Equipment Operator

Job description

EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: General farm equipment operators will be required to operate different types of farm machinery used for soil preparation, crop planting, harvesting and processing. Mechanical skills and aptitude are needed to operate various machines including tractors, forklifts, mowers, discs, planters, transplanters, chainsaws, cultivator, cultipackers, back blades, trailers and other farm equipment. Operation requires worker to frequently lift up to 60 pounds and adjust body position to bend, stoop, stand, walk, turn, pivot, stand and sit for long periods of time. Worker may load and unload crops or containers of materials manually or using conveyors, hand trucks, forklifts, or other machinery. Equipment/tractors range in size from 40 HP to 250 HP.

Farm Vehicle: If worker is eligible to drive under Michigan law and provides proof of no infractions from official source, employer may require the worker drive to and from the worksite and to locations within 50 miles as directed. Worker must understand and agree to driving rules, as outlined in work rules below.

Tractor: Worker may be required to drive tractor at/to/from work sites. Tractor driving may include additional attachments that assist with planting, harvesting, maintaining, cleaning, cultivating, transporting, or transplanting produce. Employer will provide additional training for this task.

Forklift: Operate powered industrial trucks to load and unload materials including pallets, blueberry bins, and move them to and from storage areas, machines and loading docks, or any other area as assigned by supervisor. Worker will be trained to operate forklift machines.

Mowing: Worker will be required to monitor the quality of landscaping, as well as prevent and control weeds. Mowing involves driving mower to cut grass and other produce around workers to desirable height as instructed by supervisor.

Bus/Truck driving: If worker is eligible to drive under Michigan law and provides proof of no infraction from official source, Employer may require worker to drive in Employer-provided vehicle to and from the worksite and to locations within 50 miles as directed. To be eligible for driving jobs, worker must understand and agree to driving rules, as outlined in work rules.

Cultivating: Worker may stoop, bend, and use special tools to remove weeds and maintain the highest yield of crops. Tractor mounted row crop cultivator tool may be used for the mechanical removal of weeds via a three-point mounted row crop cultivator. Worker may be required to lift up to 60 pounds.

Disking: Worker will use disc to remove weeds, and other materials as instructed from designated work areas. Disc will be used to till the soil where crops are to be planted, to chop up unwanted weeds, or to crop remainders. Worker will ensure that the discs repeatedly slice any ground to which they are applied to optimize the result of the soil.

Pay will be hourly.

Special Requirements

Job requires worker to complete tasks in Agriculture Equipment Operator.

Experience Requirement: 3 months verifiable commercial agriculture equipment operator experience required. Applicants must furnish job references from employers of the last 3 years establishing acceptable prior experience.

Drug Testing not utilized as a pre-employment tool and is done at employer's expense.