Bareroot Crop Manager, Natural Resource Specialist 3 (NRS3)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

6d•$5,111 - $6,870•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity within our Forest Resources Division as a Bareroot Crop Manager. The need for trees for reforestation efforts has never been more important on a global scale. Webster Forest Nursery needs talented employees to help produce trees for reforestation efforts across the Pacific Northwest. This is your opportunity to be part of a great tradition and help us to reach 1 billion seedlings and beyond. Webster Forest Nursery, established in 1957 on the current site, produces trees for state trust lands across all six regions of the DNR as well as for large and small private landowners. The nursery consists of 150 acres of tillable land, 75,000 square feet of climate-controlled greenhouses, and an active research program focused on operational production of native forest seedlings. The Bareroot Crop Manager is a senior member of the Webster Nursery grow team. This position performs a variety of crop care duties during all stages of seedling production for 10 to 15 million trees annually. This position reports to the Assistant Nursery Manager. The ideal candidate has previous professional work experience in large-scale commercial production of agricultural and/or horticultural products. Attention to detail is essential in our fast-paced production setting. Safety is critical to protect people, the seedling crop, equipment, and facilities. This position is for individuals who appreciate the challenges and rewards of large-scale plant production, enjoy being outdoors in all types of weather, and are active throughout their workday.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree involving major study in forestry, horticulture, agriculture, crop sciences, or a closely related field AND 2 years of work experience in a related field; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience in a related field.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Excel, and Teams.
Supervisory experience.
Commitment to fostering and supporting an environment that honors diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice practices.
Perform assigned duties in a manner consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and public records retention, and requests are followed.
Respirator use and fit testing (after hire).
Work is primarily outdoors in all weather conditions (wind, rain, cold, heat) in an agricultural setting.
Must be able to work in coolers/freezers and frequent temperature changes between production areas and outdoor weather conditions.
Must be able to walk on rough, uneven terrain in all weather conditions.
Must have the ability to lift, carry, push, and/or pull up to 50 pounds (seedling bags, fertilizer/pesticide containers, and heavy equipment parts) without the aid of equipment.
Work is performed around large equipment; must be able to perform sustained equipment operation for long periods of time.
Working in and around a large warehouse and farming equipment requires the ability to effectively communicate in a loud industrial setting.
During seedling packing, indoor conditions are dusty, muddy, humid, wet, and cold.
Must be able to stand for extended periods of time during an 8-hour shift.
Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, crawl, step over greenhouse rails, and climb on and off equipment.
The ability to grasp, grab, pull, and use power/hand tools.
Occasional travel to seminars, trade and industry meetings, or to observe field seedling performance.
Occasional visits to other nurseries to observe other nursery operations.
A current, valid driver’s license and two years of driving experience.
Additionally, DNR requires state drivers to possess a license that is not suspended, revoked, or restricted (for example, Occupational/Restricted Driver Licenses or requiring ignition interlock devices).
This position requires driving as an essential function.
Finalists and/or interview candidates will be asked to provide a driving record from all states in which they have held a license during the past three years.

Nice To Haves

Ability to speak Spanish.
Professional experience in large-scale production agriculture, horticulture, or a plant nursery.
Conifer growing experience.
Experience handling/growing crops from seed.
Experience operating large farm equipment – i.e., tractor skills.
Experience operating a forklift in a production and/or warehouse setting.
Knowledge and experience working with computer database programs such as Access and Oracle.
Pesticide License.
Live within a 30-minute drive of the nursery to respond to occasional irrigation needs and on-site emergencies during extreme weather events.

Responsibilities

Works in collaboration with the Assistant Nursery Manager to provide efficient and timely production of targeted quantities of seedlings to meet DNR’s reforestation program.
Monitors all steps in the production process for seed & seedling health.
Tracks seedling development toward established targets.
Maintains genetic identity of seedlings during all stages of the production process through accurate inventory, labelling integrity, and seedling quality.
Engages in crop walks.
Records and shares observations about field and plant conditions with senior-level nursery staff.
Judges when to change work priorities, such as crops, labor availability, cultural conditions, and weather change.
Organizes, directs, and executes seed care and cleaning activities and stratification in preparation for annual seed sowing.
Uses specialized knowledge of conifer seed biology to achieve directed results.
Oversees quality control program.
Identifies shortfalls and weighs the business need for trees against the quality of the product.
Make recommendations to change crop specifications to meet these needs.
Researches, analyzes, and provides recommendations about new products to test to improve seedling culture and performance.
Makes test applications.
Records and follows up based on observations.
Oversees, monitors, and assesses work performed by contract labor staff.
Determines corrective action to assure work meets quality and performance expectations.
Directs the work of assigned staff.
Reviews work for quality and performance expectations.

Benefits

Commitment to organizational health and wellness
Work/life balance
DNR Employee Resource Groups (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, Women’s Employee Resource Group, Veterans Employee Resource Group, etc.)
Statewide Employee Business Resource Groups
Leadership that empowers and supports employees
Professional development opportunities
Educational and career development aid
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
Opportunities to participate in wildland fire suppression assignments
A comprehensive benefits package includes employer contributions toward health insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans, sick leave, and vacation days.