This Yogurt Maker job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as Yoghurt Maker, Yogurt Production Operative, Fermented Products Operator or Yogurt Process Operator. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.
| Job title | Yogurt Maker |
| Also known as | Yoghurt Maker, Yogurt Production Operative, Fermented Products Operator, Yogurt Process Operator |
| Department | Dairy processing |
| Reports to | Production Supervisor |
| Direct reports | None |
What does a Yogurt Maker do?
Makes set and stirred yogurt to recipe and specification. Standardises and heat-treats the milk, adds cultures, controls incubation and cooling, and runs filling with fruit and other ingredients. Keeps accurate records and high hygiene standards on every batch.
Yogurt Maker duties and responsibilities
Milk preparation and heat treatment
- Standardise milk to target fat and protein using cream, skim milk or milk powder
- Blend powders and stabilisers into the milk without lumps using the mixing system
- Run heat treatment and homogenisation to the set temperatures, pressures and holding times
- Check heat treatment charts and flow diversion at every start-up
Culturing, incubation and cooling
- Prepare and add starter cultures at the correct dose and temperature
- Control incubation temperature for set yogurt in pots and stirred yogurt in tanks
- Monitor pH and acidity and stop fermentation at the target pH
- Break and cool the curd gently for stirred yogurt to protect texture
- Move set yogurt to cooling at the target pH without disturbing the set
Fruit addition and filling
- Dose fruit preparations and flavours at the correct ratio and check for even mixing
- Set up and run filling and sealing machines and check fill weights
- Check lids, seals, date codes and labels on every run
- Carry out allergen changeovers and line clearance between products
Quality and records
- Record batch details, temperatures, pH readings and ingredient lot numbers
- Take samples for laboratory testing and taste checks
- Identify faults such as whey separation, weak body or off flavours and report them
- Hold and report any product that is out of specification
Hygiene and safety
- Follow hygiene, clothing and hand washing rules at all times
- Run or check CIP of tanks, lines and fillers and keep cleaning records
- Keep filling areas clean to prevent yeast and mould contamination
- Report accidents, near misses and hazards straight away
Yogurt Maker qualifications and experience
Essential
- Experience making yogurt or other fermented dairy products, or a dairy or food apprenticeship or craft qualification
- Understanding of how cultures, temperature and time affect fermentation
- Good number skills for weighing, dosing and recording results
- Ability to follow recipes and procedures exactly
- Willingness to work shifts, including nights and weekends
- Good attendance and timekeeping
Desirable
- Food hygiene certificate
- Experience with pasteurisers, homogenisers and CIP systems
- Experience running cup filling and sealing machines
- Basic knowledge of HACCP and allergen control
Skills and attributes
- Attention to detail
- Accurate record keeping
- Good timing across each stage of the process
- Problem solving on texture and fermentation faults
- Mechanical awareness
- Teamwork
- Commitment to food safety
How success is measured
- Yogurt meets pH, texture and quality specification
- Fill weights and labelling right first time
- Ingredient and product waste within target
- Complete and accurate batch records
- Hygiene audits and swab results passed
- No accidents or injuries
Working conditions and safety
Shift work, which may include nights and weekends. Process and filling areas are wet and cold stores are chilled; the work involves standing, repeated movements and handling ingredients and cases, and PPE is provided.
- Follow health and safety rules and safe systems of work, and wear the correct PPE
- Follow food safety, hygiene, HACCP and quality procedures at all times
- Report hazards, accidents, near misses and concerns promptly
Yogurt Maker interview questions
Use these questions to assess candidates for a Yogurt Maker role. Each one includes what a good answer shows.
- What is the difference between making set yogurt and stirred yogurt?
What a good answer shows: Set yogurt ferments in the pot; stirred ferments in a tank, then is broken, cooled and filled. Mentions careful handling for both. - Why is yogurt milk given a higher heat treatment than drinking milk?
What a good answer shows: Changes whey proteins for firmer body and less whey separation, and removes competing bacteria so the culture grows well. - How do you decide when to stop incubation?
What a good answer shows: Follows pH against the target, typically around pH 4.6, cools promptly, and knows late cooling gives sour, over-acid yogurt. - How do you fortify milk with powder without causing lumps or texture faults?
What a good answer shows: Uses the mixer correctly, adds powder steadily, allows time to hydrate, checks solids and filters before heat treatment. - Stirred yogurt is coming out thin with whey on top. How would you find the cause?
What a good answer shows: Checks solids, heat treatment, culture activity, pH at breaking, cooling and pump shear; changes one thing and records it. - Fermentation in one tank is running two hours slow. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Checks temperature, culture dose and batch, possible antibiotic residues or phage, tells the supervisor and holds product until cleared. - How do you control allergens when changing from a nut fruit preparation to a plain product?
What a good answer shows: Follows the changeover procedure: full clean, line clearance, correct labels and a signed check before starting the next product. - Why are yeasts and moulds a particular risk in yogurt, and how do you control them?
What a good answer shows: Acidity stops many bacteria but not yeasts and moulds; controls them through clean fillers, clean air, good seals and ingredient checks. - How do you make sure your batch records are accurate on a busy shift?
What a good answer shows: Records readings at the time, double checks key figures, asks rather than guesses, and knows records support product release. - How do you work with the filling team when the process side is running late?
What a good answer shows: Tells them early, agrees priorities with the supervisor, helps where possible and keeps quality checks in place under pressure.
Hiring a Yogurt Maker? Advertise your vacancy on Dairy Jobs and reach a combined network of over 250,000 dairy professionals worldwide, or ask our team about recruitment support. Looking for a Yogurt Maker job? Browse live dairy jobs or create a free job alert.
Related dairy job descriptions
- Dairy Operations Director
- Dairy Factory Manager
- Dairy Senior Production Manager
- Milk Powder Process Manager
- Dairy Packing Manager
- All dairy job descriptions
Frequently asked questions
Makes set and stirred yogurt to recipe and specification. Standardises and heat-treats the milk, adds cultures, controls incubation and cooling, and runs filling with fruit and other ingredients. Keeps accurate records and high hygiene standards on every batch.
Employers usually look for: experience making yogurt or other fermented dairy products, or a dairy or food apprenticeship or craft qualification; understanding of how cultures, temperature and time affect fermentation; good number skills for weighing, dosing and recording results.
A Yogurt Maker usually reports to the Production Supervisor.
Yes. Download the free Word template, add your location, contract and salary details, and adapt the duties to your site. You can then advertise the role on Dairy Jobs.
© 2026 Dairy Jobs (Specialist Recruiters Ltd). You may adapt this job description for your own vacancies. Please do not republish it.