Assistant Farm Manager

Position Title: Assistant Farm Manager

Location: 735 Commerce Center Drive Suite A Sebastian, FL 32958

Duration: Full-Time Contract

Salary: $20– $30 per hour, commensurate with experience

Company Description:

Treasure Coast Shellfish, LLC is in its fourth year of business & is a woman-owned & operated oyster farm based in Sebastian, FL. We have a small dock nursery system & a 6.5-acre water column lease where we are currently in the process of expanding & installing floating more gear. The TCS farm is located on the Indian River Lagoon, the most bio-diverse estuary in North America, Treasure Coast Shellfish raises eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) as part of the growing oyster aquaculture industry on the East Coast of Florida. This past year we have more than doubled in size using about 35% of our acreage and have about 500 floating cages and planted 850,000 oyster seeds in 2024. https://www.treasurecoastshellfish.com/

Job Description:

The focus of the TCS Assistant Farm Manager will be to assist the Farm Manager in overseeing crews & manage all life cycles oysters & clams from seeding to harvest. This is an on-site assistant management position which requires attendance on any tide day or night year-round. This position will require 40-60 hours per week. The position is based in Sebastian, FL.

Areas of Responsibility:

·       Educating the crews on rules, policies, safety procedures & Hazard analysis & critical control points (HACCP) practices.

·       Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a crew of 2-6 individuals.

·       Aid in managing labor for quality of work & efficiency to ensure crops are planted, maintained, & harvested effectively.

·       Farming & harvesting tasks include (but are not limited to): predator control & protection, & projecting & harvesting in an efficient & systematic manner.

·       Keeping farm data records from seeding to harvest.

·       Assist the farm manager in coordinating crews & equipment to maximize equipment & personnel utilization.

·       Ensure farm equipment is well maintained & cared for.

·       Recordkeeping for crews will be required.

·       Advise Farm Manager on crops and farm management. This includes species grown, crop rotation, farming practices, inventorying, and harvest techniques.

·       Work with Senior Leadership team and Farm Manager to forecast and schedule crops for the farm, culling, packing, and shipping departments.

·       Work with the Executive Team and Farm Manager to develop and facilitate the success of new policy/ technology implementation.

Job Requirements, Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• A sincere interest in aquaculture/shellfish culture.
• Minimum two years of shellfish experience.
• Minimum one year of shellfish farm.
• Minimum two years of shellfish experience with production & grow out.
• Minimum two years of boat handling & operating experience.
• Minimum two years of trailering experience.
• Team & individual leadership skills.
• Strong organization & planning skills.
• Must be punctual, predictable, & on time for work.
• Ability to work independently at times with little direction.
• Must work well with other crew members, & independently.
• Must maintain positive company morale.
• Sound decision making skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, Outlook, & Google Docs.
• Strong technology understanding: ability to learn and work with both mobile & computer technologies.
• Excellent verbal/written skills.
• Experienced with boat handling & trailering.
• Must maintain work area(s) & be respectful of neighboring communities & businesses.
• Must be able to work outside in all weather conditions - wet, cold, hot, dry, & rough water, at various times of the day, including early morning hours, evenings, & weekends when necessary.
• 45-60 hours per work week. Times and days are variable.

Physical Demands:

·       Must be a strong swimmer.

·       Must be physically able to lift, push, & pull up to 60 pounds.

• Ability to sit, stand &/or walk on uneven ground.
• The employee may be required to stoop, bend, kneel, twist, & squat.
• The vision requirements include (but is not limited to): close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception & the ability to adjust focus.
• Must be able to speak & hear well enough to communicate with co-workers, supervisors & managers.
• Must be able to use hands for repetitive simple grasping, pushing, pulling & fine manipulation.

·       Must have agility and balance to safely climb on machines, boats, docks, etc.

·       Must have a valid driver’s license & reliable transportation to work sites in Indian River, St. Lucie, & Martin County.

·       Must have their own supply of dive mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, dive booties, rain gear, gloves etc.

Preferred Experience but not Required:

·       High School Diploma or GED

·       CPR Certified

·       Scuba Certified

·       Knowledgeable about Florida's Indian River Lagoon ecosystems

·       Hazard analysis & critical control points Certified (HACCP)

Application: Open until filled.

·       Please send a cover letter, resumé, & list of at least 3 references to Nicolette Mariano (OysterNicolette@gmail.com)

·       Please email Nicolette with any questions.

·       Applications are accepted starting immediately & position is open until filled.