Field Worker (Harvest) and Ag Equip Operator

About the role

This is a field harvesting position focused on various lettuce varieties and related produce. Workers will perform heavy field labor, including harvesting, trimming, coring, and packing produce in outdoor conditions.

Responsibilities

• Clean and Core of Head Lettuce: Harvest cored head lettuce by walking in uneven furrows behind a conveyor belt or riding a machine platform. Use a harvesting knife with a coring attachment to cut heads from roots, trim outer leaves, remove cores, and inspect for defects. Place heads onto the belt, where others inspect, core, and remove loose leaves before sorting into bins. Bins may weigh up to 50 lbs. empty; pallets up to 95 lbs. empty. Two workers carry and assemble empty pallets.
• Head Lettuce: Harvest head lettuce by cutting, bagging, and packing in the field. Walk behind a harvesting platform or belt to cut produce using a hand knife. Determine size and quality, then trim outer leaves. Packers secure containers, insert lining, fill to specification, and place filled cartons or totes on a conveyor belt for stacking on pallets. Cartons or totes can weigh up to 50 lbs. when filled.
• Romaine Top & Tail: Harvest romaine lettuce for value-added processing. Walk behind a conveyor belt to cut heads using a harvesting knife, trim outer leaves, and place heads on a table. Top and core the romaine, then inspect and sort into bins on pallets. Bins may weigh up to 50 lbs. empty; pallets up to 95 lbs. empty. Two workers carry and assemble empty pallets.
• Romaine, Hearts, Mix Leaf: Harvest romaine, heart, and mixed leaf lettuce. Cut, bag, pack, and load fresh produce in the field. Walk behind a harvesting platform or belt to cut produce using a hand knife. Determine size and quality, trim outer leaves, and place on a table for packers to tie, wash, sort, wrap, and seal into cartons or totes. Packers secure containers, fill to specification, and push filled containers onto a conveyor belt for stacking on pallets. Cartons or totes can weigh up to 50 lbs. when filled.

Requirements

• At least 1 month of work experience with produce, including harvest work.
• Ability to frequently lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to use hand tools, including cutting knives.
• Must not be color blind to distinguish colors of crops.
• Ability to work under conditions where skin and clothing become heavily soiled with mud, water, grease, etc.