Assistant Grower R&D at Miami, FL – Miami, Florida

Company Overview

Who is Costa Farms? We’re one of the world’s largest horticultural growers—but without an ego to match our acreage. Our headquarters are in Miami, Florida, where we were founded in 1961. Costa Farms started on just 30 acres, and over the last 60 years, we’ve grown to more than 5,000 acres around the world. We have farms in North and South Carolina, Central and South Florida, and the Dominican Republic, plus an office in China. Costa Farms now employs nearly 6,000 people: engineers, marketers, accountants/analysts, human resources professionals, and of course, growers and plant scientists!

Here at Costa Farms, we live by the values of H3: being Humble, staying Hungry, and always Hustling. The team rallies to the mission of being a lean, green, growing machine dedicated to enriching the world by bringing plants into everyone’s life.

True to that mission, we grow more than 1,500 plant varieties. Driven by the spirit of innovation, the team is always testing new plants and developing new solutions to make it easier for retailers and plant parents to enjoy plants. We’re also continuously testing different ways of growing our plants to increase quality and improve their ecological footprint as one aspect of our many sustainability efforts.

We cultivate plants, as well as a winning culture. Join the team, and you’ll find opportunities to learn and grow. You’ll collaborate with other driven, determined people who together keep Costa Farms an industry leader. You’ll support and be supported by a team that cares about each other, our customers, our consumers, and our community.

You’ll also find right away that Costa Farms is committed to providing a diverse environment. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, military status, marital status or veteran status, or any other group status protected by federal, state, or local law.

DESCRIPTION:

At Costa Farms, the Assistant Grower for Research and Development is responsible for managing and executing aspects of growing experimental annuals as directed by the Research and Development Grower and Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Creating a weekly list of tasks to be executed with R&D Grower
• Maintaining appropriate irrigation/fertigation frequencies for all annual trials
• Measuring and recording insect populations weekly for all annual trials
• Supervising the labor team to ensure proper execution and efficiency of operations
• Sticking, planting, spacing, pruning, and maintaining trial crops as instructed by the R&D Grower
• Understanding and properly apply pesticides to all crops of responsibility as instructed by the R&D Grower
• Understanding and properly apply plant growth regulators to all crops of responsibility as instructed by the R&D Grower
• Participating in the R&D department meetings as required
• Overseeing required tasks to completion as instructed by the R&D Grower
• Other tasks as necessary and instructed by the R&D Grower and R&D Manager (i.e. data collection, trial photography)

Additional Responsibilities

• Availability for flexible schedule changes based on business needs (including but not limited to seasonal demand and additional hours outside of the regular work schedule, such as weekends, nights, and holidays).
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather information or help as required.
• Perform additional duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

• The R&D Assistant Grower is required to have a desire to grow high quality plants and accurately gather and record data. We are looking for a bachelor’s degree in biology, Plant Sciences, Horticulture, Agriculture, or related fields.
• Plant Experience– understanding of plant growth and development, nutrition requirements, identifying pests and disease
• Confidentiality– be trustworthy and professional, maintaining confidentiality in all situations
• Team-Oriented– strong verbal and written communication skills. Ability to accept and facilitate change. Ability to work in a collaborative team.
• Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Bilingual- English and Spanish fluency

Physical Demands

• Full time – flexibility to work extra time if needed.
• Work in a fast paced and diverse environment.
• Outdoor – 70%. This can change depending on the projects and time of the year.
• Indoor – 30% of the time. This can change depending on the projects and time of the year
• High Temperatures – Ability to work in temperatures of up and over 100 degrees
• Hours may vary and weekend flexibility is a must during peak season (October – March)
• Frequent standing, walking,
• Occasional lifting, pushing, pulling up to 50lbs.

Work Environment:

The role involves utilizing standard office equipment, such as computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, telephones, and other essential digital tools required for daily tasks.

• Indoor Office Environment: The role is primarily office-based, which may include open spaces with background noise from conversations, office equipment, and phone calls. Occasionally, tasks may require working outdoors in various weather conditions.
• Outdoor Work Environment: Ability to work outdoors in fluctuating weather conditions, including exposure to sunlight, rain, wind, and temperature changes (hot, cold, rainy, windy). Tasks often involve manual labor or physical effort.
• Mixed Indoor and Outdoor Environment: This position is primarily outdoors but may require occasional indoor work between locations for administrative tasks. Indoor duties may involve using computers and standard office equipment. Ability to work outdoors in fluctuating weather conditions, including exposure to sunlight, rain, wind, and temperature changes (hot, cold, rainy, windy). Tasks often involve manual labor or physical effort.

SKILLS

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively communicate complex information to employees.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a team-oriented environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking abilities. Capable of identifying problems, evaluating options, and implementing practical solutions.
• Effective time management skills to complete tasks within deadlines and maintain productivity.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team environment.
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve issues efficiently.

COMPETENCIES

• Collaborates
• Action Oriented
• Ensures accountability
• Manages ambiguity
• Resourcefulness
• Works independently and as part of a team

All applicants must be work-authorized.

Costa Farms will not sponsor any visa for this position.

After applying, follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on what’s happening around Costa Farms and to start becoming part of our family. Come Grow with Us™!

Costa Farms offers competitive wages and benefits, including:

• 401(k) Plan
• Company 401(k) Matching Contributions
• Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account, and Dependent Care
• Telemedicine/ Mental Health Services
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Supplemental Insurance (Aflac)
• Growth Opportunities
• Challenging and exciting work environment
• Costa Farms Scholarship
• Employee discounts on plants

Costa Farms headquarters also has:

• On-site gym with showers
• Subsidized on-site cafeteria, a quiet room, and indoor games
• Love Where You Work activities throughout the year