Local Bounti is a leading controlled environment agriculture (CEA) company. Our mission is to bring our farm to your kitchen and deliver the freshest, locally grown produce in the fewest food miles possible.
By growing local and minimizing the distance between farm and plate, Local Bounti helps eliminate food waste and provides fresh, high-quality produce to areas of the country over 1,000 miles from their current source. Our sustainable greenhouse technology delivers ideal growing conditions for each of our diverse selection of crops, resulting in 90% less water consumption and 95% less land use than conventional agriculture, no need for herbicides or pesticides, and the lowest carbon footprint in the industry. We provide an interactive, educational, and safe work environment and are dedicated to helping our employees grow within the company. Local Bounti is committed to fully integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives in all our business activities.
Our mission is rooted in sustainability and in turn human welfare. Therefore, we are committed to the growth and cultivation of our employee’s well-being, so that our employees feel that they are in a career environment that enables them to thrive personally and professionally. We provide an interactive, educational, and safe work environment and are dedicated to helping our employees grow within the company. We are proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to employees working over 30 hours a week.
- Competitive Pay
- Indoor Agriculture Environment
- A culture focused on Work/Life Balance
- Health, Dental, and Visi$on and very competitive contribution rates
- Health Care Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account
- Generous Vacation Time and 5 Sick days each year
- 10 Company Paid Holidays
- Immediate access to participate in the 401(k) plan with up to 5% company match
- Basic and Voluntary Life / AD&D
- Voluntary Accident and Critical Illness coverage
- Voluntary STD/LTD
- Caregiver Support
- Training and Development
- Adoption Assistance Program
- Commuter Benefits (includes part-time and seasonal staff)
- MarketPlace Perks at Work
- Free Employee Assistance Program services that focus on health physically, emotionally, socially, and financially.
Job Summary:
The Assistant Head Grower is ultimately responsible for all Quality Assurance aspects of the Company’s production activities. Working in tandem with the Production Manager (responsible for Quality Control), there shall exist a continued feedback loop in an effort to improve systems, processes, infrastructure, and techniques with the goal of growing consistent, reliable high-quality crops. It is the role of Quality Assurance to plan, develop, research and train, whereas Quality Control is responsible for the execution of parameters set forth by QA.
Duties/Responsibilities:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The duties listed below are representative of the essential functions, qualifications, physical demands, and the work environment encountered in this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with any other duties as assigned:
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Ensure Exceptional Plant Health: Utilizing their experience and the resources available to them, the Grower will be responsible for the overall health of the plants.
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Expectations:
- Ensure growing systems are continually maintaining pre-defined environmental ranges (temp, humidity, VPD, AH, pH, nutrient balance) and nutrition recipes.
- Provide input to ongoing Research and Development initiatives and assist growers' tasks with Trial Programs.
- Establish product quality standards that align with established company specifications so there is uniformity and consistency from day to day.
- Establish the IPM program in Local Bounti and define the pest pressure and economic thresholds.
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Expectations:
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Ensure Exceptional Product Quality: Responsible for growing products which meet or exceed quality standards.
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Expectations:
- Establish product quality standards that align with established company specifications so there is uniformity and consistency from day to day.
- Ensure consistency of product volume and yields from day to day and communicate daily with facility leadership on upcoming expectations.
- Daily, weekly, and monthly yield forecasts will be reported and socialized openly.
- Ensure all staff are aware of and have been trained on quality expectations.
- All procedures are in accordance with the Company’s food safety policies and staff have been trained and kept up to date on any changes to said policy.
- Ensure all staff are aware of and have been trained in quality expectations.
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Expectations:
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Food Safety Compliance: Responsible for ensuring that products grown at the facility comply with company food safety standards.
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Expectations:
- All procedures are in accordance with the Company’s food safety policies and staff has been trained and kept up to date on any changes to said policy.
- Will notify supervisor immediately upon the occurrence of any potential food safety incident perceived or otherwise.
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Expectations:
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Recording, organizing and communicating Growing Systems Data: Responsible for the aggregation of production data from the operation and to quickly and efficiently communicate any issues that might affect production.
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Expectations:
- Manage the collection, aggregation, and communication of critical Greenhouse data.
- Provide all data sets pertaining to the greenhouse (i.e. nutrient analysis, historical environmental data, chemical or additive treatments, movement of plants or materials, etc.)
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Expectations:
Outcomes:
- Reliable Yields: Develop and implement systems, and infrastructure that ensures yield targets are consistently met.
- Consistent Quality: Develop and implement systems, and infrastructure that ensures quality targets are consistently met.
