Incubation & Chick Quality Specialist

Job Description Summary:

The Incubation & Chick Quality Specialist role exists to safeguard and strengthen one of the most critical stages of our supply chain - transforming fertile eggs into healthy, high-quality chicks that thrive on customer farms. This position combines technical incubation expertise with hands-on chick quality oversight, ensuring that every stage, from egg setting and hatchery processes, to chick delivery and on-farm placement, meets the highest standards of performance, welfare, and customer satisfaction.

Job Description:

By focusing first on incubation management, the role drives consistency and efficiency within the hatchery, directly supporting our targets for hatchability and HE utilization. Through its chick quality oversight and placement support, it extends beyond the hatchery to reinforce customer confidence and strengthen relationships at the farm level.

In addition, this role provides backup support to the Quality Assurance Coordinator, ensuring continuity of compliance and quality systems at BOH and NYH.

The position would also be an excellent development pathway for early-career professionals. By working closely with the Hatchery Specialist Team, attending Hatchery School, and engaging with industry partners such as Jamesway, the Incubation & Chick Quality Specialist will gain the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to become a future leader in incubation and hatchery operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Incubation Management- Monitor and optimize incubation parameters (temperature, humidity, ventilation, turning). Conduct routine checks, troubleshoot deviations, and support hatchery staff training.
• Chick Quality Oversight- Evaluate chick quality at hatch and on-farm placement (navel condition, uniformity, crop fill, water intake, activity). Report findings to hatchery, QA, and Technical teams.
• Delivery & Placement Protocols (CQR)- Ensure correct delivery conditions (truck environment, timing, paperwork) and verify that protocols are followed at customer sites.
• Customer Placement Support (CQR) - Attend chick placements, provide feedback directly to customers, and reinforce confidence in chick quality and welfare.
• QA Support- Provide backup for QA Coordinator in audits, compliance checks, and corrective action tracking when required. Provide QA back up during periods of PTO, sickness, time away from the hatchery.

First-Year Roadmap

• 0-90 Days: Learning & Foundation
• 3-6 Months: Applied Responsbility
• 6-12 Months: Independent Contribution & Growth

Benefits: Aviagen provides a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the healthcare and financial well-being of our employees. Aviagen offers medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Long-Term Disability coverage, subject to the terms and conditions of Plan documents. Additionally, you will be eligible for company observed paid Holidays and Paid Time Off (PTO) prorated based on your hire date.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.