Agriculture Equipment Operator - AZ 27-0002

Agricultural Equipment Operators 44-2091

Crops: Green/Red Romaine, Green/Red Oak, Green/Red Leaf Lettuce, Mizuna, Arugula, Green/Red Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Spinach, Kale, Culinary Herbs, Microgreens, Strawberries, Celery, and Cabbage.

General Summary

This position is classified 44-2091 – Agricultural Equipment Operators.

Employees will operate and control agricultural equipment to support crop production activities including soil preparation, planting, cultivation, irrigation, harvesting, and field maintenance.

Workers will operate mechanized and power-driven equipment such as tractors, planters, sprayers, cultivators, forklifts, and other farm equipment used in vegetable and herb production. Employees must be able to safely operate equipment with minimal supervision, follow verbal and written instructions, communicate effectively with supervisors, and perform assigned duties in a timely and efficient manner. Complex or unusual assignments will be completed under direct supervision.

Workers must comply with all company safety policies, pesticide safety requirements, re-entry intervals, and all required safety postings.

Essential Job Duties

Equipment Operation

• Operate tractors, planters, sprayers, cultivators, forklifts, and other agricultural equipment used in crop production.
• Perform mechanized fieldwork including tilling, planting, cultivating, irrigating, spraying, and harvesting crops.
• Conduct routine equipment inspections and report maintenance needs or mechanical issues.
• Assist with basic equipment cleaning and preventative maintenance.

Irrigation

• Install, maintain, repair, and remove irrigation systems, drip tubing, water lines, irrigation pipe, fittings, and related equipment.
• Dig, clean, and maintain irrigation ditches.
• Assist with irrigation setup and field watering activities.

Crop Production

Workers may be required to manually perform all aspects of vegetable and herb production, including:

• Preparing fields for planting.
• Tilling soil and applying fertilizers.
• Planting and transplanting crops.
• Weeding, thinning, hoeing, pruning, and cultivating crops.
• Applying pesticides under supervision when authorized.
• Harvesting vegetables, herbs, leafy greens, strawberries, celery, cabbage, and other crops by hand.
• Cleaning, grading, sorting, weighing, packing, bundling, tying, boxing, labeling, and loading harvested products.

General Farm Maintenance

Workers may also perform duties including:

• Digging and preparing planting beds.
• Installing and replacing hoop house poles and coverings.
• Installing or removing plastic mulch, crop netting, and row covers.
• Repairing fences and assisting with general farm building maintenance.
• Assisting with greenhouse maintenance and repairs.
• Performing ditching, shoveling, hauling, hoeing, and other general farming tasks.
• Maintaining clean and sanitary equipment, restrooms, lunch areas, packing facilities, and work areas by collecting and disposing of trash, packing materials, boxes, labels, and other debris.

Transportation

Workers possessing a valid driver's license with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but no limited to driving while intoxicated or reckless driving) and an insurable driving record may be required to:

• Operate company vehicles.
• Transport crops, equipment, tools, and fellow workers between work locations.
• Maintain a safe driving record while operating company vehicles.

Food Safety

Employees must follow all food safety and sanitation procedures, including wearing required personal protective equipment (PPE), following Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and complying with pesticide safety requirements.

Workers must report to work each day wearing appropriate work clothing and durable footwear suitable for agricultural work.

Experience Requirements

Applicants must have:

• A minimum of three (3) months of experience operating agricultural equipment.
• Experience working with leafy greens, herbs, or similar vegetable crops.
• The ability to safely operate tractors, planters, sprayers, cultivators, and similar agricultural equipment.
• The ability to understand and follow instructions and communicate effectively with supervisors.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Work is performed primarily outdoors and in packing facilities.

Employees must be able to:

• Stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, squat, and reach for extended periods.
• Perform repetitive motions throughout the workday.
• Lift, carry, push, and pull materials weighing up to 60 pounds, including loading products onto trucks up to approximately five feet in height.
• Work long hours in fields and packing facilities as production demands require.
• Work in varying weather conditions including heat, cold, humidity, rain, snow, moderate winds, and direct sunlight.

Field temperatures may range from 10°F to 105°F. Employees may be required to work while crops are wet from dew or light rain and during occasional weather conditions that do not interrupt field operations.

Individuals with allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, bees, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or similar agricultural materials should consider whether they can safely perform the essential functions of this position.

Reasonable accommodations will be considered for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Sanitation Requirements

Because employees work with crops intended for human consumption, strict sanitation procedures must be followed at all times.

Employees are required to:

• Wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the restroom.
• Wash hands before eating, drinking, smoking, or returning to work.
• Wash hands before entering harvest fields or packing facilities.
• Follow all company food safety and sanitation policies.
• Maintain clean work areas and help ensure sanitary harvesting and packing conditions.