Production Crew & Facility Maintenance

PRODUCTION CREW MEMBER & FACILITY MAINTENANCE

Cascadia Mushrooms is a family-run Certified Organic specialty mushroom farm that has been providing the local Whatcom/Skagit area—and beyond—with fresh mushrooms and value-added products since 2005. We take great pride in the mushrooms we grow and this beautiful place where we live and work. We grow gourmet and medicinal mushrooms including shiitake, oyster, lion’s mane, reishi and others, as well as harvesting wild mushrooms from local public lands seasonally. We believe in following Organic growing practices throughout our farming process for the benefit of improving our land and environment without the use of chemical inputs or pesticides and enhancing soil fertility with our compost byproducts. Most of our growing process occurs indoors making us one of the few farms that operates and sells fresh product year-round in our area. We are looking for a positive, hard-working, safety-minded individual to join our small, dedicated team. We value and welcome people from all backgrounds because an inclusive workplace creates a better team and better products for our customers.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Full-time, 32-40 hours per week (some seasonal variability); Schedule TBD.

As a member of the production crew, you are involved in and an integral part of all aspects of raising mushrooms from start to final product. This position focus includes: Preparing the mushroom growing substrate; Inoculation of the substrate under sterile conditions; Shelving and transport of mushroom substrate blocks to all production areas of the farm; Initiating fruiting phase of mushroom substrate blocks; Harvesting of mushrooms to maximize marketability of all crops;
Packing of final product for sale; Removal of spent substrate for composting; Regular maintenance of growing facility, property, and employee areas; Assisting with projects to improve or repair farm infrastructure; Interacting with customers, vendors and service contractors at the farm; Processing and packing online orders for shipping.

Staff and owners have weekly and monthly meetings to set goals, discuss issues or upcoming events concerning the farm, and to voice employee concerns, workplace safety and schedule changes. This position requires good cooperation in a team environment as well as the ability to thrive and be productive working independently. Each person is key to the farm’s success.

Crewmembers must be:

• Able and willing to follow all CDC and Washington State guidelines for safe workplaces regarding COVID-19: providing proof of vaccination, wearing mask/face covering if required (not currently mandated), regular facility sanitizing, wearing gloves and following strict food safety guidelines when handling food products. PPE is provided.
• Comfortable lifting heavy amounts on sometimes uneven ground. Able to repeatedly lift weights of 20-40 lbs and occasionally 50-60 lbs.
• Able to climb up and down stairs and ladders repeatedly and daily in a safe manner.
• Safety minded and participate in worker safety training and regular safety meetings. Voice safety concerns when they are observed and work to keep all staff and self safe at the farm.
• Comfortable with repetitive production work. Our crops grow quickly and year-round so we are constantly participating in every phase of the growing cycle.
• Mechanically or maintenance task-inclined; some experience in maintenance labor or skills relating to facility/building or equipment maintenance.
• Attentive to detail and have an eye for changes of crops on a minute level. Growing mushrooms requires precise timing and recognition of growth stages—these must be followed in order to have successful crops.
• Be willing to speak up when problems or abnormalities arise. Because we are a small team, we rely on each other to make sure the farm and our staff are working smoothly without drama and without concerns for safety.
• Maintain civility with coworkers at all times, work to resolve interpersonal issues independently, and bring any larger conflict or incident to the attention of management.
• Able to focus on the task at hand while keeping the big picture in view. The mushroom farm has a lot of moving parts, and they’re all connected! Our crew knows that every task they do has a ripple effect and keeps that in mind throughout the production process.
• Able to follow instructions and accept feedback on performance to make changes when needed.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Harvesting mushrooms at proper stage quickly and efficiently
• Preparing and processing mushroom growing substrate
• Preparing and packing mushroom growing kits
• Following and meeting set production schedules
• General maintenance of farm facility and property, following a regular maintenance schedule for recurring tasks, as well as working on farm improvement or repair projects
• Following farm’s worker safety and food safety plans
• Operating skid steer loader after completing training
• Recognizing growing phases of substrate and initiate fruiting properly
• Assist with processing and shipping online orders
• Assist with packing mushrooms for sale and deliveries
• Tracking crops throughout their growing cycle to maximize farm output, meet space requirements of crops, and meet goals
• Recognizing and properly handling contaminated substrate for removal
• Problem solving when issues arise and working with team to remedy them
• Being punctual and reliable—a small crew means everyone is key to the operation and we all rely on each other

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

● Farming or greenhouse production experience
● Other manufacturing or production experience
● Able to self-manage, work efficiently as a team and independently
● Enjoy and be comfortable working outdoors in inclement weather
● Have valid driver's license and reliable transportation
● Good communication skills
● Long-term commitment with two-month review period beginning at hire
● Construction or handy-person skills

OTHER RELEVANT SKILLS

● Mechanical repair or maintenance
● Heavy equipment operation
● HVAC maintenance or experience
● Warehouse work
● Shipping/Receiving experience
● Comfortable driving full-size vehicles with trailer

COMPENSATION

● $17.50/hour with increase after successful two-month review
● Overtime pay
● WA State paid family/medical/sick leave at rate of 1 hour per 40 hours worked

Cascadia Mushrooms is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment and we are a proud equal opportunity employer.

Please send resume and cover letter outlining your qualifications

Position will be filled ASAP

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $17.50 per hour

Expected hours: 32 – 40 per week

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• 8 hour shift

Work Location: In person