Food Production Machine Operator

In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £4.25 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.

As a Food Production Machine Operator, you’ll be working as part of a small dedicated team of Partners responsible for processing and bottling over 6 million litres of milk per year for delivery direct to Waitrose distribution centres. You’ll fulfil a role in all operations throughout the Processing Dairy to the highest standards of hygiene, safety and efficiency so as to ensure the supply of highest quality milk that fully meets the specifications both legal and those agreed with WR Technology and Milk Buying.

• Correct operation of pasteurisation and bottle filling equipment.
• Be a senior figure on site responsible for correct recording of data, carrying out lab tests and records, site security opening up and closing down the site.
• Loading/dispatching where required.
• Intake of raw materials and processing correct volumes of milk (Lab testing for intake and positive release of finished milk).
• Record all required information in an appropriate and accurate manner.
• Manage the cold store ensuring product rotation, labelling, wrapping and pallet stacking or trolley loading is undertaken to required standards.
• Ensure working area is maintained to hygienic, tidy and safe standards.
• Dispatch, safe loading and unloading of vehicles.

About Leckford: Leckford is a 4,000-acre estate near Stockbridge, Hampshire. The estate was purchased in 1929 by John Spedan Lewis, founder of the John Lewis Partnership, and we have been farming it now for nearly 90 years. We are the Waitrose Farm and our produce is supplied to Waitrose stores across the country. The estate is diverse and our commercial businesses span property, food production, farming, retail and leisure activities. We care passionately about British farming and the environment and we practice 'The Waitrose Way' of healthy living, fair treatment, treading lightly on the environment and championing British produce.

What you’ll need: Food Hygiene experience.

What else could you bring? FLT certificate, Experience in machine operation (filling or Processing).

Additional Information:

Right to Work: Please note that we do not offer sponsorship for this position.

Hours: Due to the milk volumes fluctuating and certain seasonal changes, hours can vary. This is a full time role and the earliest start time is 05:00, and latest finish time is 00:00. We request that candidates only apply for this position if you can fully commit to the advertised working hours and the full term of the contract, or we will be unable to proceed with your application.

As a Partner, you will enjoy our unique benefits package, including staff discount, subsidised food in Partner dining rooms, discounts in local restaurants, subsidised learning, access to exclusive Partnership hotels and so much more.

Please consider the following when making your application:

• We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we recommend you apply early.
• Print off the job description now if you require it.
• Ensure you have an up-to-date CV.

Closing Date: June 23, 2026

Pay: £31,000.00 - £35,750.00 Annual

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours of Work: Full Time, 39 Hours, across seven days to include early starts, late finishes, evenings and weekends.

Job Level: Partnership Level 9

Where You'll Be Working: Leckford Estate, Leckford Estate Office, Leckford, Hampshire, SO20 6DA