How to Apply to Land O'Lakes

10 min read Last updated March 7, 2026 79 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • Visit landolakes.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com directly and create a thorough Workday profile now — with only 79+ open roles, positions may fill quickly, and a pre-built profile lets you apply the moment new openings post.
  • Tailor your resume to the specific Land O'Lakes business segment (dairy foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, or WinField United) using exact terminology from the job posting to maximize Workday keyword matching.
  • Lead with safety credentials and quantified operational results — certifications like HACCP, OSHA, and CDL endorsements belong near the top of your resume, alongside metrics like uptime, throughput, and safety records.
  • After uploading your resume, manually verify every auto-parsed field in the Workday application form — missparsed data is the single most common reason qualified candidates get filtered out of recruiter searches.
  • Prepare for interviews by connecting your experience to Land O'Lakes' cooperative mission — articulate how your work contributes to the food supply chain and serves the farming communities the cooperative represents.
  • Demonstrate flexibility for shift work, physical demands, and facility-based roles in both your resume and screening question responses — most Land O'Lakes openings are in plants, terminals, and distribution centers, not corporate offices.

About Land O'Lakes

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is one of America's largest and most storied farmer-owned cooperatives, founded in 1921 in St. Paul, Minnesota and now headquartered in Arden Hills. The company operates across three powerful business segments: dairy foods (the iconic butter brand you know from every grocery aisle), animal nutrition (through Purina Animal Nutrition), and crop inputs and insights (through WinField United). This structure means Land O'Lakes isn't just a food company — it's an end-to-end agricultural enterprise connecting the farm to the table. As a cooperative owned by nearly 1,700 direct member-owners and thousands of affiliated member-cooperatives, Land O'Lakes operates under a fundamentally different business model than publicly traded competitors. Profits flow back to member-farmers, and decisions are guided by the cooperative principle of shared value rather than quarterly shareholder pressure. The company's stated purpose — 'feeding human progress' — manifests in tangible initiatives like the Land O'Lakes Foundation and its work in rural community development, sustainability commitments, and the Member-to-Member program that supports agricultural education. Culturally, employees frequently describe a values-driven, collaborative environment that blends the groundedness of an agricultural heritage with the innovation of a modern enterprise. The company has invested heavily in agtech, data science, and sustainability-forward farming practices, making it an appealing destination for professionals who want purpose alongside technical challenge. With approximately 10,000 employees across manufacturing plants, distribution centers, research labs, corporate offices, and field roles spanning the United States, Land O'Lakes offers an unusually diverse range of career paths — from CDL drivers and production line operators to data administrators, senior sales representatives, and food scientists — all united by the cooperative's mission to nourish people and steward the land.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Explore Open Positions on the Land O'Lakes Workday Careers Portal

    All Land O'Lakes positions are listed on their dedicated Workday-hosted careers page at landolakes.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com. Use the search bar and location filters to narrow roles across their three business segments — dairy foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, and WinField United. Pay close attention to whether a role is categorized as hourly/production, salaried/professional, or field-based, as each category typically follows a different hiring timeline and interview process.

  2. 2
    Create Your Workday Candidate Account

    Click 'Apply' on any role to begin creating your Workday candidate profile. You can sign in with LinkedIn, Google, or create a standalone account. This profile persists across all future Land O'Lakes applications, so invest time filling it out completely on your first visit — including your full work history, education, and any relevant certifications such as CDL licenses, HACCP training, or safety credentials common in food production.

  3. 3
    Submit a Tailored Resume and Complete Screening Questions

    Upload your resume and respond to any role-specific screening questions, which for Land O'Lakes commonly include shift availability (many production and warehouse roles involve rotating or overnight shifts), willingness to relocate, and relevant licenses or certifications. Workday will attempt to auto-parse your resume into its structured fields — always review and correct these parsed fields, as the parsed data is what recruiters and hiring managers search and filter on.

