Full-Time

Refrigeration Superintendent

Farmer Focus

Farmer Focus

201-500 employees

Produces organic chicken with farmer-owned model

Compensation Overview

$115k - $130k/yr

Harrisonburg, VA, USA

In Person

Travel between facilities may be required.

Bachelor's, Associate's

Category
Building Systems & HVAC (1)
Required Skills
HVAC
GMP

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Requirements
  • A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
  • Five or more years of industrial refrigeration experience is required.
  • CARO certification is required, or the ability to obtain it within six months of hire.
  • The ability to successfully complete Ammonia Technician Operator Level 1 and Level 2 is required.
  • Proven knowledge of refrigeration, high-pressure steam boilers, HVAC, controls, and the fundamentals of PSM/RMP is required.
  • Working knowledge of ammonia refrigeration systems is required.
  • The ability to lead and train refrigeration technicians in good engineering practices and recognized industry standards is required.
  • Written and verbal English proficiency is required.
  • The ability to read and interpret blueprints, schematics, maintenance manuals, procedures, repair documents, and other technical materials is required.
  • The ability to update and maintain control system P&IDs, SOPs, and preventive maintenance work orders is required.
  • The ability to work in a fast-paced environment where priorities change quickly is required.
  • Regular and reliable attendance is required.
  • The ability to work a flexible schedule and occasional overtime, including weekends, is required.
  • The ability to take initiative and proactively resolve issues independently is required.
  • The willingness to work outside in all weather conditions is required.
  • The ability to comply with all safety rules and instructions and perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation is required.
  • The selected candidate must pass a drug, alcohol, and background screening after the offer and before employment begins.
  • Employment eligibility verification must be documented by the end of the employee's third day of work.
  • The selected candidate must pass a fitness test, wear a full-face respirator, and remain clean shaven with no more than 24 hours of facial hair growth.
Responsibilities
  • Supervise, mentor, and lead the PSM Coordinator, Refrigeration Leads, and Refrigeration Technicians.
  • Support the safe operation, repair, maintenance, and reliability of ammonia refrigeration and Freon systems.
  • Rebuild, adjust, troubleshoot, and maintain refrigeration, boiler, compressed air, and related equipment.
  • Process and complete work orders accurately and promptly.
  • Maintain operational logs in accordance with company and regulatory requirements.
  • Receive or transfer ammonia in plant systems as qualified.
  • Perform routine maintenance on ammonia compressors, air compressors, ammonia liquid pumps, ammonia system controls, air system controls, air system drying equipment, and refrigeration system condensers.
  • Monitor equipment operation for excessive heat, vibration, noise, wear, hazards, or other signs of malfunction.
  • Report equipment malfunctions, hazards, wear, or unsafe conditions to the Refrigeration Manager.
  • Repair or replace defective parts to maintain safe and reliable system operation.
  • Apply technical skills and experience to solve routine and non-routine mechanical and process issues.
  • Perform preventive maintenance and repairs on compressors, condensers, evaporators, pumps, vessels, valves, and other ammonia refrigeration machinery.
  • Complete requisition forms to order parts and supplies and keep systems in good repair.
  • Check voltage, fuses, and resistance using a Volt-Ohm-Meter.
  • Interpret technical documents, including maintenance manuals, schematics, procedures, repair documents, blueprints, and related materials.
  • Update and maintain control system P&IDs, SOPs, and preventive maintenance work orders.
  • Lead and train refrigeration team members in good engineering practices and recognized industry standards.
  • Participate on the PSM and safety committee as required.
  • Serve as part of the Hazmat team as required.
  • Comply with safety rules and instructions and participate in company training and skill development programs.
  • Travel between facilities as needed to support refrigeration operations, meetings, maintenance needs, inspections, training, and team coverage.
Desired Qualifications
  • An associate or bachelor's degree is preferred.
  • Experience supervising a team of five or more team members is preferred.
  • CIRO certification is preferred.
  • Bilingual proficiency in Spanish, French, or another language is preferred.
  • A basic understanding of Lean principles is preferred.
  • Prior experience supervising refrigeration teams in a food processing, poultry processing, manufacturing, or production environment is preferred.
  • Experience supporting PSM/RMP compliance, audits, safety committees, Hazmat teams, or emergency response requirements is preferred.
  • Experience with ammonia refrigeration systems, Freon systems, boilers, compressed air systems, and related plant utilities is preferred.

