Field Sampler

Position Status:                Regular, Hourly, Full-Time                          

Department:                     Ag Research & Development      

Supervisor:                         Research Farm Manager / Research Ag Technician

Position Description

U.S. Sugar is seeking a highly motivated individual to provide soil sampling responsibilities for approximately 25,000 acres per year for a large commercial sugarcane company in South Florida.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain consistent open lines of communication with supervisors and Ag Research team pertaining to overall operational and research goals.
• Preparation of soil samples for lab analysis will also be required.
• Communicate with supervisor about soil sampling plan on a daily basis so that soils lab and Chief Soil Scientist can provide prompt fertilizer recommendations for Area Managers.
• Participate in the yearly RSD sampling scheme needed as a routine SOP for all of USSC commercial seed fields.
• Participate in the yearly leaf tissue sampling needed to check the efficacy of the current USSC fertilizer program.
• Assist Ag R&D Team in all research field operations as needed when soil sampling is not required.
• Assist Ag R&D Scientists in all aspects of experimental implementation and data collection pertaining to all disciplines of sugarcane production when soil sampling is not required.
• Maintain consistent open lines of communication with Research team and Area Managers when necessary to promote a team atmosphere between the farms and agriculture research.
• Provide the highest quality professional and technical assistance to each farming entity; maintain professional and courteous relationships with all departments within the company.
• Comply with and enforce environmental regulations, maintain safety rules and standards; must understand and adhere to all US Sugar and Sugarcane Operations Department’s policies and procedures, including but not limited to, safety policies and procedures.
• Attend departmental meetings and safety meeting when scheduled.
• All other duties as directed by management representatives.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

1. Minimum 3 years of agriculture experience.
2. Any equivalent combination of experience and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
3. Working knowledge of all components of agricultural operations would be a plus.
4. Must be able to function independently, demonstrate flexibility and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
5. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with team members and other management staff.
6. Good communication skills – requires the ability to effectively communicate verbally and written.
7. Must be able to handle and coordinate multiple duties of an urgent nature.
8. A valid driver’s license is required.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to assist individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit.  The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, use hands to handle and/or move various objects, tools and/or controls, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, talk, hear and see. 

Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. 

Physical requirements also include the following but are not limited to:

• Ability to freely access all areas of the farms, groves and plant including offices, various equipment, etc.
• Ability to operate and use all equipment necessary.
• Ability to safely work on an isolated farm location or in a location where work is being performed with minimal supervision
• Ability to move or handle various items generally weighing between 0-50 pounds; ability to lift and carry up to 50+ pounds.
• Ability to work varied hours and days. 
• Will be expected to work outside in all kinds of weather.
• Will be required to sit for extended time periods.

Working Conditions

 The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in outside weather conditions on a regular basis. 

Outside working conditions may be rainy, hot, humid, dusty, windy, etc. depending on the weather as well as the work location.  Some work locations will be isolated which requires the employee to work independently and safely with minimum to no supervision. 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. 

Employee will be required to drive a vehicle for extended time periods. 

The above declarations are not intended to be an “all-inclusive” list of the duties and responsibilities of the job described, nor are they intended to be such a listing of the skills and abilities required to do the job.  Rather, they are intended only to describe the general nature of the job, and a reasonable representation of its activities.