  4. 4
    Initial Application Review and Recruiter Screen

    A Land O'Lakes talent acquisition team member reviews applications that pass the initial screening criteria. For roles that are a potential match, candidates typically receive a phone or video screening call focused on logistics (availability, location, salary expectations) and a high-level assessment of relevant experience. Given the cooperative's 14 active postings at present, the hiring team may move quickly — responding promptly to outreach is especially important.

  5. 5
    Hiring Manager Interview

    Candidates advancing from the recruiter screen typically meet with the direct hiring manager. For plant-based roles like Production Manager, Maintenance Technician, or Safety/Sanitation Supervisor, this interview commonly focuses on hands-on experience with food-grade manufacturing equipment, GMP compliance, and situational problem-solving scenarios drawn from real plant floor challenges. For corporate and sales roles, expect deeper behavioral questions aligned with Land O'Lakes' cooperative values.

  6. 6
    On-Site Visit or Panel Interview (for Select Roles)

    Senior or supervisory positions — such as Quality and Production Supervisor or Senior Sales Representative — often include an on-site visit to a plant, terminal, or office location. You may meet with cross-functional team members and tour the facility. This step serves dual purposes: the company assesses cultural fit and leadership presence, and you get to evaluate the working environment, team dynamics, and physical demands of the role firsthand.

  7. 7
    Offer, Background Check, and Pre-Employment Requirements

    Land O'Lakes extends offers contingent on standard background checks and, for many plant and driver roles, drug screening and physical assessments. CDL Driver positions require DOT medical certification and driving record verification. Once cleared, onboarding typically includes safety training specific to the facility or business unit, orientation to the cooperative business model, and introductions to the team and Land O'Lakes culture — often emphasizing their 'feeding human progress' mission from day one.

Resume Tips for Land O'Lakes

critical

Mirror Land O'Lakes' Industry Terminology Exactly

Land O'Lakes operates in food production, animal nutrition, and agricultural inputs — three distinct vocabularies. If you're applying to a dairy production role, use terms like 'pasteurization,' 'GMP,' 'HACCP,' 'CIP systems,' 'SQF,' and 'food safety protocols.' For Purina Animal Nutrition roles, reference 'feed formulation,' 'pelleting,' 'nutritional compliance,' and 'batch processing.' For WinField United positions, include 'crop inputs,' 'precision agriculture,' and 'agronomic data.' Matching the specific language from the job posting signals domain expertise and helps Workday's keyword matching surface your application.

critical

Quantify Production and Operational Impact

Land O'Lakes' operations are measured in throughput, uptime, yield, and safety metrics. Instead of writing 'Managed a production line,' write 'Managed a 12-person dairy packaging line producing 40,000 units per shift with 99.2% uptime and zero recordable safety incidents over 18 months.' For warehouse and driver roles, quantify loads moved, routes completed, or inventory accuracy rates. Hiring managers in food manufacturing expect numbers — they think in KPIs, and your resume should speak that language.

critical

Highlight Safety and Compliance Credentials Prominently

Safety is non-negotiable in food production. Dedicate a clearly labeled 'Certifications & Training' section near the top of your resume for credentials like OSHA 10/30, HACCP certification, ServSafe, Lockout/Tagout training, forklift operation, CDL with tanker endorsement, or DOT medical card. Land O'Lakes has dedicated Safety/Sanitation Supervisor roles, which signals the company's deep investment in these areas. Even for non-safety roles, mentioning your safety record and training distinguishes you in this industry.

recommended

Demonstrate Comfort with Shift Work and Physical Demands

Many Land O'Lakes roles — from Housekeeping FLEX to Greenbelt Terminal Operator to Warehouse Operator — involve non-standard hours, rotating shifts, or physically demanding environments. If you have experience with 2nd/3rd shift schedules, 12-hour rotations, cold storage environments, or heavy lifting, state it explicitly. A line like 'Maintained quality standards across rotating 12-hour shifts in a refrigerated dairy facility' immediately tells the recruiter you understand the realities of the work.

