The schedule is harsh. You will work 12 hour shifts. Rotating between days and nights. You will be on-call 2-4 days per month. Cargill does not shut down for holidays. You can expect to work Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day etc. You will be salaried. You don't get paid extra for working holidays. There is no overtime.
It is a dificult working environment. It is fast paced and stressful. The plant runs on steam. You will experience high temperatures and humidity like never before. You will get good at climbing steep
metal stairs. If you think it smells bad from the outside, the inside smells are much worse:fermenting corn, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter. You will also test waste water which is code for sewage. You will be offered a hepatitis vacine. You will also walk on slippery floors. You will get samples in the rain and snow and freezing conditions.The plant is 50 years old. It has numerous environmental violations exceeding waste water permit limits and accidental discharge of material to waterways.
Much of the stress and extra work is due to a lack of accoutability. The plant is union. There are operators that are only there to get a check. They do a very poor job but they can't be fired.
Cargill does not get the best recruits in the lab either. You may find the person you relieve has no critical thinking skills. You may wonder how this person got a Science degree.
You will be viewed as an expense, not an asset and corporate is constantly trying to eliminate expenses.