- Dependable Safety: Develop and implement systems, and infrastructure that ensures food safety targets are consistently met.
- Consistent Repeatable Execution: Create a system of procedures and equipment that Production can reliably execute on growing amazing plants day in and day out. Systems should be scalable in order to support facility expansions and provide a Play Book for future facilities.
Required Skills/Abilities:
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Determine Wholistic Training Program Requirements: Responsible for employee training requirements across the company.
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Expectations:
- Develop and publish training requirements such that all stakeholders are aware of what they must be trained on given their employment level.
- Tie training accomplishments to employment levels.
- Maintain on-going, up to date employee training records.
- Ensure proper documentation of training is recorded and stored in such a manner that it is easily referenced in the event of a food safety audit or HR decision.
- The training program shall reflect and reinforce the Company’s mission, vision, values, and culture.
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Expectations:
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Development of Training Materials: Responsible for the development of training materials to satisfy the requirements set forth above in section 1.
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Expectations:
- Ensure adequate training materials are available and up to date for all required training.
- Develop unique or original training materials for systems or processes particular to the Company’s modus operandi.
- Identify, vet, and institute third party training materials when appropriate.
- Work with leadership to establish an annual training budget which includes but is not limited to training materials, supplies, courses, travel, etc.
- Aggregate Training Program materials into a facility launch play book, making regular updates as changes occur.
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Expectations:
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Conduct Training Activities: Responsible for administering training programs to Company staff or related stakeholders.
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Expectations:
- Regularly conduct training sessions for new hires to ensure they meet the minimum training requirements to carry out tasks identified in their initial job descriptions.
- As required in section 1 above, ensure regular (quarterly, semi-annual, or annual) RE-training of employees is carried out in a timely manner.
- Ensure employee understanding and comprehension of training materials through various methods (testing, spot checks, audits, etc.).
- Facilitate the scheduling, registration, or any prerequisites for training sessions employees might encounter.
- Accountable for moving employees through their training progression schedule as set forth in section 1 above in a timely manner.
- Ensure yourself stays up to date with any and all certifications required to administer said Training Program materials. Additionally, actively research and seek out additional educational or certificate opportunities which could elevate your abilities in this realm.
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Expectations:
Outcomes:
- Fully Trained Staff: All staff will have been trained in accordance with their job description and their area of focus within the facility.
- Employee Empowerment and Progression via Training Program: Employees are aware of what training sessions are needed for them to progress their careers across the entire facility and opportunities for them to do so are made available.
- Zero Production Interference due to lack of Training: Employees are sufficiently trained such that their skill sets and understanding of processes does not pose an imminent risk to production.
- Zero Safety Incidents due to lack of Training: Employees are sufficiently trained such that their skill sets and understanding of processes does not pose an imminent risk to personal or food safety.
- Scalable Training Program Play Book: Production of a comprehensive Training Program Play Book that can be scaled to multiple facilities and can be administered by multiple “Trainers.”
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree from four-year college or University in Horticulture or Agronomy; master’s degree; PhD (desirable).
- Management skills.
- +10 years of growing and high-tech greenhouse operations. At least 5 years of experience in executive positions.
- Successful experience generating: Strategic growing planning, budgeting, and resource allocation.
- Knowledge of large-scale and multiple commercial growing plants in the greenhouse and vertical production, preferably in leafy green and lettuces.
- Experience in Moving Gutter System (Green Automation, Hortiplan, FGM system, etc.).
- Experience in nutrients, lights, temperature control, airflow, irrigation design, etc.
- Experience in Priva, Hoogendorn and/or Hortimax climate management systems.
- Experience in extreme climate conditions (hot and humid).
- Knowledge of new varieties introduction in greenhouses at commercial scale.
- Knowledge of facilities maintenance and project management.
- Hands-on experience developing project commissioning focusing on electrical, irrigation, heating, cooling, and structural.
Physical Demands:
(Physical demands are a general guide and specific positions will vary based on working conditions, locations and facility/department needs)
- The working environment is subject to pressure for multiple calls, inquiries, and interruptions.
- Hearing: perceiving the nature of sound by ear.
- Lifting: raising or lowering objects weighing no more than 10 pounds, from one level to another.
- Mental Demands: mathematical reasoning, memorization, oral comprehension, spatial orientation, and written comprehension.
- Sitting: remaining in the normal seated position.
- Stooping: bending the body by bending the spine at the waist.
- Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words.
- Vision Near acuity: ability to see clearly at 20 inches or less.
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