recommended

Use Clean, Workday-Friendly Formatting

Workday's resume parser handles standard .docx and .pdf formats but can struggle with tables, multi-column layouts, headers/footers, and embedded images. Use a single-column format with clear section headings (Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills). Avoid text boxes and graphics. After uploading, carefully review every auto-populated field in the Workday application form — if your job titles or dates parsed incorrectly, correct them manually, because recruiters often search and filter using those structured fields rather than reading uploaded documents.

recommended

Showcase Cooperative and Team-Oriented Values

Land O'Lakes is a cooperative, which means its identity is built on shared ownership, collaboration, and community stewardship. Weave in language that reflects these values: cross-functional collaboration, mentoring junior team members, process improvement committees, community volunteering, or cooperative decision-making experiences. A bullet like 'Led a 6-person Kaizen team that reduced packaging waste by 15%, earning recognition in plant-wide sustainability initiative' resonates with a company that returns value to member-farmers and invests in rural communities.

nice_to_have

Tailor Your Resume to the Specific Business Segment

A resume targeting a Purina Animal Nutrition role should look meaningfully different from one targeting a WinField United data role or a dairy production role. Research which segment the position falls under and adjust your professional summary, keyword selection, and highlighted achievements accordingly. For example, a Grower Identifier Data Administrator role sits in the ag-tech and data governance space — your resume should emphasize database management, data integrity, agricultural industry knowledge, and ERP or CRM systems rather than hands-on manufacturing experience.

ATS System: Workday

Land O'Lakes uses Workday Recruiting, one of the most widely adopted enterprise ATS platforms, hosted at their dedicated subdomain (landolakes.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com). Workday parses uploaded resumes into structured data fields and allows recruiters to search, filter, and rank candidates based on keywords, qualifications, and screening question responses. Your application's visibility depends heavily on how well the parsed data aligns with the role's requirements.

  • Always review and correct Workday's auto-parsed fields after uploading your resume — missparsed job titles, incorrect dates, and missing employers are common and can disqualify you from recruiter searches.
  • Use exact keywords from the Land O'Lakes job posting in your resume and work history descriptions; Workday's search functionality matches on these terms when recruiters filter candidates.
  • Submit your resume in .docx or standard .pdf format — avoid scanned PDFs, as Workday's OCR parsing is unreliable and may fail to extract your text content.
  • Complete every optional field in the Workday application, including skills, certifications, and the 'Additional Information' section, as recruiters can filter on any of these fields.
  • Avoid using headers, footers, text boxes, tables, or multi-column layouts — Workday's parser reads content linearly and these elements commonly cause data to appear out of order or get omitted entirely.
  • If applying to multiple Land O'Lakes positions, tailor the resume you upload for each specific role rather than relying on a single generic profile — Workday stores separate applications and resumes per requisition.
  • Respond to every screening question completely and honestly; Land O'Lakes commonly uses knockout questions for requirements like shift availability, CDL status, and work authorization that can automatically disqualify incomplete responses.

Complete Workday Resume Guide →

Interview Culture

Land O'Lakes' interview process reflects its identity as a cooperative — expect a genuine, down-to-earth atmosphere that values practical competence and cultural alignment over polished corporate performance. For hourly and production roles (Maintenance Technician, Warehouse Operator, CDL Driver, Housekeeping), interviews are typically streamlined: one or two rounds focused on relevant experience, safety awareness, physical capability, and schedule flexibility. You'll likely speak with a plant manager or shift supervisor who wants to understand whether you can operate safely, work reliably, and contribute to a team-oriented environment. Technical questions are common — expect scenarios like 'Walk me through how you'd troubleshoot a conveyor jam during a production run' or 'Describe your pre-trip inspection process.' For salaried and supervisory positions (Production Manager, Quality and Production Supervisor, Safety/Sanitation Supervisor, Senior Sales Representative), the process typically involves two to three rounds: an initial phone screen with a recruiter, a behavioral interview with the hiring manager, and often a final panel or on-site visit. Behavioral questions at Land O'Lakes commonly align with their cooperative values and their emphasis on 'feeding human progress.' Prepare for questions about collaboration across departments, how you've driven continuous improvement, and how you handle safety incidents or quality failures. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) works well here. For data-oriented or corporate roles like Grower Identifier Data Administrator, expect questions about systems proficiency, data accuracy, and your ability to work with agricultural stakeholders who may not be technically sophisticated. Land O'Lakes values people who can bridge the gap between technology and the farming community. Across all roles, interviewers commonly assess whether you understand and respect the agricultural mission. Expressing genuine interest in the cooperative model, sustainability, and the connection between your role and the farmer-members who own the company is a meaningful differentiator. The culture favors humility, reliability, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves — not self-promotion. Dress appropriately for the setting: business casual for corporate roles, and practical attire if you're visiting a plant or terminal.

