JOB DESCRIPTION: Intern/Assistant Manager

LOCATION: IFA Nurseries Inc. – Klamath Falls, Oregon

JOB SUMMARY:
Share responsibility for the day to day operations in order to provide our customers with consistent high quality conifer seedlings. Assist in overseeing seasonal and permanent crews in various facets of the production of over five million conifer seedlings annually in a reforestation greenhouse nursery.

JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Sowing: Assist with the sowing operations from observing quality throughout media density, seeds per cell to grit levels. Ensure correct crop layout within greenhouses and proper functioning of irrigation booms.
• Crop Production: Conduct daily monitoring, assessment and recording of the crops progress through growth measurements, and water and nutrient analysis recordings. Have good decision-making skills related to irrigation, fertilization and pesticide applications. Implement proper crop nutrition and fertilization, pH, EC, disease identification and control, by understanding the different crop targets and alternative growing regimes to meet customer and company specifications.
• Greenhouse Environmental Control: Be able to operate and maintenance the Argus, computerized environmental control system. Know when and how to adjust the temperature, light and humidity thresholds within the growing environment to promote crop growth responses. Recognize system failures, troubleshooting and possess ability to take appropriate action in response to system alarms.
• Extraction: Keep crews organized and efficiently moving so final boxed product is of high quality and properly labeled. Ensure all records and paperwork are completed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Management, Supervision and Coordination of Labor: To include and effectively communicate with all employees in daily operations. Must be able to exhibit leadership skills in all aspects from hiring, effective collaboration to termination if necessary. Promote, enthuse, encourage and respect all members of the IFA team.
• Operation and Maintenance of Nursery Buildings, Grounds and Equipment: Possess and gain working knowledge of container sowing and extraction lines, fertilizer injection system, booms, manual greenhouse controls and geothermal heat exchange system.
• Implement Safety, Quality Assurance and Training Programs: Assist Safety Chairman as necessary, conduct regular safety meetings and ensure all crews are conducting themselves in a safe manner. Promote and enforce Company policy at all times.
• Efficiency and Productivity: Constantly scrutinize and re-assess nursery operations. Look to improved methods, ways to reduce labor and cut costs without affecting quality and productivity.
• Client Relations: Provide feedback and communication with existing and potential clients when necessary. Ability to explain company products and services in a confident and knowledgeable manner. Attend conferences and relevant events to meet clients, promote the Company and gain further knowledge on greenhouse and growing production.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Possess an interest and drive to learn about conifer seedling nurseries.
• Possess technical and practical knowledge of growing conifer seedlings or other relevant greenhouse crops
• Possess an understanding of seed treatment and handling, plant nutrition, plant physiology, pests and diseases
• Possess strong communication skills
• Possess or be able to obtain a pesticide and chemical applicator’s license
• Possess a valid driver’s license
• Competent computer skills – Excel, Word, Outlook, GH applications