Job Title: Seed Conditioning Technician – Ashland, WI
Reporting To: Upper Management/Plant Manager
Job Purpose:
The Seed Conditioning Technician works at our Ashland, WI location to ensure clean seed, minimal loss, efficient and organized facility operations, and compliance with state and federal seed conditioning and testing requirements.
About Deer Creek Seed Co:
Deer Creek Seed Co. is a vertically integrated, premium forage, turf, cover crop, and wildlife food plot seed company based out of Wisconsin. We take great pride in the quality of our seed, the integrity of our hard work, and our top-notch customer service. Learn more about us at www.deercreekseed.com.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Fully understand seed conditioning operations with an emphasis on quality control:
- Machinery calibration, testing, and maintenance
- Seed inspection prior to, during, and after cleaning
- Chaff inspection to ensure minimal loss
- Monitor flow line for speed and conditioning quality
- Comply with federal and state seed testing requirements
- Maintain organized and thorough procedural and testing documentation:
- Conditioning logs
- Purity and germ tests
- Noxious weed seed tests
- Grower purchasing and receiving records
- Creating and maintaining digital copies of these records
- Ensure all tasks in the seed cleaning area are being completed
- Backup for communicating with growers to schedule shipments
- Blend annual grain mixtures based on percentages
- Bag/stack seed
- Inoculate legume seeds
- Understand height and weight dynamics to load pallets
- Follow all safe workplace practices and maintain a clean work area
Required Qualifications:
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Successful candidate must be interested in and/or comfortable working with machinery
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Knowledge in agricultural or mechanical engineering, seed science, agronomy or related field - or mechanical experience with small and large machinery with moving parts preferred
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Organizational, prioritization, and communication skills (oral and written)
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Creative and flexible problem-solving skills
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Comfortable using computers and interest in learning new software programs
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Solid arithmetic skills (additional, subtraction, division, and multiplication)
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Comfortable working in a physically demanding environment (warehouse, weather, lifting, climbing)
- Must be able to lift 50 lbs on a regular basis.
Preferred Qualifications:
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Knowledge and understanding of seed conditioning processes
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Knowledge of seed conditioning machinery including gravity tables, screen air cleaners, length graders, and seed blenders
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Experience with compactors, forklifts, and pallet jacks
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Agricultural background or agronomy experience
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Familiarity with safety systems and enforcement of safety rules and policies
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Experience with LEAN management concepts
Work Environment:
Deer Creek Seed maintains a high level of cleanliness in our warehouses and employees are expected to maintain this standard. While performing the duties of this job, the Seed Conditioning and Operations Technician will primarily work in the seed cleaning area where he or she will be exposed to moving mechanical parts and vehicles. The noise level in the warehouse can be moderate to loud and the employees will be exposed to dust. The warehouse has a dust collection system in place and required PPE is provided.
Working Hours Full Time: 7:30 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This position is hourly and overtime is paid at time and a half after forty hours per work week. Spring/fall busy seasons will require additional work hours and/or a shift in working hours to accommodate 2 shifts. Saturdays may also be required during the busy season.
Compensation and Benefits:
This position is hourly starting at $14.00 - $15.00 / hour based on experience. Employees are eligible for 6 paid federal holidays, 2 paid sick days, and paid overtime (time and a half). This position is subject to a six-month probationary period. After six months, health benefits are available at a discounted, company shared cost. This position earns one week of paid vacation after the first year of employment and two weeks of paid vacation after the second year
How to Apply:
Mail a resume and optional cover letter to:
Deer Creek Seed Co.
Attn: Tim Bauer
PO Box 105
48200 State Highway 112
Ashland, WI 54806
-OR-
tbauer@deercreekseed.com
Send resume and optional cover letter as e-mail attachments (PDFs only) to:
Todd.reuter@deercreekseed.com
No phone calls, please.