Field Worker

H2ajobs; Kihei (HI); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

H2ajobs in Hawaii is seeking field workers for seed corn operations across planting, sampling, weeding, detasseling, harvesting and related tasks. You will operate equipment and handle manual duties in outdoor farm settings.

Applicants should have at least two months of recent field experience, be able to lift 75 pounds, and read, write, and follow instructions in English. Training and safety compliance are mandatory; overtime and weekend work may occur.

Qualifications

• 2 months of recent and verifiable experience in field work.
• Must be capable of lifting 75 pounds repeatedly.
• Must be proficient in reading, writing, speaking and taking instructions in English.
• Ability to work long hours and possibly weekends, depending on conditions.

Responsibilities

• Planting seeds by riding the planter and ensuring proper ground installation.
• Sampling leaves or crops for quality checks.
• Weeding and rouging to remove undesired plants.
• Detasseling, shoot bagging, pollination and related field tasks.
• Harvesting, shelling, sorting, grading and packing seeds.
• Gleaning and other general field cleanup tasks.

Skills

English proficiency

Physical stamina

Safety awareness

Team player

Tools

Conveyors

Forklifts

Tractors

Moisture meters

Color sorters

Job description

Crops: Seed corn

Seed corn field worker responsibilities include planting, sampling, weeding, rouging, detasseling, shoot bagging, pollinating, harvesting, shelling, and other duties relating to growing and processing the crop.

Planting includes riding the planter to distribute crop seeds, walking behind the planter to ensure drip tube and seeds are properly installed in ground, and applying stakes for markers, secure drip irrigation and connecting to lines. Sampling includes taking leaf or crop samples. Weeding includes utilizing various tools to manually remove weeds. Rouging includes identifying and removing undesirable plants based on quality, yield, or market requirements. Detasseling involves the removal of the tassels from the plant. Shoot bagging involves covering the plant shoots at various stages of plant growth. Pollination includes installation and removal of pollination bags and pollinating and covering shoots. Harvesting involves manually harvesting crops. Shelling involves manually shelling corn after it has dried and ensure it is properly identified and tagged. Processing involves sorting, grading, and packing agricultural crop seeds. Gleaning includes gathering ears from the ground. Other tasks may include removal of drip tape from the field either manually or mechanically, field net deployment and retrieval, manually moving potted plants out of shade houses to the field, cleaning shade houses and other general farm clean up. Field workers will utilize various tools and equipment, including, but not limited to conveyors, washers, separators, dryers, scales, silos, moisture meters, forklifts, trucks and trailers (on farm only), tractors, sprayers, sizers, color sorters, baggers, cleaning equipment, computers, and various hand tools.

Field workers will be given the task procedures and specific training for each task. Field workers will continuously strive to do each duty with expertise and produce quality products. Working safely is a condition of employment.

GENERAL REQUIRMENTS:

Field workers are responsible for safety related matters, including attending mandatory paid safety trainings. Work may be performed in indoor or outdoor agricultural locations involving exposure to the sun, soil, mud, dust, heat, cold, rain and other natural elements. Work may be performed on uneven ground and requires constant movement. Workers must be able to stand, walk up and down hills, sit, stoop, squat, kneel, crouch, bend (from the waist), push, pull, reach, lift and carry items weighing up to 75 pounds. Workers must be able to withstand working in direct sunlight and conditions ranging from hot and humid weather, moderate rain, and cold while performing their required job duties. Workers should come prepared wearing appropriate clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described. Work entails exposure to soil, plants, insects, and materials such as, but not limited to pesticides and fertilizers. Workers may be asked, but not required, to work up to 10+ hours per day and/or on the Sabbath or Federal holidays depending upon the conditions in the fields, weather, and maturity of the crop. Workers are reminded to always be respectful, safety minded, be a team player, and good stewards of the environment and others.

Workers must follow housing and transportation rules for the safety and comfort of the workers.

Housing:

Employer-provided (including mobile or range)

Meals:

Employer-provided housing includes free and convenient kitchen, cooking and eating facilities. Workers will purchase food at their own expense and prepare their own meals. Kitchen and eating facilities will be shared with other workers occupying the employer-provided housing facilities. The employer will provide transportation at no cost to workers occupying employer provided housing to and from stores in the locality of the housing where workers may purchase food and other necessities once a week. In the event kitchen facilities become unavailable due to unanticipated circumstances, the employer will provide three (3) meals per day at a reasonable cost (not to exceed $16.78 for three meals per day).

Transport:

The employer will provide workers with inbound and outbound transportation as set forth in Section I. paragraph 7(A) and (B). The employer will pay for charter bus services or other modes of transportation to the group of workers or permit workers to select any means of transportation they choose, including common carrier transportation.

Experience wanted:

2 months

Must have two months of recent and verifiable experience within the past two years for the job duties listed. Drug testing is conducted at employer's expense: pre-employment/post hire, upon reasonable suspicion, post-accident and at random or periodically to ensure worker safety and drug-free workplace. Must be capable of lifting 75-pound bags of corn to shoulder height repetitively. Must be proficient in reading, writing, speaking and taking instructions in the English language. Must be able to understand work & safety instructions in English or Spanish, the languages spoken and written in the workplace.