Highworth Orchard Limited is looking for 3 Irrigation Technicians for their busy company. This is a full-time permanent position.
We’re on the lookout for practical, hands-on Irrigation and Maintenance Technicians (3) to take ownership of irrigation, fertigation, and infrastructure maintenance across our newly developed and existing, high-tech orchard blocks. Based in the Bay of Plenty, this full-time role is vital in keeping our Kiwifruit Orchards thriving through smart water and nutrient delivery and proactive maintenance of critical systems. The role is a minimum 30 hours per week but will generally be 40 hours per week.
What You'll Be Doing
Irrigation & Fertigation
· Operate and maintain advanced drip irrigation and fertigation systems
· Monitor flow, pressure and distribution across blocks, carrying out system flushes and checks
· Apply fertilisers accurately and safely using automated systems with plans provided by the orchard manager.
· Keep detailed application and maintenance records for audit and export compliance
Infrastructure Maintenance
· Maintain key infrastructure, including sheds, posts, fencing, tracks, and frost protection
· Identify and repair issues early, and support the installation of new systems as blocks develop
· Plan, install, and test irrigation systems for new blocks/developments.
Team Support
· Lead and support team members in irrigation and maintenance tasks
· Support other operations as required.
Health & Safety
· Ensure fertilisers and chemicals are handled safely
· Keep work areas tidy and hazard-free
· Report incidents or risks promptly
What We're Looking For
· Experience with large-scale horticulture development and operations
· Experience with horticultural applications and fertigation will be viewed
· Keep work areas tidy and hazard-free
· Report incidents or risks promptly
· Ability to work independently
· Minimum 3 years experience and/or NZQF level 4 qualification.
Who You Are
· Practical, reliable, and solutions-focused
· Methodical with great attention to detail
· Able to work independently and prioritise across the season
· A strong communicator and team player
About us
We are a large horticulture grower/operator within the Bay of Plenty region looking to expand our team to be able to continue to maintain and grow our horticultural operations. We operate Monday – Sunday between the hours of 7:30am – 7:00pm with some of the work being weather dependent.
Pay rate for this role starts at $30.00, with the ability to increase to $35.00