Orchard Cadet
Job Description
At Southern Cross Horticulture, our goal is to develop and manage the world's best kiwifruit orchards. To do that, we grow our people from the ground up. You'll learn how to pick, prune, thin and train vines to produce the best possible fruit.
We're looking for Cadets to join our team and fast-track a career into Orchard Management. This is more than a job. It's a career and a lifestyle. You'll learn everything about horticulture and grow into a leader in the kiwifruit industry.
About the role
Assist your Orchard Manager with orchard planning, canopy fill and crop yield performance
Oversee health, safety and GAP compliance on site
Build strong customer relationships and exceed expectations
Drive a culture of excellence, safety and continuous improvement
Supervise seasonal and temporary staff, ensuring quality work and a positive orchard culture
Get hands-on, learning how to prune, pick and manage the crop
The work involves long days in the heat, so you'll need to be physically fit. You'll also need to be hard-working, with good communication and people skills.
Who we're looking for
You love the outdoors and want to forge a career in horticulture. Ideally you'll have:
Agricultural or horticultural study
Orchard experience, through a seasonal or picking role, or ideally some supervision experience
Hands-on experience working the land, such as farming or groundskeeping, so you understand what it takes to manage a crop
A committed attitude and the drive to be the best you can be
Why Southern Cross Horticulture?
We're a family-owned business that has been building kiwifruit orchards since 1977, and we're one of New Zealand's most successful orchard developers. Our end-to-end model means we do it all, from land selection and orchard construction through to harvest. You'll get exposure to every stage of the process, and you'll learn from specialists who are leaders in their field.
Our values guide everything we do: teamwork, relationships, integrity, attitude and excellence.
To apply
You'll need a valid New Zealand work visa. Apply via Seek with your CV attached.
To learn more about us, visit www.southerncrosshorticulture.co.nz
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