Seed & Nursery Technician

Agricultural Ingredients N. America; Livingston (CA); On-site; USD 22,041 - 30,307; Full time

Job summary

Agricultural Ingredients N. America in Livingston, CA, seeks a hands-on Operations Associate to assist in Research and Seed departments. Primary duties include planting and harvesting field trials, spraying chemical treatments, equipment maintenance, and supervising line workers.

Overnight travel to remote sites (10–15%) is required. Expect 2nd or 3rd shift work with overtime as needed, and collaboration with Seed Manager to ensure quality seed production and equipment efficiency.

Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or G.E.D. required.
• 2-4 years of ag, field, or lab experience highly desirable.
• Desirable: bilingual English/Spanish and basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as shift lead for Garlic Cracking Line at Livingston Plant.
• Ensure documentation and safety procedures are performed and followed.
• Maintain continual line of communication with Seed Manager.
• Perform minor repairs and maintenance to maintain throughput.
• Supervise activities of line inspectors and forklift drivers.
• Oversee fast-paced flow of activities including truck loading/unloading and bin movement.
• Routinely operate forklift.
• Work 2nd or 3rd shift and frequent overtime as assigned.
• Assist in Research Nursery projects including erecting cages and hand planting bulbs.
• Basic tractor work including disking, plowing, mulching, laying drip tape, etc.
• Hand weeding when necessary; harvest of cage-produced onion seed.
• Supervision of hourly and temporary workers performing above tasks.
• Maintain inventories for research seed, tags, cages, and supplies.
• Travel to remote trial locations and seed production areas.
• Planting and harvesting field plot trials; onion seed field activities.
• Be an active participant in all seed production activities.
• Supervise daily activities of onion seed bulb grading line.
• Milling onion seed; blending and treating onion seed; inventory maintenance.
• Safely mix and apply chemical treatments using appropriate equipment; handle pesticides.
• Haul pallets of graded bulbs to storage location; participate in other Seed activities.

Skills

Forklift operation

Planting and harvesting

Pesticide application

Team supervision

Communication

Education

High school diploma or G.E.D.

Tools

Tractor operation

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

Position assists with and performs a variety of tasks in the Research and Seed Departments. Primary jobs are planting & harvesting of research field trials, spraying chemical treatments in local Nursery, maintenance of research field equipment, and assisting in Seed Production operations. Overnight travel (10-15%) is required to remote sites for planting and harvest operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Act as shift lead person for Garlic Cracking Line at Livingston Plant
2. Ensure that all documentation and safety procedures are performed and followed
3. Maintain continual line of communication with Seed Manager
4. Perform minor repairs and maintenance to maintain throughputs
5. Supervise activities of line inspectors and forklift drivers
6. Oversee fast‑paced flow of activities including truck loading/unloading, movement of bins from storage to curing, optimal use of inspectors, and line sanitation
7. Routinely operate forklift
8. Able to work 2nd or 3rd shift and frequent overtime when assigned
9. Assist in all Research Nursery projects including:
10. Erecting cage frames and cages in Research Nursery
11. Hand planting of selected bulbs for Nursery cages
12. Basic tractor work including disking, plowing, mulching, laying drip tape, cultivating, pulling beds, and pesticide applications
13. Hand weeding when necessary
14. Harvest of cage‑produced onion seed
15. Supervision of other hourly and temporary workers performing above tasks
16. Maintain inventories for research seed, tags, cages, and other supplies
17. Cage washing, storage, and maintenance
18. Travel to remote trial locations and seed production areas
19. Planting and harvesting of field plot trials
20. Onion seed field planting, seed harvesting, and combining
21. Garlic seed field certification
22. Planting and harvesting onion seed bulbs
23. Be an active participant in all seed production activities
24. Supervise daily activities of onion seed bulb grading line
25. Milling onion seed
26. Blending and treating onion seed
27. Inventory maintenance of finished seed
28. Safely mix and apply chemical treatments to Research Nursery or Compound using appropriate equipment including tractor‑mounted sprayers, backpack sprayers, and chemigation equipment; also handle pesticides while treating onion seed
29. Haul pallets of graded bulbs to storage location using company flatbed truck
30. Participate in all other Research and Seed activities as assigned

SKILLS & ABILITIES

1. Carry out new research projects as assigned
2. Assist in onion seed production including:
3. Planting & harvesting of seed fields
4. Seed milling & blending
5. Correctly determine number of seeds per pound for seed lots
6. Assist in maintenance of accurate seed inventory
7. Assist in other basic laboratory, greenhouse, and tissue culture projects

ESSENTIALS

1. Ability to routinely lift up to 50 pounds
2. Accurate math skills
3. Valid California driver’s license
4. Work well with others
5. Understand material safety and when to use PPE
6. Attentive to detail
7. Able to travel to remote sites for planting & harvest operations
8. Supervise other hourly and temporary employees as assigned
9. Able to communicate clearly and follow verbal and written instruction in English
10. Operate a wide variety of farm equipment
11. Physically capable of passing a respirator fit test

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Education: High school diploma or G.E.D. required

2‑4 years previous ag, field, or lab experience highly desirable.

Must be able to learn basic concepts of genetics and plant breeding.

Desirable: Bilingual English/Spanish and basic computer skills.

Equal Opportunity Employer