Farmer Focus produces and sells organic chicken using a farmer-first model that centers farmers in the supply chain. Farmers own the chickens and manage their farms under organic standards, while Farmer Focus provides branding, support, and a shared supply chain. Unlike traditional poultry models where the company owns birds and farms, this approach aligns incentives around welfare, sustainability, and farmer autonomy. The goal is to expand access to organic chicken while improving farmer livelihoods, animal welfare, and environmental outcomes through a transparent, farmer-owned system.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Early VC

Total Funding

$35.2M

Headquarters

Harrisonburg, Virginia

Founded

2014

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • June 3, 2026 fully cooked launch reached Kroger, Fresh Direct, and Mom's Organic Market.
  • July 2026 board addition of Bill Schellpeper brings Tyson Smart Chicken operating discipline.
  • The fully cooked line won 2026 NEXTY recognition before hitting shelves.

What critics are saying

  • May 2026 whistleblower claims allege filtered wastewater samples and four HRRSA violations.
  • PETA alleged 50,000 pounds of George's chicken were resold, destroying traceability credibility.
  • If regulators or Kroger-level buyers reject claims, the premium brand collapses quickly.

What makes Farmer Focus unique

  • Independent farmers own flocks, preserving decentralized supply and stronger farm economics.
  • Farmer Focus sells USDA Organic, Certified Humane, and fully traceable chicken.
  • June 2026 fully cooked launch extends its farmer-first brand beyond fresh poultry.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Paid Vacation

Flexible Work Hours

Remote Work Options

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Wellness Program

Mental Health Support

Conference Attendance Budget

Professional Development Budget

Stock Options

Company Equity

Paid Holidays

Paid Sick Leave

Parental Leave

Family Planning Benefits

Fertility Treatment Support

Medical Insurance

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1%

1 year growth

3%

2 year growth

5%
Meat+Poultry
Jul 30th, 2026
Farmer Focus adds poultry veteran to board of directors.

Farmer Focus adds poultry veteran to board of directors. 07.30.2026 HARRISONBURG, VA. - Farmer Focus recently announced Bill Schellpeper would join the company's board of directors, starting in August 2026. Schellpeper's career spans more than 17 years as a leader in the poultry industry, previously working as president of Tyson Foods' Smart Chicken brand. In that role, he led the premium poultry brand's operations, sales, marketing and growth strategy. "For over a decade, Bill Schellpeper was one of the fiercest competitors we faced, a brilliant leader who ran the Smart Chicken brand with a relentless devotion to consumer needs and an uncompromising demand for product excellence," said Stephen Shepard, chief executive officer of Farmer Focus. "I have always deeply respected and looked up to him. Today, the game changed completely." Along with Farmer Focus, Schellpeper also serves on the board for Detroit Lakes, Minn.-based Friesen's Inc., an automation and processing systems business for food manufacturers. He also served as interim CEO from March to June 2026. "By bringing Bill onto the Farmer Focus board of directors, we aren't just gaining an industry titan with an intimate understanding of what consumers demand; we are combining forces to set a new standard for quality," Shepard said. "Our customers and consumers should take note: we just got stronger, faster and infinitely more formidable with absolute resolve to serve their needs." Get better meat and poultry industry search results. Adding Meat+Poultry tells Google to prioritize MEAT+POULTRY stories.

