Assistant Grower R&D

Company Overview 

Who is Costa Farms? We’re one of the world’s largest horticultural growers—but without an ego to match our acreage. Our headquarters are in Miami, Florida, where we were founded in 1961. Costa Farms started on just 30 acres, and over the last 60 years, we’ve grown to more than 5,000 acres around the world. We have farms in North and South Carolina, Central and South Florida, and the Dominican Republic, plus an office in China. Costa Farms now employs nearly 6,000 engineers, marketers, accountants/analysts, human resources professionals, and of course, growers and plant scientists! 

Here at Costa Farms, we live by the values of H3: being Humble, staying Hungry, and always Hustling. The team rallies to the mission of being a lean, green, growing machine dedicated to enriching the world by bringing plants into everyone’s life. 

True to that mission, we grow more than 1,500 plant varieties. Driven by the spirit of innovation, the team is always testing new plants and developing new solutions to make it easier for retailers and plant parents to enjoy plants. We’re also continuously testing different ways of growing our plants to increase quality and improve their ecological footprint as one aspect of our many sustainability efforts. 

We cultivate plants, as well as a winning culture. Join the team, and you’ll find opportunities to learn and grow. You’ll collaborate with other driven, determined people who together keep Costa Farms an industry leader. You’ll support and be supported by a team that cares about each other, our customers, our consumers, and our community. 

You’ll also find right away that Costa Farms is committed to providing a diverse environment. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, military status, marital status or veteran status, or any other group status protected by federal, state, or local law. 

Overview

Manage and execute aspects of growing experimental plant varieties as directed by the Research and Development Director and the Sr. Technical Director of Horticulture as well as data collection for all trials and compiling reports. 

Tasks/PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Work with the R&D Director to create a list of tasks to be executed
2. Maintain appropriate irrigation/fertigation frequencies for all trial plant material
3. Measure and record insect populations weekly for all plant material
4. Stick, plant, space, prune and maintain trial crops as instructed by the R&D Director
5. Apply pesticides to all crops of responsibility as instructed by the R&D Director
6. Apply plant growth regulators to all crops of responsibility as instructed by the R&D Director
7. Take pictures of the trials at critical stages as instructed by the R&D Director
8. Make sure all data and pictures are on the R&D portal on timely manner
9. Upon trial completion reports has be completed in 2 weeks from the finish week
10. Participate in the R&D department meetings as required
11. Other tasks as necessary and instructed by the D&D director

Critical Knowledge

• Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related field

Skills

1. Manage multiple tasks
2. Work independently and as a part of the team
3. Accurately gather and record data
4. Work outdoors (year-round), in greenhouse and field environments
5. Learn and use a variety of computers software (including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, etc.)
6. Possess familiarity with moisture and nutrient management procedures

Physical Demands

1. Standing
2. Sitting
3. Lifting up to 50lbs
4. Walking
5. Driving

Working Conditions

1. Indoor – 30% of time. This can change depending on the projects and time of the year
2. Outdoor – 70%. This can change depending on the projects and time od the year.
3. High Temperatures – Ability to work in temperatures of up and over 100 degrees

All applicants must be work-authorized. 

Costa Farms will not sponsor any visa for this position. 

After applying, follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on what’s happening around Costa Farms and to start becoming part of our family. Come Grow with Us™!

Costa Farms offers competitive wages and benefits, including: 

• 401(k) Plan
• Company 401(k) Matching Contributions
• Health Savings Account
• Care on Demand Telemedicine
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Supplemental Insurance (Aflac)
• Virtual workplace for certain roles
• Growth Opportunities
• Challenging and exciting work environment
• Costa Farms Scholarship
• Employee discounts on plants

Costa Farms headquarters also has: 

• On-site gym with showers
• On-site cafeteria, quiet room, and indoor games
• Love Where You Work activities throughout the year

This organization participates in E-Verify

• E-Verify Notice of Participation / E-Verify Aviso de Participación (English/Español)
• E-Verify Right to Work Poster / E-Verify Cartel Derecho a Trabajar (English/Español)

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