Farm Associate

Aviagen•Elkmont, AL

About The Position

The Farm Associate I plays a critical role in the success of farm operations within Aviagen’s suite of poultry farms, with primary responsibility for the care and welfare of birds at the facility. Work may be required up to six days per week, including weekends and holidays. Duties may also involve working with day-old chicks in the hatchery and performing poultry-processing tasks for data collection.

Requirements

Ability to understand oral and written instructions and perform simple tasks.
Basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills.
Ability to perform repetitive work.
Ability to stand for long periods, including eight hours or more, and maintain a flexible work schedule.
Ability to grip, grasp, or twist using hands and wrists.
Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 pounds or more.
Ability to bend and stoop repetitively throughout the shift.
Ability to perform manual tasks in extreme hot or cold temperatures.
Ability to work in dry, dusty, damp, or wet environments, including environments with substantial dust circulation.
Ability to work with live animals and routinely handle and interact with live poultry.
Ability to work around farm-related smells or foul odors and in loud or noisy environments.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the country of the specified job location at hire and maintain authorization throughout employment.

Nice To Haves

Animal husbandry experience is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Gather eggs while preventing excessive breakage.
Grade eggs by category, size, and condition.
Transfer egg flats from the barn to the egg cooler room, record egg counts, and assist with washing eggs.
Maintain sanitary conditions in the egg wash and cooler rooms.
Maintain and record eggs or gather other data as instructed.
Maintain poultry-house living conditions by monitoring and troubleshooting feed lines, drinkers, fans, and barn appearance.
Monitor and document flock health and mortality.
Clean out houses and rebuild bird pens as needed.
Transfer feed weighing up to 50 pounds and maintain feed in feeders according to trial requirements, ensuring all birds can access it.
Collect birds for moving or weighing.
Work with day-old baby chicks in the hatchery facility; duties may include setting, collecting, and transferring eggs and disinfecting the facility.
Perform poultry-processing work, including live-hanging poultry and using cutting instruments to debone or cut poultry as trained for data collection.
Work with chemicals such as detergents and disinfectants.
Perform essential duties safely and efficiently as trained.
Follow animal care standards, animal welfare guidelines, and bio-security policies and procedures.