Crop Protection Manager

BELL NURSERY USA•Warwick, MD

1d•$60,000 - $70,000•Onsite

About The Position

Join our dynamic nursery team as a Crop Protection Manager, where your expertise will directly impact the health, quality, and success of our crops. This is an exciting opportunity for a hands-on professional who enjoys diagnosing plant health challenges, developing preventative strategies, and collaborating with growers and production teams to achieve exceptional plant quality. The crop protection department focuses on the overall health of the plants within the nursery. We have a crew of herbicide applicators and a crew of pesticide applicators (insecticide, fungicide, bactericide, miticide, molluscicide). We also assist in fertilizer applications through late winter and early spring. The crop protection department works synergistically with other departments to help produce healthy plants for sale. This department scouts for pests and diseases, diagnoses crop problems, sprays pesticides, and advises other departments on IPM practices to manage issues.

Requirements

Degree in Plant Pathology or a related field OR a minimum of five years of hands-on greenhouse and field growing experience in a leadership or decision-making capacity.
Experience diagnosing pest, disease, and abiotic plant health issues.
Experience identifying fungal structures using a microscope.
Knowledge of ornamental insect pests and effective management practices.
Knowledge of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles and the ability to develop crop-specific management plans.
Functional experience with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word.
Ability to work weekends as business needs require.
Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and make sound decisions.
Strong interpersonal, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Responding to all plant related problems found by scouts or any other worker in the nursery.
Inspecting plants in the field as well as taking samples.
Identifying most common fungal diseases and coming to a reasonable conclusion based on symptomology and spore morphology.
Determining a spray program once a determination has been made.
Speaking with the grower about IPM practices that may alleviate the issue in the future.
Determining chemical selection and rotations.
Ordering materials such as lime for the potting shed.
Collecting well water usage data and submitting it to the NJDEP (in winter).
Making sure all applicators have been appropriately trained and have all PPE for the job.
Meeting with the NJDA, NJDEP and any other state or federal agency during inspections or audits.
Accurately diagnosing plant diseases, pest infestations, and abiotic disorders through field inspections and laboratory evaluations.
Developing proactive disease prevention and treatment programs that protect crop quality and reduce losses.
Monitoring crop health and identifying issues before they significantly impact production.
Collecting and analyzing plant, soil, and environmental samples to support informed decision-making.
Partnering with growers and production teams to implement effective Integrated Pest Management strategies.
Providing technical expertise and recommendations that improve plant health and production outcomes.
Preparing technical reports, research summaries, and presentations when needed.
Maintaining laboratory equipment and accurate research, diagnostic, and regulatory records.
Collaborating with growers, horticulturists, and agricultural professionals to solve complex plant health challenges.
Staying current on advances in plant pathology, crop protection, and agricultural technology.