Beekeeper

Job description

Raise honeybees to produce honey and maintain colony health. Find and cage queens and install queen cells. May raise honeybees to produce bees and queen bees for resale. Remove frames covered with bees from beehives and shake into packages for customers. Split bee colonies. Find and destroy superfluous queen bee cells to prevent division of colony by warming. Monitor, maintain and increase beehives. Mow around bee yards. Workers will clean and scrape beehives removing wax buildup and debris. Force bees from hives, uncap harvested honeycombs and extract honey from honeycombs. Worker's with a valid license may transport bee boxes from hives to extracting facility and drive farm vehicle to obtain supplies. Load and unload flatbed trucks. Operate honey extracting equipment and misc. tools used to work with honey bees. Harvest, extract and package honey. Medicate, feed, and maintain beehives. Treat beehives for mites. Identify and detect common brood diseases. Build and repair bee boxes and other beekeeping equipment. Sterilize all honey extraction equipment and facilities daily. Winterize all beekeeping facilities and equipment and prepare all beehives to be shipped at the end of the season. Perform minor daily and incidental upkeep to equipment, worksite, and colony boxes. Prepare bees and beekeeping equipment. A veil will be provided to protect the face from stings. Wear gloves while working with the beehives. 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 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 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. Possession or use of illegal drugs or alcohol on company premises is prohibited and will be cause for immediate termination.

Special Requirements

One month of experience in beekeeping required. Work outside in inclement weather. Lift 60 lb. beehives. Push, pull and perform repetitive movements.