Harvest Operator

• This position will report to the: Assistant Harvest Manager
• Travel Requirement: 75% Non-Local Areas and 25% in Local Areas
• FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
• Shift: 1st Shift
• Employment Category: Full-Time Hourly

STRONG HISTORY. EXCITING FUTURE.

Established in 2023, New Carrot Company, operating under the name Bolthouse Fresh Foods, is headquartered in the California Central Valley community of Bakersfield. Specializing in carrot production, the company caters to both retail and food service operations and is renowned for its Bolthouse Farms brand, widely distributed in major retailers across the United States and Canada.

Bolthouse Fresh Foods is a subsidiary of Butterfly Equity, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm with a specialty in the food sector. Butterfly Equity's expertise spans the entire food value chain, from 'seed to fork,' with a focus on agriculture & aquaculture, food & beverage products, food distribution, and foodservice.

Bolthouse Fresh Foods has approximately 1,300 employees.

WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IN THIS ROLE

The Harvest Operator will drive and operate one or more farm machines such as tractors, trucks, and harvesters to perform specified farm activity. The ideal candidate will perform a variety of tasks using tractors, mainly loading carrots into a set of field trailers.

• Use heavy equipment, tractor, and loads sets of double trailers with carrots with an acceptable loading weight to be delivered to the processing plant
• Assist Harvest Foreman in general mechanical repairs of equipment
• Hitch soil conditioning implement such as plow or harrow to tractor, and operate tractor and towed implement to furrow and grade soil
• Drive tractor and operate designated towed machine, such as seed drill or manure spreader, to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops
• Prepare harvesting machine by adjusting speeds of cutters, blowers, and conveyors and height of cutting head or depth of digging blades according to type, height, weight, and condition of crop being harvested, and contour of terrain
• Attach towed or mounted-type harvesting machine to tractor or drive self-propelled harvesting machine to cut, pull up, dig, thresh, clean, chop, bag, or bundle crops such as sod, vine fruits, or livestock feed
• Move switches, pull levers, and turn knobs and wheels to activate and regulate mechanisms
• Refuel engine daily, lubricate machine parts, and monitor machine operations to ensure optimum performance
• Drive truck to haul materials, supplies, or harvested crops to designated locations
• Load and unload containers of materials and products on trucks, trailers, or railcars by hand or driving forklift truck
• Mix specified materials and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery
• Operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks, such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED; or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Two to three years previous experience as a tractor driver
• Ability to work 75% of time in non-local areas and 25% in local areas
• Valid California driver license and clean driving record

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to perform routine tractor and harvester maintenance daily
• Ability to read and write
• Knowledge of mathematical skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• One to two years previous experience in farm environment

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Must be able to carry/lift to 50lb

• Environmental exposure- seasonal outdoor temperatures (40&degree; or below), heat (99&degree; or above), wet, and darkened conditions

• Material exposure- machine truck vibrations/moving mechanical parts

• Must be able to stand for an extended period of time
• Occasional exposure to fumes and airborne particles

WHAT WE OFFER

Our rich benefits packages are designed to support the health and well-being of both our eligible co-workers and their families.

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Group Life and AD&D
• Voluntary Life and AD&D
• Group Short-Term Disability
• Group Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k)
• Paid Time Off
  

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a culturally diverse organization. We strive for inclusiveness and a workplace where mutual respect is paramount. We encourage applications from a diverse pool of candidates, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or veteran status. We will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, as need, to assist them in performing essential job functions.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. If you are interested in applying for employment with Bolthouse Farms and need special assistance to apply for a posted position, or if you believe you do not meet any of the required qualifications of a posted position due to a protected disability and would like to explore the possibility of an accommodation, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at: bolthousefreshtalentacquisition@bolthouse.com for additional support and guidance.

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES:

Bolthouse Farms does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Bolthouse Farms is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.