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. 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.

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. Workers will have a paid 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 2 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 2 day introductory 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 2 day introductory 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

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.