What Land O'Lakes Looks For

  • Safety-first mindset demonstrated through certifications, incident-free records, and proactive safety behaviors — not just compliance, but genuine culture of care for coworkers
  • Hands-on technical competence relevant to the specific role, whether that's operating dairy processing equipment, managing feed mill operations, driving CDL vehicles, or administering agricultural data systems
  • Alignment with the cooperative model — candidates who understand that Land O'Lakes exists to serve its farmer-members, not shareholders, and who value community and shared success
  • Reliability and work ethic suited to agricultural and food production rhythms, including comfort with shift work, seasonal demands, physical labor, and production deadlines that don't pause
  • Continuous improvement orientation — experience with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar methodologies that reduce waste, improve quality, and increase throughput in production environments
  • Cross-functional collaboration skills, particularly the ability to work effectively with operations, quality, maintenance, safety, and logistics teams in an integrated plant or distribution environment
  • Genuine interest in agriculture, food systems, and rural communities — Land O'Lakes deeply values employees who connect personally with the mission of feeding human progress and supporting American farmers

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Land O'Lakes hiring process typically take from application to offer?
For hourly and production roles like Warehouse Operator, Maintenance Technician, and CDL Driver, the process commonly moves within two to four weeks, as these roles have urgent operational needs and a more streamlined interview process. Salaried and supervisory roles such as Production Manager or Senior Sales Representative may take four to eight weeks due to additional interview rounds and panel or on-site visits. With only 79+ open positions currently posted, Land O'Lakes' talent acquisition team may be able to move faster than during high-volume hiring periods. Monitor your Workday candidate portal for status updates and respond to any recruiter outreach within 24 hours to avoid delays.
Do I need a cover letter when applying to Land O'Lakes?
Workday applications for Land O'Lakes do not always include a mandatory cover letter upload field, but if the option is available, submitting one is a meaningful advantage — particularly for supervisory, sales, and corporate roles. Use the cover letter to explain your connection to Land O'Lakes' cooperative mission, your understanding of the specific business segment (dairy, animal nutrition, or crop inputs), and why the particular facility or team interests you. For hourly production roles, a cover letter is less critical; instead, focus your energy on ensuring your Workday application fields are complete and your screening question responses clearly demonstrate qualifications like shift availability and relevant certifications.
What resume format works best with Land O'Lakes' Workday ATS?
Submit a single-column .docx or standard .pdf file with clear section headings (Professional Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills). Avoid tables, text boxes, multi-column layouts, headers/footers, and embedded images, as Workday's parser reads content linearly and these elements commonly cause data to be omitted or scrambled. Keep your font standard (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman) and use simple bullet points. After uploading, always review the auto-parsed fields in the Workday form — correct any errors in job titles, employers, dates, and education, because recruiters search and filter on those structured fields, not your uploaded document.
What types of roles does Land O'Lakes hire for most frequently?
Land O'Lakes' hiring skews heavily toward operations, manufacturing, and supply chain roles across its nationwide network of dairy plants, feed mills, terminals, and distribution centers. High-volume positions include Production Operators, Maintenance Technicians, Warehouse Operators, CDL Drivers, and Quality Technicians. Supervisory roles in Safety/Sanitation, Production, and Quality are also regularly posted. On the corporate side, the company hires for sales, data administration, finance, and agtech roles that support its three business segments. Seasonal hiring increases are common during peak agricultural and production periods. Checking the careers page regularly is worthwhile since the current 14 openings represent a snapshot that changes frequently.
