Processing Plant Associate

About Vitacore:Vitacore was founded in 2020 with a mission to strengthen Canada's domestic manufacturing capabilities during a critical time of need. But our vision has always been bigger than any single challenge. We believe innovation happens when talented people are empowered to think differently. Today, we are a multidisciplinary innovation company focused on developing technologies that improve lives and create a more sustainable future. Our work spans advanced manufacturing, environmental sustainability, life sciences, and deep-tech innovation, where we are transforming bold ideas into real-world solutions with global impact. Joining Vitacore means becoming part of a team that moves quickly, embraces challenges, and is passionate about solving meaningful problems. If you're looking for an opportunity to do impactful work, collaborate with exceptional people, and help build the future, we would love to hear from you.
About the Role:
Vitacore is seeking a dependable, physically capable, and safety-conscious Processing Plant Operator to join our Ontario operations team.
This is a fast-paced, hands-on battery processing and general labour position. The majority of the workday will be spent standing and actively working on battery sorting and processing lines.
Employees will work at sorting tables connected to conveyors, processing large volumes of batteries into Gaylords, drums, and other designated containers. The role requires strong attention to detail, quick learning, good memory retention, and the ability to consistently identify and separate different battery types, manufacturers, materials, and anomalies.
This is not a seated position. Employees should expect to remain on their feet and physically active throughout the entire shift.
The successful candidate must be comfortable performing repetitive physical work, moving between workstations, handling drums and containers, lifting materials manually, wearing required PPE, and working in an industrial battery-processing environment.
Responsibilities include:Battery Sorting and Processing:

• Work directly on high-volume battery sorting and processing lines.
• ort batteries according to type, manufacturer, chemistry, category, and established processing requirements.
• Quickly learn and retain different battery classifications, manufacturers, packaging types, and sorting requirements.
• Identify anomalies, specialty batteries, damaged products, incorrect materials, and other items that must be removed from the main processing stream.
• Separate designated materials into buckets, drums, bins, Gaylords, or other appropriate containers.
• Empty smaller collection containers into designated drums or larger containers as required.
• Maintain a strong level of concentration and accuracy while processing repetitive material at a consistent pace.
• Monitor material moving across sorting tables and conveyors.
• Move between workstations and production lines as operational requirements change.
• Assist with maintaining continuous material flow throughout the processing operation.
• Help remove full drums, Gaylords, bins, or other containers and replace them with empty containers.
• Work closely with supervisors, forklift operators, and other production employees to maintain efficient workflow.
• Identify and report damaged batteries, leaking materials, incorrect classifications, unusual products, or other safety and processing concerns.

Physical and General Labour Responsibilities:

• This position is first and foremost a hands-on processing and general labour role.

Employees must be prepared to:

• Stand and walk for the entire shift.
• Perform repetitive physical work throughout the workday.
• Regularly bend, reach, push, pull, lift, carry, and reposition materials.
• Repeatedly lift and move materials weighing up to 50–70 lbs.
• Manually move drums, buckets, containers, bins, pallets, and other materials.
• Assist with placing drums and containers onto pallets.
• Assist with palletizing, labelling, shrink-wrapping, staging, and preparing materials.
• Move items manually when mechanical equipment is not required or immediately available.
• Assist with moving or repositioning awkward materials when necessary.
• Transition between different work areas and physical tasks throughout the shift.
• Work at a consistent pace while maintaining safety and accuracy.
• Forklifts, pallet jacks, and other material-handling equipment are available to assist with heavier movements; however, manual material handling remains an essential part of the position.

Additional Plant Duties:When not actively working on the battery processing lines, employees may also be required to assist with other operational tasks, including:

• Loading and unloading containers.
• Assisting with incoming and outgoing shipments.
• Supporting basic shipping and receiving activities.
• Verifying basic shipment information and documentation.
• Staging drums, Gaylords, pallets, bins, and other materials.
• Preparing materials for storage, processing, or shipment.
• Moving materials using manual or electric pallet jacks where trained and authorized.
• Assisting with general warehouse and plant duties.
• Keeping processing, warehouse, staging, and loading areas clean and organized.
• Supporting supervisors, forklift operators, and other employees wherever operational assistance is required.
• Complex shipping, receiving, or inventory decisions will continue to be supported by supervisors, management, and designated forklift leads.

Work Environment and Safety:Candidates should understand that this is an industrial battery-processing and recycling environment. Batteries and associated materials may be used, dirty, dusty, damaged, or have noticeable industrial odours. Employees may also encounter leaking batteries or potentially acidic or corrosive materials. For this reason, safety awareness and consistent use of required personal protective equipment are essential.
Employees must:

• Follow all established battery-handling, environmental, health, and safety procedures.
• Immediately report spills, leaks, damaged batteries, unsafe materials, or equipment concerns.

• Maintain awareness of surrounding employees, conveyors, machinery, drums, Gaylords, and material-handling equipment.
• Follow all instructions relating to the handling and segregation of damaged or unusual batteries.
• Keep work areas clean and organized to reduce hazards.

Personal Protective Equipment:Required PPE may include:

• Protective gloves.
• Safety goggles or other approved eye protection.
• Protective apron or bib.
• Safety footwear.
• Additional task-specific protective equipment as required.
• Masks or respiratory protection where required under site procedures.
• Employees must be comfortable wearing required PPE for extended periods while performing physical work.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Previous experience in manufacturing, recycling, warehousing, processing, production, or another industrial environment is preferred.
• Comfortable performing repetitive physical work throughout an entire shift.
• Ability to remain standing and physically active for the full workday.
• Ability to repeatedly lift and move materials weighing up to 70 lbs.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify differences between similar products and materials.
• Strong memory retention and ability to quickly learn battery manufacturers, categories, and sorting requirements.
• Ability to maintain concentration while performing repetitive tasks at a fast pace.
• Comfortable working with used batteries, industrial materials, dirt, dust, odours, and potentially leaking or corrosive products.
• Ability to move efficiently between different workstations and responsibilities.
• Ability to multitask and respond to changing production requirements.
• Mechanically inclined and able to identify basic equipment or process issues.
• Able to follow detailed procedures, work instructions, and safety requirements.

• Experience using pallet jacks or other material-handling equipment is an asset.
• Reliable, punctual, adaptable, and safety-conscious.
• Able to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Willing to assist wherever operational support is required.

Compensation:

• $25 per hour.
• Health & Dental benefits.
• 2 weeks paid vacation.
• Tuition Assistance Program.

If you are interested in joining our team, please send your resume and your salary expectation to [email protected] with the subject line of “Processing Plant Associate (ON) – Application”. We look forward to hearing from you soon.