coordinate 3rd party labor regarding handling inbound fruit and loading ripening rooms, according to the established SOPs, to maintain an adequate inventory and comply with ripening schedules and procedures.
- Perform two daily inspections for ripened fruit, document ripening progress, and use judgment towards accurate ripening room adjustments based on inspections.
- Communicate daily banana color and available quantities to the customer.
- Responsible for the quality of the ripening in accordance with customer requirements for color and temperature. Has some sales and customer support functions. Work with customer QA personnel to evaluate outturn product to ensure customer specifications are met.
- Coordinate 3rd party labor for staging fruit to be outturn, ensure that fruit is available and outturned in a timely manner for customer order assembly.
- Generate and maintain all Bill of Lading and Invoice documentation related to the customer program.
- Complete daily inventory reporting and assist with reconciliation as needed.
- Conduct weekly retail phone surveys of customer Produce Managers, maintain a documented file and develop / communicate solution paths for identified issues.
- Conduct required ripening room inspections related to the ripening process, such as assessing airflow, ventilation, humidity, temperature, etc., maintain a documented sanitation and preventative maintenance program, and communicate reports daily to ensure ripening rooms are running efficiently and complying with the established quality standards.
- ** Other Duties and Responsibilities**
- Perform work outside of normal working hours as needed and required; perform other projects as needed and assigned by the Ripening Manager.
- Provide banana ripening training to internal Dole employees and external customers.
- Conduct research and development tests in North America to support company cost saving and program improvement initiatives.
- Travel to support other Dole facilities/operations as needed.

**Required Skills**:
**Required Skills**:

- Proficiency in Microsoft Programs - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams
- Excellent Communication Skills - Oral and Written
- Understanding of mathematics and basic science concepts in chemistry and biology

**Competencies**
- Functional Expertise - has developed skills in a range of processes or procedures to carry out assigned tasks.
- Business Acumen -understand how the assigned duties relate to others in the team and how the team integrates with others, including colleagues and customers.
- Problem Solving -analyze information, recognize, and solve typical problems that can occur in own work area with supervisory approval.
- Leadership -take responsibility and lead in absence of the manager.
- Impact -impact the quality of own work, meeting deadlines and taking action.
- Interpersonal Skills/Influence/Teamwork -use effective communication skills to exchange information.

Required Experience
**Required education/**Experience**
- High School Diploma or GED.
- And/or 2 years, experience performing the above functions including, banana ripening/conditioning, product quality standards, and ethylene producing products.

**Required Physical Abilities**
- Ability to lift and move 50lbs., sometimes overhead.
- Ability to stand for long periods of time.
- Stooping, bending, twisting, lifting, pulling, pushing, and reaching may be required in completion of job duties.
- Ability to work safely in a warehouse setting or field location, including working around heavy equipment, such as forklifts.
- Ability to work in cold environments. Occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid locations.
- Noise level is often loud.
- Exposure to food grade chemicals.
- Ability to work in high places and climb ladders.
- Banana rooms are long and narrow with only an opening in the front - incumbent must be able to perform some duties in confined spaces.
- Ability to determine and distinguish color variation.

**Preferred Experience**
- Fresh produce handling at retail or warehouse level.
- Microsoft D365
- Analysis, spreadsheet modeling and complication of large data sets. Advanced Excel.
- Bilingual French is a plus