Join our Harvest Team! We are on the hunt for Harvest Operators to join our growing horticultural company.

Kalfresh is an innovative, fast-growing Queensland horticultural company, focused on farming, processing and marketing fresh conventional and certified organic vegetables across Australia and select export markets. We’re a diverse, skilled team united by our passion for fresh, healthy nutrient-rich produce. We are creating a better farming future for our people, community, consumer and the environment. Our head office is situated in Kalbar, just 1 hour’s drive from Brisbane in the beautiful Scenic Rim, with remote operations in Bowen, North Queensland.

The Opportunity

Reporting to our Harvest Manager, our new harvest team member will be responsible for the harvesting and/or transporting of crops in a timely manner, within the timeline instructed by the Harvest Operations Manager. The Harvest Team member is also responsible for general machine maintenance and monitoring of plant and equipment. Given the nature of the industry, they are required to work in a flexible, ever-changing, fast paced environment, with an understanding that timelines are often impacted by weather, market and other external factors and have the potential to change daily.

Other key responsibilities include:

Responsibility for driving and operating various types of harvesting machinery.

Operate machinery with a high level of safety, proficiency and competency.

Harvest product and/or transport product from farm to shed.

Host precision harvesting to secure optimal produce from the paddock.

Ability to assess, report and address issues or abnormalities in the field to ensure efficiency and quality.

Knowledge in understand key harvesting settings and ability to apply edits for specific crop requirements including soil type, crop size, yield, weed and environmental factors.

Maintain and respect machines including end of day clean down procedure.

Inspect machines for mechanical items and safety issues and perform preventative maintenance including oil changes, greasing, refuelling, cleaning, belt changes and basic mechanical upgrades.

Precision loading of produce using appropriate technique to ensure crops are properly compacted and protected during transportation.

Assisting with the unloading process which can be completed by the harvester and in some cases, you could be required to manually removing crops to ensure that they are handled with care to prevent damage.

Maintain record keeping for machine maintenance and ensure the machine is equipped with safety equipment.

Host clear and precise communication with harvest team, packing and other staff members.

Report and document quality, quality and other relevant information if requested.

Ability to document progress logs, plan routes and meet delivery schedules.

Comply with truck driving rules and regulations in alignment with company policies.

Manoeuvre trucks into loading or unloading positions.

Transport equipment from farm to farm.

Assist harvest team to reach optimal KPI targets.

Hold an open mind to learning and advancing your skills in the harvesting sector including ability to operate a broad range of harvesting machinery (Corn, Beans, Carrots, Onions etc)

About you

This role would suit those who are passionate about fresh produce, continuous improvement, and being a part of a diverse team environment who are energised about what we do and where we are heading.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

Harvest operating experience with the varieties of corn, carrots & beans is ideal but not essential.

Previous hands-on experience with electronic equipment and software (GPS, CB etc) is ideal but not essential.

Valid truck licence is a preference (minimum HC).

Extensive knowledge of applicable truck driving rules and regulations.

Adaptability and foresight to handle unexpected situations (weather conditions etc).

Good time management and organisational skills.

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Ability to demonstrate high level of safety awareness.

Ability to follow instructions, work independently and within a team.

Good verbal and written communication skills.

Availability to work remote in North Queensland on a 3 on 1 off rotation if required based on seasonality of produce.

Strong work ethic.

This casual position has the potential to turn into a permeant full-time position and is based between our South-East Queensland farming sites inclusive of the following regions Scenic Rim, Southern Downs and Lockyer Valley. It would ideally suit someone who lives locally or willing to travel between these beautiful regions. Beyond this, you could be based in our North Queensland farms based in Bowen & Ayr, should you be base in Bowen or Ayr, you would be on a 3 week on, 1 week off roster with flights included.

The casual pay rate for this position will range from $35 - $45 per hour, depending on experience.

Interested? Apply now!

If you have a vision of becoming a major contributor to the growth of a leading Australian Horticultural company, we look forward to hearing from you.