Hatchery Supervisor I
Aviagen · Blairsville
Job Description Summary:
The Hatchery Supervisor is responsible for the daily supervision and coordination of hatchery operations to ensure the safe, efficient, and humane production of high-quality poultry. Reporting to the Hatchery Manager, this position oversees all hatchery activities from the receipt of fertile eggs through hatch, vaccination, and the delivery of healthy day-old chicks to production farms. The Hatchery Supervisor provides leadership to hatchery personnel while promoting excellence in animal welfare, biosecurity, employee safety, quality assurance, and operational efficiency.This position serves as a working supervisor who actively participates in hatchery operations while leading, developing, and supporting employees to achieve production, quality, and animal welfare objectives.
Job Description:
Operational Leadership
- Supervise and coordinate the daily operations of the hatchery, ensuring production schedules and quality standards are consistently achieved.
- Oversee all hatchery processes, including:
- Receipt and storage of fertile eggs
- Egg washing, grading, and setting
- Candling and fertility monitoring
- Egg transfer
- Hatch operations
- Chick grading and quality evaluation
- Vaccination
- Packaging and shipment of day-old chicks
- Cleaning and sanitation activities
- Monitor hatchability, chick quality, fertility, and overall flock performance while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Ensure all hatchery operations comply with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), production schedules, and quality standards.
- Coordinate daily workflow to maximize efficiency while maintaining the highest standards of animal care and employee safety.
- Assist with troubleshooting operational issues and implementing corrective actions to minimize downtime and production losses.
Leadership & People Management
- Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and supervision to hatchery employees.
- Schedule work assignments and allocate labor resources to meet operational needs.
- Participate in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, training, performance management, employee development, disciplinary actions, and terminations in partnership with Human Resources and the Hatchery Manager.
- Foster a positive, respectful, and safety-focused work environment that promotes teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Conduct employee training on hatchery procedures, biosecurity protocols, animal welfare practices, and workplace safety.
- Evaluate employee performance and provide ongoing coaching and feedback.
Animal Welfare, Biosecurity & Compliance
- Promote and enforce the highest standards of poultry welfare throughout all hatchery operations.
- Ensure compliance with company Animal Welfare Standards, Biosecurity Programs, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) requirements, and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
- Monitor employee compliance with sanitation, personal protective equipment (PPE), and biosecurity procedures.
- Identify and immediately address any conditions that could negatively impact bird health, employee safety, or product quality.
- Maintain strict biosecurity practices to protect breeder flocks and hatchery operations.
Equipment & Facility Maintenance
- Monitor the proper operation, inspection, cleaning, and preventative maintenance of hatchery equipment.
- Perform basic mechanical troubleshooting and minor repairs when appropriate.
- Coordinate maintenance requests with maintenance personnel to minimize operational disruptions.
- Ensure hatchery facilities remain clean, organized, and operating efficiently.
Reporting & Quality Assurance
- Prepare and maintain accurate operational reports including production, receiving, shipping, hatchability, fertility, vaccination, sanitation, inventory, and other performance metrics.
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and communicate operational results to hatchery leadership.
- Collect and submit eggs, environmental swabs, air samples, and other materials for laboratory testing as required.
- Coordinate with laboratory personnel regarding sample collection procedures and test results.
- Maintain complete and accurate documentation in accordance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with breeder farms, production teams, veterinary staff, quality assurance, maintenance, transportation, and management to ensure seamless coordination throughout the production process.
- Communicate operational concerns, production issues, and improvement opportunities to the Hatchery Manager.
- Serve as acting Hatchery Manager during periods of absence.
- Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and operational planning.
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Poultry Science, Animal Science, Agriculture, Agribusiness, or a related field preferred. Equivalent combination of education and practical hatchery experience will be considered.
- Minimum of three (3) years of hatchery experience required.
- Previous supervisory or team leadership experience preferred.
- Demonstrated knowledge of hatchery operations, poultry production, animal husbandry, and biosecurity principles.
- Strong understanding of hatchery equipment, production systems, and preventative maintenance practices.
- Mechanical aptitude with the ability to troubleshoot equipment issues.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and production management software.
- Ability to analyze production data and prepare operational reports.
- Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to effectively prioritize multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced agricultural environment.
- Valid driver's license preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong leadership and employee development skills.
- Thorough understanding of poultry welfare principles and hatchery best practices.
- Ability to make sound operational decisions under changing production conditions.
- Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities.
- Ability to lead continuous improvement initiatives.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
- Ability to build collaborative working relationships across multiple departments.
- Commitment to safety, biosecurity, regulatory compliance, and ethical animal care.
Physical Requirements
- Frequently stand and walk throughout the hatchery during the workday.
- Frequently bend, stoop, kneel, squat, climb, reach, and twist.
- Lift, carry, push, and pull materials weighing up to 50 pounds.
- Perform repetitive hand and arm movements while handling eggs, chicks, equipment, and production materials.
- Work around live poultry, hatchery equipment, and moving machinery.
- Wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including hearing protection, eye protection, gloves, coveralls, hairnets, and safety footwear.
- Work in areas with varying temperatures, humidity levels, dust, feathers, and agricultural odors.
Working Conditions
This position is performed in a commercial poultry hatchery supporting breeder and live production operations.
Employees may regularly be exposed to:
- Live poultry, fertile eggs, and newly hatched chicks.
- Agricultural dust, feathers, dander, and hatchery-related odors.
- Cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, and sanitation products.
- Loud equipment requiring hearing protection.
- Wet, humid, and temperature-controlled environments.
- Strict biosecurity requirements designed to protect flock health.
The Hatchery Supervisor participates in an on-call rotation and may be required to work weekends, holidays, overtime, or respond to after-hours alarms based on production schedules and business needs.