Crew Leader

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
crops include, but are not limited to, asparagus, cucurbits, sweet corn, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Romanesco, hops, parsley, herbs.
Supervise agricultural workers performing crop production activities. Assign daily work duties, train workers in planting, cultivating, or harvesting techniques. Train workers on safety protocols and safe equipment handling/operation. Perform quality control inspections on products. Observe workers to detect inefficient or unsafe work procedures. Review work to evaluate timeliness and proficiency. Direct or assist with repair of farm equipment or machinery. Prepare reports on production and crop yield. Supervise chemical application and other work activities associated with crop production.

Outdoor work required when plants are wet, or during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours may vary. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Work is done outdoors for long periods of time and requires prolonged periods of standing and/or walking, repetitive movements, and frequent bending and/or stooping. Workers must be able to handle, lift, and carry heavy or bulky objects (product, containers) in accordance with the specified lifting requirements.

Employer has a strict prohibition on tobacco usage. No smoking or tobacco use of any kind will be permitted in the fields, in worker housing, or anywhere on company premises. This is necessary to maintain the integrity of the farm's production certification as well as to protect against the Tobacco Mosaic Virus disease, which is transmitted by hands and tools contaminated with tobacco by-products. Employer reserves the right to discharge any employee found smoking or found in possession of smoking materials including cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco or smoking paraphernalia.

Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience.

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 will have an unpaid lunch break.

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 worker's performance fails to satisfy the employer's 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 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 employer's 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.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 6 months of verifiable agricultural experience overseeing crews preferably on a vegetable farm, handling both manual and mechanized tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities or 6 months of supervisory training handling manual and machine tasks associated with production of vegetables. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Workers must be able to perform manual and mechanized tasks with accuracy and efficiency. This is hard, strenuous labor, under cold, wet conditions in the spring, and extreme heat and humidity in the summer. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs.