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.
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.
