Beekeeper
Employer: Priority Pollination, LLC
Location: Yuma, AZ
Workers needed: 8
Pay: $18.01/hour
Season: Jan 18, 2027 – Nov 18, 2027
Experience: 3 months
Employer-provided housing; Transportation provided/reimbursed
The job
Bee handler. prior to checking colonies/hives will prepare supplement food source by mixing in a cement mixer of various food products for bees. Mixture is then placed on extra beehive/box lids that are then stacked onto pallets for transporting to field locations of colonies of bees (apiary). Once the bee handlers reach this location, they will remove the original lid and replace with lids that ware prepared with supplemental feed. Two to three nights later, the night crew will add syrup. This is done by removing the top box and locating the syrup reservoir. Then syrup is added to the reservoir by hose until the reservoir is full. This process is then repeated until all hives at this location are serviced. Bee handler will than travel to designated sites of other locations where other colonies/hives are located and repeat the process. Bee handler will load, by forklift, or by hand, hives/boxes to locations of customers for the use of pollination of agriculture crops. Bee handlers may drive themselves to worksites in area of intended employment. Queen breeding takes place during this pollination period, by the bee handler dividing hives/boxes and checking brood, honey, and pollen to ensure that divides have adequate amount of each to support the hive/box until the queen emerges. Bee handler will return and remove from these same locations hives/boxes of bees when pollination is complete and return hives/boxes to their permanent sites (apiary). Bee handler will than return to such sites (apiary) to remove bee frames for honey collection by opening lid and removing frames to be transported to shop for extraction. During extraction, bee handler will place the frames of honey on an uncapping machine that removes the bee's wax. Then place the frames in a tumbler lo draw the honey out of the frame. When the honey Is removed the bee handler will place it in barrels and prep them for shipping. Pallets or hives/boxes may weigh up to 50 lbs. full. Workers may occasionally and/or sporadically perform duties associated with and directly related to the primary duties. Such work will be temporary and insubstantial agricultural labor. Workers may operate farm vehicles and equipment around farm as needed. In the event that an employee is injured while on the job, the Company will provide a temporary work assignment that will be as closely related to the Job duties described herein, while the employee recovers from a work-related Illness which meets with physicians' clearance to return to work under specific limitations. The work assignment will not be a permanent position, it will be temporary to accommodate the Injured worker under doctor's restrictions and time period that may differ from the heavy labor described within.
Housing: Employer-provided (including mobile or range)
Meals: Employer-provided housing includes free and convenient kitchen facilities with appropriate equipment, appliances, cooking accessories, and dishwashing facilities for meal preparation. Workers residing in employer-provided housing will be provided free transportation once per week to/from closest town or city for personal errands (e.g., groceries, banking services). Dining, kitchen/cooking facilities and other common areas are shared by all workers. In the event that kitchen facilities become unavailable during the contract period, employer will provide three daily meals in accordance with 20 CFR 655.122(g). In such circumstances, employer will deduct the cost of such meals up to the maximum allowable amount published in the Federal Register, or as otherwise approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Transport: Employer will permit workers to select any means of transportation they choose and reimburse workers at no less than the most economical and reasonable common carrier (e.g., van, bus, plane) transportation charges for the distances involved for both inbound and outbound transportation. Inbound transportation provided from the foreign worker's home city to the U.S. consulate and from the U.S. Consulate to the work site.
Experience wanted: 3 months
Must have 3 months' work experience working as a beekeeper. Written verification of experience is required. Applicants must provide the name, address, and telephone number of any previous employer used as a reference. Workers may not have bee-, pollen- or honey-related allergies and must have or be able to obtain within 30 days of employment, a valid U.S. driver's license. Requirements include lifting up to 50 pounds frequently and able to use hand tools, including machetes. Must be able to work under conditions where skin and clothing become heavily soiled with mud, water, honey, etc. Must be able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions, including rain, cold, high winds, etc. Work involves frequent bending and working in bent or stooped positions. Must be able to walk and stand up extensively. No smoking, alcohol, firearms in field or dorms. Employer reserves the right to conduct employer-paid random drug testing in accordance with state law. Any employee who declines to take or fails a drug test will be immediately terminated.
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