Assistant Grower

Green Circle Growers; Oberlin (OH); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Green Circle Growers in Oberlin, OH seeks an Assistant Grower to support crop production, irrigation, and pest management. You will monitor media, scout for insects and disease, and maintain clean operations in a fast-paced greenhouse environment.

Proficiency with Priva environmental controls and MS Word/Excel is preferred; weekend flexibility is required. This is a full-time on-site role with opportunities to contribute to a family-owned horticulture leader.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a horticulture-related field or equivalent experience.
• Proficiency with MS Word and Excel.
• Weekend availability and flexibility in varied schedules.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently or in a team.

Responsibilities

• Perform essential plant care tasks including irrigation, fertilization, EC/pH checks, and pest/disease identification to support plant growth and scheduling
• Navigate and utilize Priva environmental control software and communicate variances or concerns promptly
• Report issues related to plant health or crop performance in a timely and accurate manner
• Apply Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles including scouting, trap placement, beneficial insects, and chemical applications as directed
• Maintain a clean and organized work area and support processes for overall organization
• All other duties as assigned

Skills

Irrigation

Pest scouting

Teamwork

Detail oriented

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Horticulture or related field

Tools

Priva software

Excel

Word

Job description

Green Circle Growers was founded in 1968 by John van Wingerden. With just a few acres, Green Circle Growers began selling to other companies like variety stores, lumber yards, hardware stores, and grocery stores. Today, Green Circle Growers is still owned and operated by the van Wingerden family and has grown to over 150 acres of indoor growing space. Our state-of-the-art greenhouses offer many different environments to keep up with the demanding mix of products that today’s market expects. We now provide plants to regional and national stores across the United States and Canada. We are able to market and offer broad products to mass merchants, as well as to growers. The retail market expects the full line of annuals in flats, containers, and baskets. The grower line produces pre-finished containers, plugs, and liners.

Position Overview

Under the direction of the Grower and Grower Manager, the Assistant Grower is responsible for ensuring that crops are delivered on time, at or above the planned quantity, and according to internal specifications. The position requires a detail-oriented approach to ensure that a variety of crops develop per existing best practices. Among other duties, the Assistant Grower will determine irrigation needs, analyze media, scout for insects and disease, and maintain a clean and organized work environment.

Job Duties

• Perform essential plant care tasks including irrigation, fertilization, EC/pH checks, and pest/disease identification to support plant growth and scheduling
• Navigate and utilize Priva environmental control software and communicate any variances or concerns promptly
• Report any issues related to plant health or crop performance in a timely and accurate manner
• Apply core Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles including hands on scouting, trap placement, beneficial insect distribution, and chemical application as directed by the Grower or Grower Manager
• Apply flexibility, sound judgment, and practical problem solving skills in day to day tasks
• Maintain a clean and organized work area through hands on tasks and by supporting processes that promote overall organization
• All other duties as assigned

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in a Horticulture major or other related field or relevant experience required
• Strong technological skills including proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Flexibility to work a varied schedule including weekends
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and work independently and as a team in a fast paced, dynamic environment

Physical Environment & Requirements

• Plant/Production facility, occasionally outside, or in-store; Possible extreme heat/cold dependent on season
• Continuously requires ability to follow verbal and/or written direction
• Frequently requires walking, lifting (up to 50lbs), carrying, reaching, kneeling, pushing/pulling (up to 200lbs), bending, and crouching
• Occasionally requires sitting, standing, fine dexterity, climbing and handling
• May require ability to operate machinery, drive vehicles (truck, car, van, tug, forklift) or use equipment such as hand tools, computers, or general business equipment
• CDL license or tug/forklift certification may be required