Section Grower

Costa Farms, LLC•Miami, FL

14h•Onsite

About The Position

The Section Grower at Costa Farms is a results-driven horticultural leader responsible for providing leadership, direction, and coordination for the Costa Color growing team based in Miami, Florida. This role strives to make an impact on the quality of plants, people, processes, and business metrics. The Section Grower holds leadership and accountability for safety, quality, productivity, and cost within their respective areas while meeting corporate and departmental goals and initiatives. This position supports, implements, and uses the Costa Production System (CPS) as the primary tool for operational excellence and continuous improvement. As an active participant in continuous improvement, employee development, and strategic decision making, the Section Grower oversees, manages, and participates in all aspects of growing high-quality plants on time and at a reasonable cost, while meeting the required quality specifications communicated by the customer.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, or relevant alternative preferred but not required.
Minimum four years of experience growing and finishing a variety of annual flowering products.
Strong planning, organizational, analytical, leadership, interpersonal, decision-making, oral, and written communication skills.
Ability to learn to operate environmental control systems and an understanding of greenhouse environmental management.
Familiarity with proper moisture and nutrient management techniques and testing procedures.
Ability to acquire a pesticide applicator's license/permit within ninety days of hire.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, and Outlook). Experience with Power BI is a plus.
Multilingual abilities in Spanish and Creole are a plus.
Able to lift fifty pounds and walk, bend, and kneel unassisted.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Power BI
Multilingual abilities in Spanish and Creole

Responsibilities

Ensure that all growing staff understand and follow the correct moisture management requirements for the various crops in production.
Ensure that new employees are properly trained to apply water to various container sizes without causing damage to or loss of plant materials and know how to operate the various systems.
Ensure that all growing staff understand and follow the correct time of day and conditions in which to irrigate crops to avoid disease or fungal infections.
Assist in irrigating crops in situations such as holidays, labor shortages, unusual weather, etc.
Report and follow up on any maintenance issues regarding water handling systems to the Grower Manager, Head Grower, or Maintenance Department for repair.
Review and submit requests for tools, parts, or other materials needed for irrigation systems to the Grower Manager or Head Grower for review.
Direct the proper selection, rate, frequency, and application of liquid fertilizers, along with the Grower Manager, to ensure high-quality plants are produced without wasting resources.
Help supervise the proper calibration and maintenance of injection systems.
Randomly test fertilizer outputs from injection systems to ensure proper calibration and rates are being achieved.
Perform weekly pH and EC testing as requested by the Managing Grower.
Maintain pest levels at or below an acceptable threshold to avoid loss of sales or customer dissatisfaction.
Direct the proper selection, rate, frequency, and application of all pesticides, along with the Managing Grower, to ensure high-quality plants are produced without wasting resources.
Assist with applications as needed.
Continually scout all active growing areas to quickly identify any pest problems. Report all pest problems to the Grower Manager immediately.
Organize and collect soil and tissue samples to be sent for nutrition and diagnostic analysis as directed by the Managing Grower.
Acquire, within ninety days of hire, and maintain a valid pesticide applicator's certification or license from the state where the farm is physically located.
Ensure compliance with the Worker Protection Standards Act, including the instruction of new employees and growing department personnel regarding pesticide safety, as well as loading, handling, and application.
Report and follow up on any maintenance issues regarding pesticide application systems to the Grower Manager or Maintenance Department for repair.
Review and submit requests to the Grower Manager for pesticide products, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), or spraying supplies to be purchased.
Ensure the proper application of PGRs to various crops to produce high-quality, saleable products that meet customer expectations while minimizing resource waste.
Assist with PGR applications as necessary.
Conduct trials to determine optimal PGR rates, intervals, and chemicals for different crops.
Supervise equipment calibration to ensure proper PGR application rates to crops.
Supervise and assist in gathering information, data entry, and PGR recommendations on crops requiring graphical tracking.
Assist the Grower Manager in programming and setting control systems for greenhouses to maintain efficient growing environments without compromising crop quality or timing.
Oversee the use and maintenance of supplemental or photoperiod lighting systems.
Report and follow up on defective environmental equipment or structural problems to the Grower Manager and Mechanic for repair.
Coordinate with Operations for spreading, pinching, weeding, grooming, moving, or any other operation required.
Drive accountability through the development of KPIs (Safety, Quality, and Productivity). Ensure success by setting targets, monitoring results, problem-solving recurrent issues, and providing feedback through daily team meetings.
Provide direct leadership, direction, and daily coordination to the growing team, fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement aligned with Costa Farms' H3 values.
Train, coach, and develop growing staff and new employees on technical procedures, safety standards, and best practices, ensuring team members build the skills needed to perform at a high level.
Set clear performance expectations, monitor individual and team results, and provide timely, constructive feedback to drive engagement and professional growth.
Identify high-potential team members and support their development through cross-training, mentorship, and stretch assignments to build bench strength and succession depth.
Promote effective communication across all levels of the team, lead daily team meetings, and ensure alignment on goals, priorities, and corrective actions.
Lead by example in upholding safety protocols and Worker Protection Standards, holding the team accountable for compliance and a safe working environment.
Support employee relations by recognizing strong performance, addressing performance concerns promptly and fairly, and partnering with the Grower Manager and Human Resources as needed.
Availability for flexible schedule changes based on business needs, including seasonal demand and additional hours outside of the regular work schedule, such as weekends, nights, and holidays.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather information or help as required, and perform additional duties as required.