Agricultural Operations Manager
Full TimeJob Description
*Position Overview*
Sky Ridge Farm is seeking a hands-on *Agricultural Operations Manager* to lead day-to-day agricultural operations across the property. This role is responsible for orchards, lavender fields, vegetable gardens, propagation, transplanting, cultivation, irrigation, soil health, plant nutrition, pest management, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and ornamental landscaping.
This is a build-stage role and will begin as the *sole dedicated agricultural employee*. Additional labor support will be provided on an ad hoc basis through contractors, temporary labor, seasonal help, and volunteers until part-time or full-time agricultural staffing is warranted.
The ideal candidate is highly self-directed, experienced in real-world farming, and comfortable building systems from the ground up while personally performing substantial fieldwork.
*Key Responsibilities*
* Lead day-to-day agricultural operations across the property
* Manage orchards, lavender fields, vegetable gardens, propagation systems, and ornamental planted areas
* Develop and execute planting, propagation, irrigation, fertility, pest management, and harvest plans
* Improve soil health through amendments, mulching, cover cropping, and regenerative practices
* Monitor plant health and address pests, disease, nutrient deficiencies, and crop stress
* Oversee harvesting and post-harvest handling
* Build and maintain practical systems, schedules, logs, and SOPs for farm operations
* Coordinate ad hoc labor, contractors, seasonal support, and volunteers
* Maintain a productive, organized, safe, and guest-ready farm environment
* Help determine when additional agricultural staffing is needed
*Required Qualifications*
* 7+ years of hands-on agricultural experience in farming, horticulture, orchard management, specialty crop production, or similar operations
* Strong real-world experience with propagation, cloning, transplanting, irrigation, soil amendments, crop nutrition, pest management, harvesting, and post-harvest handling
* Experience managing orchards, vegetables, perennial crops, lavender, ornamental landscaping, or comparable systems
* Strong understanding of soil health, irrigation systems, crop scheduling, and field operations
* Ability to identify and respond to pests, disease, deficiencies, and crop stress
* Ability to work independently as the initial sole agricultural team member
* Strong organizational, judgment, and problem-solving skills
* Valid driver’s license
* Ability to perform physically demanding outdoor work in varying conditions
*Preferred Qualifications*
* Experience with regenerative agriculture, organic or low-spray systems, and water-wise farming
* Experience in Southern California or similar semi-arid climates
* Experience in agritourism, farm-to-table, hospitality, or direct-to-consumer agricultural operations
* Equipment experience including tractors, utility vehicles, mowers, sprayers, and irrigation systems
* Bilingual English/Spanish
* Applicator certification, irrigation certification, CPR/First Aid, or similar training
*Education*
Degree preferred but not required. Relevant fields include agriculture, horticulture, agronomy, plant science, soil science, crop science, or agricultural business. Strong hands-on experience is valued more than formal education alone.
*Compensation*
*$65,000–$95,000 per year*, depending on experience and qualifications. Performance-based incentives may be considered based on candidate experience and role structure.
*To Apply*
Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant agricultural experience.
*Subject Line:* Agricultural Operations Manager – Sky Ridge Farm
Pay: $65,000.00 – $95,000.00 per year
Benefits:
* Health insurance
* Paid time off
Application Question(s):
* Do you have direct experience managing orchards, vegetable production, or perennial crops such as lavender?
* Do you have direct experience with propagation, transplanting, irrigation, soil amendments, and crop nutrition?
* Are you comfortable starting as the sole dedicated agricultural employee with support from contractors, seasonal labor, or volunteers as needed?
* Do you have agricultural experience in Southern California or another semi-arid growing climate?
* Do you hold any relevant certifications, such as applicator, irrigation, CPR/First Aid, or similar agricultural safety credentials?
Work Location: In person
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*Job was aggregated from Indeed.com*
How to Apply
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