Corporate Ergonomics Manager
Wayne Farms · Oakwood
Job Summary: The Corporate Manager of Ergonomics leads and advances the company’s enterprise-wide ergonomics strategy across poultry processing, prepared foods, hatchery, feed mill, distribution, and support operations. The role develops and implements programs that identify, assess, and reduce musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risks, improve employee well-being, and support operational excellence.
This position partners with Operations, Occupational Health, Engineering, Maintenance, Human Resources, and Safety leaders to deliver sustainable ergonomic solutions. The manager champions a proactive, data-driven approach focused on fitting the job to the worker through workplace design, process improvement, training, early intervention, and risk reduction.
Job Responsibilities:
Program Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Develop, implement, and maintain the company’s enterprise ergonomics strategy, standards, policies, procedures, and technical guidance.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives that reduce ergonomic risk factors and strengthen prevention practices across all facilities.
- Serve as the company subject matter expert for ergonomics, human factors, biomechanics, and MSD prevention.
- Monitor emerging ergonomic technologies, industry practices, and applicable regulatory developments.
- Partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, Occupational Health, Human Resources, and Safety to implement practical and sustainable controls.
- Coordinate with external consultants or technical resources when specialized analysis is required.
Risk Assessment & Prevention
- Conduct and oversee ergonomic assessments of jobs, tasks, processes, equipment, tools, and workstations.
- Use recognized assessment methods, including the Ergonomic Job Measurement System (EJMS), NIOSH lifting principles, and other appropriate analytical tools.
- Partner with facility teams to identify high-risk jobs, prioritize corrective actions, and verify that controls are effective and sustained.
- Evaluate new equipment, automation projects, process changes, and facility designs to ensure ergonomic considerations are incorporated before implementation.
- Promote the hierarchy of controls, with emphasis on feasible engineering solutions supported by appropriate administrative controls.
- Provide ergonomic input during equipment selection, capital planning, line redesign, facility modifications, and process improvement initiatives.
- Engage employees and frontline leaders in identifying exposures, testing solutions, and sustaining improvements.
MSD Reduction & Occupational Health Support
- Lead company initiatives focused on reducing musculoskeletal injuries and cumulative trauma disorders.
- Collaborate with Occupational Health professionals to support early symptom reporting, early intervention, medical management, return-to-work planning, and appropriate accommodations.
- Analyze injury, symptom, and exposure data to identify trends and target prevention priorities.
- Develop strategies for job rotation, workstation design, lifting practices, tool selection, repetitive-motion reduction, and non-routine task evaluation.
Training & Capability Building
- Develop and deliver ergonomics education for executives, operational leaders, supervisors, safety teams, nurses, engineers, maintenance personnel, and employees.
- Build facility capability to recognize risk factors, conduct assessments, recommend controls, and follow corrective actions through completion.
- Create practical awareness materials addressing proper work techniques, safe lifting, job rotation, tool use, posture, workstation setup, stretching and warm-up practices, and early symptom reporting.
- Coach site teams and facilitate cross-functional ergonomic improvement events.
Auditing, Analytics & Performance Measurement
- Develop and manage a consistent ergonomics auditing process across company facilities.
- Establish performance indicators and reporting systems for MSD trends, risk assessments, corrective-action closure, and control effectiveness.
- Prepare dashboards, executive summaries, and presentations that translate data into clear priorities and actions.
- Evaluate program effectiveness, identify systemic gaps, and recommend improvements based on audit findings and performance trends.
Experience:
- Five + years of progressive experience in ergonomics, occupational health, industrial engineering, safety, human factors, or a related field.
- Experience in poultry processing, food manufacturing, or another high-volume industrial environment strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated success implementing ergonomics or MSD-reduction programs across multiple facilities
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Strong knowledge of ergonomics principles, human factors, biomechanics, industrial work design, and MSD prevention.
- Working knowledge of OSHA requirements and recognized ergonomic practices for industrial operations.
- Ability to conduct ergonomic assessments and translate findings into practical engineering and administrative controls.
- Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret injury, exposure, and operational data.
- Excellent project management, facilitation, presentation, and written communication skills.
- Ability to influence leaders and teams without direct authority and lead change across geographically dispersed operations.
- Sound judgment and the ability to balance employee protection, operational feasibility, and business priorities
- Ability to walk production areas, observe work activities, and perform workstation and task evaluations.
- Ability to work periodically in hot, cold, wet, noisy, and industrial production environments while following required safety and food-safety practices.
- Ability to travel frequently to company facilities, estimated at 50–70%, based on business needs.
- Ability to work flexible schedules when assessments, training, or operational support require coverage outside normal business hours
Supervisor Responsibilities:
- None. This is an individual contributor role but may direct others throughout the organization apprising and recommending necessary improvements
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in ergonomics, occupational health, industrial engineering, safety, kinesiology, human factors, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or a related field; Masters degree preferred
- Certifications: Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) or Associate Ergonomics Professional (AEP). Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or related occupational health, human factors, or continuous improvement credential preferred
Work Environment: Office and Manufacturing Environments
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to typical risks of injury in an office environment.
- Duties include a typical office setting including extensive computer work, sitting or standing.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to typical risks of injury in an manufacturing environment.
- Duties include working in an environment that may be cold and humid or hot and dusty, may require standing for long periods of time, and may be noisy to decibles of 85db or higher requiring hearing protection.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Must adhere to the company’s Code of Conduct and all other policies.
Safety Requirements:
- Follows all departmental and company safety policies and programs.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Wayne-Sanderson does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, gender (sex), sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, citizenship status, a person’s veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law or executive order.