Operations Floater – Special Projects (Internal Candidates Only)

AeroFarms is transforming agriculture and redefining the industry’s supply chain. The company’s state-of-the-art technology uses aeroponics and LEDs to deliver a protected growing environment, that is close to the end-user thereby minimizing harmful transportation miles. The company grows hundreds of varieties of baby leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens harvested at their peak for the best flavor and nutritional value. Fully traceable from farm to fork, the leafy greens are grown from non-GMO seeds.

AeroFarms is building a brand-new state-of-the-art facility in Newark, NJ to serve the NY Metro area. The facility will be the world’s largest indoor vertical farm for leafy greens and herbs. To support substantial interest from national retailers, AeroFarms also plans a significant scaling of the business, including facilities in other cities and countries soon. AeroFarms is dedicated to enabling local production at a commercial scale in markets throughout the world.

We are looking for an experienced and talented individual to be the Special Projects Operations Floater for AeroFarms’ new growing and packaging facility for RTE leafy greens in Newark, New Jersey. In this role, you will report directly to the Master Grower.

Position Summary & Responsibilities

• Fill in roles as needed by R&D, Project Management, and Operations.
• Work in Seeding, AGL, harvest, and packaging departments as needed by R&D on Friday’s, and any other R&D days
• Designated R&D Days will consist of working all functions, including sanitation of harvest room after harvesting is completed. Other operations support staff will rotate to fill in other roles as needed
• Work to help complete Special Project functions including harvesting, packaging, and shelf life as needed by the Operations Project Manager throughout the week
• The employee will take the document and take pictures of the product in various form factors, assist with packing out the product for time studies, labeling and preparing packaging items for testing (sanitizing new trays, labeling trays), packing out product in new packaging formats for quality and shelf-life tests, review shelf-life materials and take photos, assist shipping in preparing samples for sales/marketing review, Operations Project Manager
• Run packaging lines when materials need to be packaged for R&D and Operations Project Manager
• Assist in the commissioning of all machinery including the harvester, drying tunnel, and Ishida Packaging Line
• Serve as the operations floater to all positions for PTO relief for Seeding, AGL, Harvesting, Packaging, and Sanitation.

Education

• High School Diploma or equivalent

Requirements

• 1-year prior experience at AeroFarms
• Must be able to read, write, understand, and speak basic English (required)
• Must be able to work in a cold environment (<40F) for extended periods
• Must be able to push, pull, and lift 15 lbs in seeding, 75 lbs in AGL area, 20 lbs in harvest, and 10 lbs in packaging
• Availability to work weekends is a must
• Ability to respect and maintain confidential information
• Ability to work within a team environment
• Must be able to work independently and within a team
• Must have time management skills to meet certain deadlines for the plan of the day
• Must be detailed oriented and organized
• Must have good communication skills
• Must have good basic math skills
• Ability to use scales, calculators, computer, and tablet