Agricultural Equipment Operators

Job description

Workers will plant, cultivate and harvest sugarcane, soybeans and rice by hand or machine. Operate tractors, tractor- drawn machinery, grain auger, and self propelled machinery. Use hand tools such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Transplant and weed crops. Till soil and apply fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Clean, pack and load harvested products. Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment. Haul grains to bins and to where grain is sold and/or work in grain handling facilities. Clean grain bins, augers, and dump pits. Repair fences and farm buildings. Participate in irrigation activities, such as set up and operate irrigation equipment. Clear and maintain irrigation ditches. Walk rice and soybean fields to check on and maintain adequate water supply to crops from wells. Use shovels for end of season draining of fields. Build, construct and maintain levees. Drain excess water from field, open drainage overfill pipes, and walk each field to check for standing water. Check wells each day and service wells. Put down and retrieve levee gates for irrigation of crops. Perform general farm maintenance including weed and grass control. Assist with cleaning equipment using steam cleaner or high pressure water hose. Excess grain must be removed from bin walls, roof, floors, and auger with blowers, brooms, and shovels. Workers must move the auger from bin to bin and clean the auger. Climb steps and ladders on the grain bins. Workers must level the contents of grain bins with a shovel. Properly load seed into hopper. Receive rice crop for drying and storage at grain drying facility and chop grass out of fields. Load field wagons with sugarcane stalk segments. Walk behind field wagon in groups and hand plant sugarcane at designated intervals in furrow rows. Pick up dropped sugarcane in fields. Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress. Workers who have a valid driver's license and doctor's certificate may drive transportation vehicles to transport workers and may be offered additional hours.

Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. 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.

Workers should expect occasional periods of little or no work because of weather, crop or other conditions beyond the employer's control. These periods can occur anytime throughout the season. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and different tasks on different days.

TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a two day introductory 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 introductory period if the worker's performance fails to satisfy the employer's reasonable expectations, or is otherwise unacceptable.

Special Requirements

3 months of equipment operating experience required. Repetitively walk, sit, bend, reach, stoop, push and pull for long periods of time. Lift and carry 50 lbs. and climb ladders up to 40 ft.Work may be performed in extreme temperatures ranging from 20 to 110 degrees. Hazardous Occupation. Must be 18 or older. Employer is a Drug Free Workplace. Drug testing is conducted post hire at the employer's expense and is not part of the interview process.