Does Land O'Lakes offer remote or hybrid work options?
The majority of Land O'Lakes' roles are facility-based — plants, terminals, warehouses, and field sales territories — and require on-site presence. These include production, maintenance, driving, warehouse, and quality positions. For corporate roles based out of the Arden Hills, Minnesota headquarters or regional offices, Land O'Lakes has adopted flexible work arrangements that may include hybrid schedules, though specific policies vary by department and role. Job postings on the Workday portal typically indicate location requirements clearly. If remote or hybrid flexibility is important to you, look for 'remote' designations in the job listing or ask the recruiter during your initial phone screen.
What level of experience do I need to apply for Land O'Lakes positions?
Experience requirements vary significantly across Land O'Lakes' diverse role portfolio. Entry-level positions like Housekeeping FLEX, Warehouse Operator, and production line roles may require little to no prior experience beyond basic physical capability and reliability, though food manufacturing or warehouse experience is preferred. Mid-level roles like Maintenance Technician and Greenbelt Terminal Operator typically require two to five years of relevant technical experience and specific certifications. Supervisory roles such as Production Manager, Quality and Production Supervisor, and Safety/Sanitation Supervisor commonly require five or more years of progressive manufacturing experience plus demonstrated leadership. Don't self-select out if you're close to the stated requirements — apply and let the screening process determine fit.
How can I make my application stand out at Land O'Lakes?
Three things consistently differentiate strong Land O'Lakes applicants. First, demonstrate that you understand the cooperative business model — mention it in your cover letter or professional summary, and reference how your work connects to supporting farmer-members and the agricultural supply chain. Second, quantify your impact with production-relevant metrics: uptime percentages, throughput volumes, safety records, cost savings from process improvements, or route efficiency data. Third, complete every field in the Workday application meticulously, including optional sections for certifications and skills. Recruiters frequently use filters to create shortlists, and incomplete profiles get skipped regardless of the candidate's actual qualifications.
What should I know about Land O'Lakes' interview process for production and plant roles?
Production and plant interviews at Land O'Lakes are practical and scenario-driven. Expect questions about equipment troubleshooting, safety protocol adherence, GMP compliance, and how you handle the physical and scheduling demands of shift-based manufacturing work. Interviewers are commonly plant managers or shift supervisors who value straightforward, experience-based answers over rehearsed corporate responses. Be prepared to discuss specific examples: a time you identified a safety hazard, how you maintained quality during a high-pressure production run, or how you collaborated with maintenance to minimize downtime. If you're interviewing on-site at a plant, you'll likely receive a facility tour — wear closed-toe shoes and be prepared to observe food safety protocols like hairnets and sanitization stations.
Can I apply to multiple Land O'Lakes positions at the same time?
Yes, Workday allows you to apply to multiple Land O'Lakes positions simultaneously, and each application is tracked independently with its own uploaded resume and screening question responses. This is actually an advantage — with only 14 current openings, applying to every role that genuinely fits your qualifications maximizes your chances. However, tailor your resume for each application rather than submitting identical materials. A resume optimized for a Maintenance Technician role should emphasize different keywords and experience than one targeting a Grower Identifier Data Administrator position. Recruiters can see your other active applications, so applying to too many unrelated roles may signal a lack of focus.

Sample Open Positions

Check Your Resume Before Applying → View 79 open positions at Land O'Lakes

Sources

  1. Land O'Lakes Careers Portal — Land O'Lakes, Inc.
  2. Land O'Lakes Company Overview and Mission — Land O'Lakes, Inc.
  3. Land O'Lakes Employee Reviews and Interview Insights — Glassdoor
  4. Workday Recruiting: How It Works for Candidates — Workday, Inc.