Manufacturing Management Trainee

Are you looking to start your career by driving high-impact transformation with household brands? Do you crave an entrepreneurial, fast paced and engaging growth assignment working with incredible people from across the globe?

At Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, we are excited to start a new chapter of accelerated growth as part of Froneri – a global pure-play ice cream leader. With nearly 100 years of winning experience in the U.S, a robust portfolio of powerhouse brands that consumers know and love such as Häagen-Dazs, Drumstick, Dreyer’s/Edy’s, Skinny Cow, OREO®, Outshine and Frollies, and the backing and coaching of European-based ice cream experts, we know we have the winning recipe.

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, the Bay Area’s hub for up-and-coming food trends, our DGIC team across our offices and factories is raising the bar on all things ice cream. Our growth has been tremendous in the past few years – moving from being #2 manufacturer in market to being #1 in 2024. The brands have strong investments in marketing support, quality improvements and exciting line extensions and innovation. DGIC has also been recognized by retail partners as the top manufacturer partner, winning the #1 position in the prestigious Advantage Award in 2024.

At DGIC, we don’t just hire for roles, we grow future business leaders. Here, everyone is encouraged to think like a general manager. That means owning your piece of the business, making bold decisions, and seeing the big picture. What makes us unique? You won’t just stay in your lane, you’ll get hands-on exposure to everything from Sales, Marketing and operations to Finance and Supply Chain. It’s like getting an MBA on the job (but with way more ice cream). If you’re curious, driven, and ready to learn a lot about a lot, this is the place to stretch your skills and fast-track your career.

Unleash your potential at Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream and discover what a sweet career we have in store for you!

What to expect from Dreyer's

At the heart of our culture are four core values that guide our actions and define how we work together. We Take Ownership by staying committed from start to finish, making thoughtful decisions, and focusing our efforts on initiatives that drive growth, efficiency, and sustainability. We Do What Is Right by prioritizing transparency, setting clear roles and responsibilities, and speaking up when something doesn’t align with our values. We Seek to Improve through continuous innovation, embracing feedback, and learning from both our successes and setbacks. And We Are Better Together by making decisions that benefit the whole organization, fostering inclusion through diverse perspectives, and treating everyone with fairness and respect. These values are not just ideals—they are the behaviors we live by every day.

Program Overview

The Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Manufacturing Management Trainee Program is a full-time, immersive 52‑week rotational experience designed to develop the next generation of manufacturing leaders. Over the course of the year, trainees gain hands‑on exposure to all major functions of our plant operations, from production and quality to maintenance and people leadership, equipping them with the technical expertise, problem‑solving skills, and leadership capabilities needed to thrive in a future supervisor or manager role.

Trainees rotate through structured learning blocks, each ending with a formal debrief and knowledge assessment to ensure deep understanding and readiness for progression.

Program Structure & Rotations

Weeks 1–2: HR Onboarding & Plant Orientation

Trainees begin with a foundational introduction to Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, including:

• HR onboarding & administrative setup
• Plant-wide orientation and facility tours
• PPE training and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) awareness
• Emergency procedures & safety protocols
• Introduction to food safety culture

Weeks 3–20: Production Operations

A comprehensive immersion into all aspects of plant production, including:

Warehouse & Receiving

• Inventory and shelf-life control
• QA checks at receiving
• Non-conformance procedures and vendor claims

Mix Room

• Batching and ingredient processes
• Mixing equipment fundamentals
• Clean-in-place (CIP) for Mix Room operations

Production Operations

• Freezer operation and fundamentals
• Packaging machinery overview
• Fill weights, quality checks, and code date verification
• CIP Production procedures

Palletizing & Distribution

• Shipping and order preparation
• Inventory management principles
• Deployment and logistics coordination

Weeks 21–24: Quality Assurance

A deep dive into product quality, food safety, and regulatory compliance:

• Fundamental Management Practices (FMPs)
• Product inspections & sensory evaluation basics
• Allergen awareness and allergen changeover processes
• HACCP training
• Foreign Object Management
• Cleaning verification procedures
• Microbiology lab shadowing

Weeks 25–28: Maintenance & Engineering

Trainees gain insights into equipment reliability, maintenance systems, and utilities:

• Parts receiving, inventory, and purchasing workflows
• Machine shop & mechanical troubleshooting shadowing
• Electrical shop shadowing
• Maintenance planning and scheduling
• Line performance analysis and efficiency review
• Refrigeration system fundamentals
• Wastewater and environmental management

Weeks 29–30: Leadership Development Block

Focused on building the leadership toolkit necessary for success:

• Ice Cream School (product, process, and category education)
• Delegation and prioritization skills
• Coaching and conducting difficult conversations
• Cross-functional presentations:
• • New Product Development
  • Supply Chain
  • Procurement
  • Training & Compliance

Weeks 31–52: Applied Leadership in Production

The trainee returns to production with direct leadership responsibility, applying all prior learning in a real-world context:

• Supervising small teams or designated process areas
• Managing schedules, performance, and daily operations
• Leading shift handoffs and production meetings
• Troubleshooting operational issues
• Driving safety, quality, and performance metrics
• Continuously improving processes through data and root-cause analysis

A final evaluation and readiness review are conducted at program end.

What You’ll Gain

• A holistic understanding of end‑to‑end ice cream manufacturing
• Broad exposure to operations, engineering, quality, and supply chain
• Strong leadership capabilities and hands‑on supervisory experience
• Technical knowledge of production systems, food safety, and maintenance
• A clear path to a long-term leadership career with Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree (Engineering, Food Science, Operations, Supply Chain, Business, or related field preferred)
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Proven leadership ability (academic, professional, or extracurricular)
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Flexibility to work various shifts during rotations

Preferred:

• Prior internship or experience in manufacturing, operations, logistics, or quality
• Understanding of Lean Manufacturing or continuous improvement methodologies

Career Path After Completion

Graduates of the program are placed into front-line leadership roles (commonly Production Supervisor or other entry-level management positions) based on performance, plant needs, and individual strengths.

Pay

The pay for prospective employees in this role starts at $83,000 annually.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.