Houweling's Group is a family owned and world-renowned greenhouse vegetable grower with farms in Camarillo, California, Delta, British Columbia, and Mona, Utah. As a leader and innovator in sustainable greenhouse farming, Houweling's continues to focus on year-round, locally grown produce, as our consumers have a proven desire and willingness to purchase local. Along with our greenhouse tomato and cucumber growing, the company operates a state-of-the-art seedling propagation division with a full service logistics department; offering vertical integration from seed to delivery.
Currently we are seeking a Grower to oversee all aspects of growing at our Mona, Utah location. This role is integral in ensuring plant health and consistent production.
- Post-secondary education in horticulture or related experience.
- 10 years of growing experience along with 5 years greenhouse growing specific.
- Familiar with Priva and Argus climate computer systems an asset.
- Familiar with Priva Fusion labor tracking computer systems.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office software.
- Bilingual in English and Spanish a plus, but not mandatory.
Team Management
- Supervise and train the assistant grower in the areas of good horticultural practices and growing techniques in any areas where assistance is required.
- Recruit and properly interview/vet all new growing hires.
- Collaborate with HR to manage new-hires and aid in terminations.
- Provide training to assistant grower and other members of the growing team.
- Establish performance goals (KPI’s) and objectives for assistant growers.
- Review the goals and objectives with the assistant grower on a period basis.
- Enforce policies and procedures within the growing and pest departments
- Conduct performance evaluations.
Crop Monitoring and Forecasting
- Ensure team is following the processes to monitor and report on plant growth/plant balance along with influencing factors in production such as: fertilizer; irrigation; CO2 dosage; climatic conditions: temperature; total light, etc.
- Develop and implement-growing strategies to optimize plant balance and production based crop quality and climatic conditions.
- Cooperate and assist team with climate, irrigation, growing techniques, production trials, and labor savings techniques in any areas where assistance is required/requested by other growers, maintenance and management.
- Monitor production and product quality.
- Ensure growing department is prepared for inter-planting periods. This includes vacation and training blackouts.
- Manage crop-forecasting processes and ensure team is aligned and consistent.
Pest Department Development
- Partner with Pest Department to ensure best practices and alignment with policy and procedures.
- Work in tandem with the Pest Department to monitor and react to pest pressures in the greenhouses.
Labor (Growers)
- Monitor crop labor activities and provide recommendations.
- Sign off on crop metrics that affect labor rates such as densities, head, and stem counts.
Crop Plans
- Provide input regarding the development of the annual crop plans.
- Organize and sign off work plan for upcoming week with labor supervisor.
- Work with operations to set and monitor quality standards for crop work.
- Record plant measurements and forecast by crop event on a weekly basis within Priva growing system.
- Assist in annual production and cost budgets.
