#cropking

Job Title: In-House Horticultural Consultant

Hours: 40+

Benefits: 401k, Health, Dental, Vacation/Sick Time, Moving Bonus, Paid Travel

Educational support or reimbursement dependent on applicant’s future investment in the company.

Description:

                 Cropking Inc. has over 30 years of experience in commercial greenhouse and hydroponic manufacturing, sales, and customer support. Our goal is to provide new and experienced growers with the infrastructure, custom pre-built hydroponic systems, product sales, and horticultural support needed to be successful in the field of controlled agriculture, with a specialization in commercial production of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, herbs and more. It is our mission to provide our customers with a secure line of support throughout their business experience and to help train a generation of growers with the ability to move the industry forward.

We are looking for an in-house horticultural consultant to equip our current and future customers with the horticultural information needed to successfully run their commercial greenhouse and hydroponic businesses. While providing continuous customer support in various horticultural aspects, the applicant must also be prepared to comfortably instruct our monthly workshops on commercial hydroponics (the workshops are located at our headquarters in Lodi, OH but travel should be expected for hosted workshops in different parts of the United States throughout the year).    

Cropking is truly a family run company and treats all employees as part of the family. We pride ourselves on cultivating relationships for the long-term success of our business, our employees, and our customers. As our horticultural consultant, your job will be to cultivate and maintain those customer relationships through the power of information, guidance, and support.  

Job Duties:

                                   Horticultural/Customer support through email, phone, & site visits

                                   Monthly Educational Workshops

Product Development through integrated research partnerships with private and public institutions

Working with the research greenhouse team to provide cultivation data on various hydroponic crops for the use of customer support

Educational interviews and periodical write-ups for various horticultural publications and private institutions.

Experience:

Preferred: Masters in Environmental Sciences, Horticulture, Agriculture, Crop Sciences or other agricultural or plant based area of study.

Required: Bachelors in Crop Sciences, Sustainable Agriculture, Horticulture, Plant Pathology, or other agricultural or plant based area of study needed.

Required: Minimum 3 years of field experience in hydroponic, sustainable agriculture, or horticulture.

Preferred: Previous experience in high density, intensive, sustainable growing practices of food crops.

Preferred: Instructional experience in a classroom or workshop setting

Basic Knowledge Needed:

                                   Hydroponic Systems: recirculating and drain-to-waste

Greenhouse structure and maintenance

Plant Pathology

Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer management: inorganic and organic

Experience with Vegetable, Herb, Microgreen, Fodder, and Flower production and cultivation techniques in soil-less or container applications

Environmental parameters and control through both manual and computerized techniques

Integrated Pest Management Practices:

                 Familiarity with common greenhouse bacterial, fungal, viral diseases

                 Familiarity with common greenhouse pests

Sanitation Practices

Research techniques and data logging

Basic Skills Required:

Strong communication skills in both interpersonal and customer relations

Public Speaking Skills

Efficient use of time and the ability to be a self-starter

Organizational Skills for customer filing and research data

Ability to efficiently provide information and/or easily research customer related issues

Quick Problem Solving skills

Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new information and technologies

Patience and understanding of long term goals

Ability to effectively communicate desired experiments and resource needs to the President and owners.

Ability to multi-task and handle tasks effectively and efficiently without becoming overwhelmed