Assistant Grower

Duke Farms is looking for a person to fill the position of Assistant Grower at our 90‐acre wholesale tree farm in Fort Myers, FL. The job of Assistant Grower is hands‐on and is mainly to assist the Head Grower in the planning and the completion of tasks in the areas of pest control, irrigation, fertilization, pruning, production, research, and sales.

The assistant grower must be a self‐starter, be able to communicate effectively and respectfully with Hispanic employees, have a willingness to learn, be ok with working in adverse weather conditions, and be able to lift 50 pounds. This individual must also be able to work weekends and longer than normal hours during time‐critical periods of the sales and production.

Daily responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Scheduling and participating in irrigation events and regular irrigation system maintenance
• Scheduling and participating in pesticide (weeds, pathogens, and insects) program: Scouting for pests; able to wear a respirator
• Scheduling and participating in fertilizer program: Trial new fertilizers on plants in production
• Recording and reporting various data according to the grower’s requirements: Water usage, plant growth, pH, EC, soil, plant tissue, etc.
• Sampling of water, fertilizer, soil, and plant tissues: Submit samples, get reports, and analyze
• Schedule and maintain field cleanliness protocols to ensure farm cleanliness
• Inspect and maintain areas of responsibility, making sure that all necessary structurers, infrastructure, and equipment are in good working order, organized, and functioning
• Updating plant inventory: Physically verify count and spec in the field and make changes in Excel
• Help customers by showing them crops, flagging their trees, and getting their truck loaded

Skills and Education:

• Completion of an accredited horticulture program
  (FCHP or similar)
•  Pesticide Applicator license or willingness to obtain
• Being able to work in a professional manner with many different types of people
• Moderate computer skills
• Read/Write English and Spanish
• Bilingual a must
• Valid Driver License

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $17.00 – $18.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Fort Myers, FL 33905: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Preferred)

Language:

• Spanish (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Pesticide Applicator’s License (Preferred)

Work Location: One location