Agricultural Shuttle Driver / Farmworker

Work description

Workers will perform assigned duties as described in this clearance order and as instructed by their supervisors. Primary responsibilities include safely operating buses and vans to transport workers to and from housing locations, designated work sites, and related operational facilities. Drivers must possess a valid driver’s license required by State and Federal laws (a driver's license issued by another country that is recognized under state law may satisfy public road driving requirements) and maintain a valid, unexpired Federal Farm Labor Contractor (FFLC) or FFLC Employee Registration Card with explicit driving authorization to transport workers on public highways. Worker must be able to read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals in English, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records. Holding the required driver's license, FFLC/FFLCE driving authorization, and meeting driver qualification standards are mandatory conditions of employment for this position, and workers assigned to operate motor vehicles or agricultural equipment must be at least 18 years of age. Responsibilities include conducting daily pre-trip safety inspections (checking tires, brakes, and fluid levels), maintaining trip logs, and performing basic cleaning and refueling of vehicles. Secondary duties include operating specialized agricultural equipment used across citrus and blueberry operations, including forklifts, utility vehicles (UTVs/ATVs), and tractors. Workers will operate these vehicles to move supplies, handle harvesting equipment in the field, and transport harvested crops, plants, tools, water, and agricultural materials between fields, groves, greenhouses, and the on-site packing house. Drivers are also responsible for performing routine operator maintenance and field service upkeep on assigned harvest equipment. Must be able to reach, bend, stoop, kneel, and lift items weighing up to 100 pounds. Alternative work, if needed, includes assisting with manual harvesting and general field operations for the crops mentioned on the job order strictly under supervisor direction. Citrus Harvesting: Harvesting citrus fruit by hand under supervisor’s instructions. The worker will place a picking sack over their shoulder and carry an 18’ to 20’ ladder from the field truck to the particular area of the grove to be harvested. The picking sack is a canvas bag equipped with a shoulder strap for support, an opening for the insertion of fruit, and an opening to remove fruit. A fully loaded sack weighs between approximately 80 and 100 pounds, depending upon the size, condition, and variety of fruit. Worker positions the ladder against the tree and within reach of the fruit in a secure, leaning position, taking care not to break limbs, damage the tree, knock off fruit, or interfere with other workers, ensuring a secure position to prevent slipping or falling. Worker will remove fruit from the tree by hand and place it into the picking sack. When the picking sack is full, the worker will transport the full sack to the designated fruit tub or bin. Hand weeding: Workers will walk through the fields pulling the weeds around the plants using their hand or a hoe. General Field Caretaking: Assisting with tree treatments under supervisor direction, removal of grove debris, assisting with irrigation line maintenance and repair, and general grove maintenance. PLANTING : All crops. Worker will plant and/or replant as needed. These tasks will include repetitive and physically demanding shovel work. Worker may lift up to 50lbs. Worker may be required to ride a mechanical planter (training will be provided). Worker may be required to hand plant using tools such as a spade or hand trowel.