1st shift Cheese Tsar – Warehouse Associate

We’re The Cheese People of Grand Rapids. Our warehouse is where our specialty cheese is received, cared for, processed, packed, and prepared for customers and daily farmers markets. This role is one of two core warehouse positions, Cheese Tsar and Cheese Mongers, and works directly with the owner and one other team member.

This is a small, owner-led environment. Most days, you’ll work independently or alongside one other person, communicating with the owner as needed. You’ll be trusted to manage your time, stay on task, and do the work without constant supervision.

You’ll be trained thoroughly in how we handle and care for our specialty cheese, including cutting, wrapping, labeling, storage, and quality standards. We’re looking for someone coachable and curious, not someone who already knows everything. As you grow in the role, you’ll gain more autonomy and responsibility.

The work itself is hands-on and detail oriented. You’ll be shipping and fulfilling specialty cheese orders, processing and cutting cheese with care, organizing and maintaining cheese inventory in the warehouse and cooler, and packing coolers with specialty cheese for daily farmers markets. Keeping your workspace clean, organized, and food-safe is part of the job, along with occasional light customer interaction such as order pickups or answering basic questions about cheese.

The work is steady and detail oriented. Quality matters more than speed. Doing things right the first time matters here.

What you’ll be doing:

This role is physically active. You’ll be on your feet for much of the day and will regularly lift and move boxes, coolers, and cheese. Some items may exceed 50 pounds, and you’ll be expected to lift safely and ask for help when appropriate.

• Shipping and fulfilling specialty cheese orders
• Processing, cutting, wrapping, and labeling cheese
• Organizing and maintaining cheese inventory in the warehouse and cooler
• Packing coolers with cheese for daily farmers markets
• Keeping your workspace clean, organized, and food-safe
• Occasional light customer interaction, such as order pickups or basic questions
• Occasional driving for cheese-related runs. A valid driver’s license and a clean driving record are required
• Troubleshooting small issues and escalating appropriately when needed

This role is a great fit for someone who:

• Is excited to work with our specialty cheese
• Works well independently or with one other person
• Manages their own time and stays on task without supervision
• Is methodical, organized, and detail oriented
• Values accuracy and quality over speed
• Communicates clearly and takes ownership of their work
• Brings a positive attitude and aligns with our mission to spread joy through great cheese

This role is not a good fit for someone who:

• Needs a large team environment
• Requires constant supervision once trained
• Struggles to work independently or stay focused
• Cuts corners or prioritizes speed over care
• Is chronically late, avoids ownership, or resists feedback

Schedule and compensation:
This is a year-round, part-time role averaging about 30 hours per week, with generally consistent hours and some seasonal variation.

Compensation is competitive and based on experience, reliability, and skill set, with room to grow over time.

If you enjoy working with specialty food, take pride in careful, behind-the-scenes work, and want to be part of a small, well-run operation, we’d love to hear from you.

Application questions:

1. How do you stay focused and consistent during repetitive, detail-oriented work?
2. Tell us about a time organization really mattered in your work.
3. What does doing the job right even when no one is watching mean to you?
4. Describe a time you had to problem-solve on the fly. What did you do and what happened?
5. If you could spend a day with any famous person (living, dead, comic, fantasy), who would it be and why? What would you do together in Michigan?

We will begin reviewing candidates for this position February 23^rd. Please send your resume and answer to the questions to [email protected].

Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you!