PR Newswire
Jul 29th, 2026
Former Smart Chicken president Bill Schellpeper joins Farmer Focus board

Farmer Focus has appointed Bill Schellpeper to its board of directors, effective August 2026. Schellpeper brings over 17 years of poultry industry experience, most recently serving as president of Smart Chicken, where he led the premium poultry brand's operations within Tyson Foods. "For over a decade, Bill Schellpeper was one of the fiercest competitors we faced," said Stephen Shepard, Farmer Focus CEO. "Today, the game changed completely." Schellpeper currently serves on the board of Friesen's Inc., where he also served as interim CEO from March to June 2026. He is co-founder of Dot Provisions LLC. Founded in 2014, Farmer Focus partners with over 120 independent farmers who retain flock ownership and follow rigorous humane and sustainability standards.

Mass Market Retailers
Jun 3rd, 2026
Farmer Focus expands nationally into fully cooked category with award-winning organic chicken line.

Farmer Focus expands nationally into fully cooked category with award-winning organic chicken line. The brand committed to keeping family farms thriving for generations brings fully cooked organic chicken to market without cutting corners June 3, 2026. 4:15 PM HARRISONBURG, Va. - Farmer Focus is expanding its portfolio with the launch of a new fully cooked chicken product line, marking its entry into the convenient ready-to-heat space. The lineup includes meatballs, skewers, and sausages, bringing the brand's industry-leading standards for organic, humane, traceable, and farmer-first poultry to fully cooked products. There is growing demand from consumers for convenience, 83% of consumers say time-saving meat and poultry options are important during the week (Power of Meat 2026). At the same time, more consumers are prioritizing better-for-you brands and products. Farmer Focus fully cooked items were developed to fill this need for convenience and quality. Farmer Focus is leading a new path forward, proving that fast doesn't have to mean cutting corners. Every product in the new lineup is USDA Certified Organic, Certified Humane, and traceable back to their family farming partners. The full product lineup includes: * Harissa & Honey Chicken Sausage: bold heat balanced with sweetness * Southwestern Style Cheddar Chicken Sausage: a smoky, savory crowd-pleaser * Parmesan & Herb Chicken Meatballs: as good as homemade * Grilled Mediterranean Style Chicken Skewers: fresh, flavorful and versatile All four products have chef-driven flavor profiles, butcher-quality texture, and are high in protein and low in fat. This offers consumers convenient, ready-to-heat options that they can still feel good about. Before it even hit shelves, the lineup earned recognition at the 2026 NEXTY Awards at Expo West, selected from more than 1,000 products for excellence in food innovation, integrity, and sustainability. Entering the fully cooked aisle isn't just a category expansion, it's a new opportunity to amplify the farmers who make this possible, carrying their story and their standards into more kitchens than ever before. Products are available with the following retail distribution: * Kroger Banners: Parmesan and Herb Chicken Meatballs and Grilled Mediterranean Style Chicken Skewers * Fresh Direct: Full lineup, including Harissa & Honey Chicken Sausage, Southwestern Style Cheddar Chicken Sausage, Parmesan & Herb Chicken Meatballs and Grilled Mediterranean Style Chicken Skewers * Mom's Organic Market: Southwestern Style Cheddar Chicken Sausage and Parmesan & Herb Chicken Meatballs This launch marks a defining chapter for Farmer Focus. It's proof that the values that define its fresh chicken can scale, and that convenience and integrity aren't mutually exclusive. It's Chicken for Good, made for real life.

PETA
May 28th, 2026
Whistleblower: company behind Farmer Focus chicken falsified wastewater samples, resold 50,000 lbs. of factory-farmed chicken.

