Agricultural Equipment Operator/harvester

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
radishes, lettuce, endive, escarole, parsley, spinach, greens, cilantro, onions, beets, zucchini, squash, beans, cabbage, eggplant, corn, tomatoes.
Operation and Maintenance of Farm Equipment: Workers will operate tractors, planters, sprayers, cultivators and general tillage equipment. Workers will be expected to be able to operate equipment, with or without direction, in a manner that protects the operator, other employees, crops, trees, facilities and equipment. Failure to comply with operating and safety standards may result in termination. Workers will assist with the maintenance and repair of tractors and equipment.

Vegetable Harvesting: Harvesters will pick produce as it ripens. Crops grown on the farm include radishes, lettuce, endive, escarole, parsley, spinach, greens, cilantro, onions, beets, zucchini, squash, beans, cabbage, eggplant, corn, and tomatoes. Different harvesting techniques will be utilized depending on the type of crop, but these are manual tasks. Workers must be able to keep up with work pace of balance of the harvest crew.

Harvesters will not be involved in planting or cultivation activities. Harvesters are expected to perform duties including box making, boxing, weighing and loading of product. Harvesters will load field trucks with product weighing up to 60 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet for long periods of time.

Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Allergies to weeds may affect workers ability to perform the job. Workers are exposed to wet weather early in the morning through the heat of the day, working in fields. Temperatures may range from 50 to 100 F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations.

Persons seeking employment as experienced Agricultural Equipment Operator/Harvester must be available for the entire period requested by the employer.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a workers Sabbath or federal holidays. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time.

TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a five-day trial period, during which the employer will evaluate workers' performance of required tasks. Employer reserves the right to terminate a worker at the conclusion of the trial period if the workers performance fails to satisfy the employers reasonable expectations, or is otherwise unacceptable. Employer may terminate a worker for lawful job-related reasons, including but not limited to situations in which the worker: (1) Is repeatedly absent or tardy; (2) malingers or otherwise refuses, without cause, to perform the work as directed; (3) commits act(s) of misconduct or repeatedly violates the Work Rules; and/or (4) fails, after completing the five day trial period, to perform work in a competent and skillful manner, consistent with the employer's reasonable expectations. Non-U.S. workers may be displaced as a result of one or more U.S. workers becoming available for the job during the employers recruitment period. Job abandonment will be deemed to occur after five consecutive workdays of unexcused absences. Workers may not report for work under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Possession or use of illegal drugs or alcohol on company premises is prohibited and will be cause for immediate termination.

Special Requirements

This job requires three months of verifiable prior experience working on a diversified crop farm handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire upon suspicion and post-accident drug testing required.