Migratory Beekeeper - California & North Dakota
Employer: World Honey Market LLC
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Workers needed: 25
Pay: $18.60/hour
Season: Jan 1, 2027 – Sep 30, 2027
Experience: 3 months
Employer-provided housing; Transportation provided/reimbursed
The job
This position supports commercial pollination and honey production along a California–North Dakota route, emphasizing almond pollination in California followed by summer honey flows in North Dakota. The worker conducts night moves and placement of palletized hives, monitors bloom and colony strength, and completes pickup and relocation to subsequent yards; in North Dakota, they manage production flows through supering, swarm control, queen status checks, and timely pulling and transport of supers. Duties include load/unload and securement of hives, use of forklifts or hive loaders where provided, recordkeeping of yard GPS/ID tags, and routine feed and treatments under direction, with end-of-season mite monitoring and preparation. Work is outdoors in all weather, often at night during moves, with regular lifting up to 75 lbs and required PPE; applicants must have no allergies to bee stings or hive products. Schedules vary by crop and environment, and hourly pay meets or exceeds the applicable state AEWR for the state worked.
Housing: Employer-provided (including mobile or range)
Meals: The employer will furnish free and convenient cooking and kitchen facilities so workers may prepare their own meals. Free transportation will be provided at least once a week to a grocery store so workers can purchase groceries.
Transport: Inbound: Workers who complete 50% of the contract period will be reimbursed for reasonable transportation and daily subsistence costs from the place they came from, if not already paid by the employer. Outbound: Workers who complete the contract period, or are dismissed early without cause, will be provided or reimbursed return transportation and daily subsistence to the place they came from. Travel may be by plane, bus, or employer vehicle as arranged by the employer.
Experience wanted: 3 months
This position requires a minimum of 3 months of experience in beekeeping, handling both manual and mechanized tasks specific to beekeeping. Saturday work is required. Beekeepers must be able to lift and carry up to 75 lbs., perform repetitive tasks in a warm climate, and have tolerance for working around stinging insects.
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