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  

Cropking Inc is located in Lodi, OH; 45 minutes below Cleveland, 25 minutes west of Akron, and 90 minutes north of Columbus. Nestled in the byway of Instate 76 and 71; the area is home to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and is an hour away from the scenic views of Lake Erie. Historic towns like Medina and Wooster are within a 20-minute commute.