Whistleblower: company behind Farmer Focus chicken falsified wastewater samples, resold 50,000 lbs. of factory-farmed chicken. Published May 28, 2026 by Sara Oliver. Chickens slaughtered and sold by Farmer Focus suffer as terribly as those raised and killed by every other chicken company; Farmer Focus just tries harder to hide it from consumers. PETA already blasted the company for its bogus "humane" claim and its dubious "traceability" claim - but now, a new whistleblower is saying the company's deception goes even deeper. A whistleblower exposed Farmer Focus for discharging high levels of pollutants in wastewater. A whistleblower complained to state officials, claiming that workers at the Harrisonburg slaughter plant filtered wastewater samples to reduce the amounts of harmful particles in them before submitting them to state authorities. A subsequent investigation by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Regional Sewer Authority (HRRSA) has resulted in four Notices of Violation this year alone for violations that include overly acidic wastewater and high levels of "total suspended solids," organic materials, and nitrogen in their sewer water, which eventually ends up in the North River, the Shenandoah River, and the Chesapeake Bay. In other words, the plant has consistently pumped out particles like chicken fat, grease, blood, feces, and more in amounts that are far beyond the allowed limits. These particles can harm public infrastructure and deplete oxygen in waterways, causing harm to aquatic life, and introduce pathogens like E. coli into the public wastewater system. Despite this, Farmer Focus continues to market the chicken flesh it sells as "sustainable." The HRRSA has increased their monitoring of the plant and has repeatedly found that their measurements of these disgusting, harmful particles are much higher than they are in the samples Farmer Focus has provided - lending credence to the whistleblower's claim that the company falsified samples. Farmer Focus brand owner purchased factory-farmed meat. According to two invoices, Shenandoah Valley Organic (d/b/a Farmer Focus) bought more than 50,000 pounds of chicken from massive producer, George's, Inc., and the whistleblower alleges the company resold the factory-farmed flesh. Farmer Focus has built its brand on - and commands premium pricing for - claims that it operates differently from conventional chicken flesh producers, and that it is not "associated with... any other companies." Sourcing chicken flesh from other producers flies in the face of Farmer Focus's claim that "[a]ll of [its] chickens are processed in USDA Organic facilities owned by Shenandoah Valley Organic, Home of Farmer Focus Organic Chicken in Harrisonburg, Virginia." Chickens raised at George's contract farms spend their lives confined to cramped indoor sheds, and their entire existence is not just unnatural, but utter misery of intensive confinement and deprivation. Chickens killed for their flesh suffer regardless of the label. Chickens are arguably the most abused animals on the planet. Every year, U.S. slaughterhouses kill more than 9 billion chickens, who are crammed onto trucks when they are only a few weeks old and experience a terror-filled journey to the slaughterhouse through all weather extremes, regardless of whether or not there is a "humane" label on their packaged flesh. * Conscious birds drowning in overfilled "stunning baths" * Birds still alert and struggling frantically as they approached an automated blade, resulting in gashes on their faces and bodies * Employees often botching the manual cutting of birds' throats * Many chickens were still alive and aware when their heads were pulled off George's slaughterhouses also have an appalling track record. Public records obtained by PETA reveal that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has repeatedly warned George's for incidents including a worker "forcefully" throwing a live chicken against a wall and running over another with a forklift, more than 2,500 chickens found dead after being left overnight on trucks in temperatures as low as 37 degrees, birds drowning in hot water, thousands of birds dying of heat stroke on transport trucks en route to its slaughterhouses, and a bird "buried up to the neck" in feces. Some chickens have even been burned alive at their slaughterhouses. The label may change - but the suffering does not. Whether chicken flesh carries a "humane," "traceable," or any other label, or are sourced from a conventional supplier, the animals endure the same systemic cruelty when exploited for food. Chickens shouldn't suffer: here's how you can make a difference. Every animal is someone. Chickens deserve so much better than the deceptive labels "humane" and "welfare" certifiers slap on the packaging of their broken bodies. Don't trust the label - trust your values. Instead of supporting the killing of billions of birds, you can enjoy chicken-free wings, nuggets, or a patty. There are loads of vegan chicken meals to try that will wow your taste buds without harming any chickens.

Southern Maryland Chronicle
Sep 4th, 2025
Cruelty Claims End Farmer Focus at Shoppers

In a decisive move impacting grocery shoppers across Southern Maryland, Shoppers Food, a supermarket chain with 22 stores in Maryland and Virginia, has ceased selling chicken from Harrisonburg-based Farmer Focus.