IPM Specialist

Connected Careers Page; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 27,552 - 34,440; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Pay

Paid Vacation Time

Career Growth Opportunities

Job summary

Connected International, Inc. is seeking an IPM Specialist based in Sacramento, CA, to oversee the Integrated Pest Management program within the nursery and propagation facility. This role involves executing pest and pathogen management and ensuring plant health through effective treatment and monitoring. Candidates should have experience in horticultural pesticides, strong scouting skills, and the ability to work independently. The position offers a competitive hourly rate of $20.00-$25.00 and potential for career growth within a rapidly expanding company.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in nursery, greenhouse, or agricultural environments.
• Demonstrated ability to calculate spray volumes and weights accurately.
• Ability to work independently and stay organized.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute the nursery IPM program from scouting through treatment.
• Conduct routine scouting throughout nursery and propagation areas.
• Document trial results and maintain compliance records.

Skills

Experience applying horticultural pesticides

Strong understanding of pesticide labels and mixing rates

Strong scouting skills

Job description

Connected International, Inc. (Connected Cannabis Co.) is a leading vertically integrated cannabis company based in Sacramento and operating in California, Arizona, and Florida. With over 11 years experience, Connected specializes in breeding, growing, manufacturing, and distributing top‑shelf cannabis through its state‑of‑the‑art facilities and proprietary genetics.

With over 250 employees across the United States, Connected maintains a strong presence in the industry across multiple markets. The company has recently expanded into Arizona and Florida with ambitious national expansion plans underway. Connected’s mission has always been to breed, grow and sell the best cannabis in the world, setting high standards for its products, people, and partners wherever we go.

We currently have 300+ employees across ten locations and we are in a high growth phase expanding rapidly. If you are interested in joining a world‑class team and working in an exciting new industry with a leader in genetics, innovation, career opportunities and growing practices, we encourage you to apply!

About the Job

The IPM Specialist is responsible for owning and executing all Integrated Pest Management functions within the nursery and propagation facility. This role focuses on pest and pathogen prevention, scouting, spray applications, beneficial insect programs, product evaluations, compliance documentation, chemical storage, SDS management, and protecting the health of mother plants, clones, and young plant material. The ideal candidate is experienced, highly organized, self‑motivated, and capable of independently managing the nursery IPM program with minimal oversight while using sound judgment to prevent application errors and crop damage. Current schedule is Tuesday through Saturday, with availability for one or both weekend days as needed for spray applications or urgent nursery needs.

What You Will Do

• Own and execute the nursery IPM program from scouting through treatment and follow‑up.
• Protect the health and cleanliness of mother stock, clones, veg plants, and nursery inventory.
• Perform all pesticide, biological, foliar, and sanitation spray applications according to label, safety, and compliance standards.
• Accurately calculate and mix products using proper measurements, dilution rates, and label directions.
• Use prior application knowledge and sound judgment to prevent common treatment errors, crop injury, or ineffective applications.
• Understand environmental considerations such as light intensity, temperature, humidity, and dry‑back timing when making applications.
• Conduct side‑by‑side product trials to evaluate treatment effectiveness, plant response, and phytotoxicity.
• Document trial results and provide recommendations for program improvements.
• Conduct and ensure completion of routine scouting throughout all nursery, propagation, and mother plant areas.
• Monitor sticky traps, track pest counts, identify trends, and respond proactively to developing pressure.
• Release and manage beneficial insects and biological control agents according to program schedules.
• Identify and track hotspot areas, recurring pest zones, and environmental risk factors.
• Follow up weekly on previously identified issues to confirm treatment effectiveness and resolution.
• Identify and respond proactively to pest pressure including mites, thrips, aphids, fungus gnats, mildew, root issues, and other threats common to nursery production.
• Evaluate incoming clones and plant material for health, cleanliness, vigor, and pest risk.
• Maintain all internal logs and state‑required compliance records related to sprays, products, rates, PPE, REI intervals, treatments, scouting data, and trial results.
• Keep all records accurate, organized, and audit‑ready.
• Maintain cleanliness, organization, and compliance of all chemical storage and application areas.
• Maintain an up‑to‑date SDS library for all onsite products, digital and non‑digital.
• Monitor chemical inventory levels and communicate reorder needs.
• Coordinate treatment schedules with nursery and cultivation leadership.
• Assist in improving existing pest management, sanitation, and nursery health programs to reduce losses and improve plant quality.
• Train staff on sanitation practices, clone handling, room‑entry procedures, and pest prevention protocols.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Oversee temporary labor assigned to scouting, sanitation, defoliation support, or treatment preparation.
• Train cultivation staff on IPM procedures, sanitation standards, pest awareness, and proper room protocols.
• Delegate support tasks as needed to maintain treatment schedules and facility cleanliness.
• Monitor completion and quality of assigned IPM‑related tasks by support staff.

What We Are Looking For

• Proven experience applying horticultural pesticides in nursery, greenhouse, propagation, cannabis, or agricultural environments.
• Strong understanding of pesticide labels, mixing rates, application techniques, PPE, REI intervals, compatibility, and safe handling procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to accurately calculate spray volumes, weights, and dilution rates.
• Experience in recognizing and avoiding phytotoxicity risks and common application mistakes.
• Experience conducting product trials or evaluating treatment performance (preferred).
• Experience with beneficial insect programs, sticky trap monitoring, and pest trend tracking (preferred).
• Experience maintaining spray logs, compliance records, and SDS systems.
• Strong scouting skills with knowledge of common nursery pests, pathogens, and plant stress indicators.
• Experience working with clones, mother plants, propagation systems, or young plant production (preferred).
• Ability to work independently, stay organized, solve problems, and take ownership of responsibilities.
• Ability to pass respirator medical evaluation and fit test.
• Must be 21 years of age or older.

Compensation

The hourly pay range for this position in the selected city is: $20.00-$25.00. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

Benefits

• Competitive Pay
• Paid Vacation Time
• Career Growth and Internal Advancement Opportunities

Equal Employment Opportunity

As set forth in Connected Careers Page’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Veteran Status Identification

As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts. Protected veteran categories include disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, active‑duty wartime or campaign‑badge veteran, and armed‑forces service‑medal veteran.

Disability Self‑Identification

We are a federal contractor and are required to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. Self‑identification is voluntary and confidential. Your response will not be considered in hiring decisions.