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Cropthorne Farm in Delta, BC is seeking a Tractor Operator & Maintenance Lead!
ABOUT Cropthorne Farm
Do you love working with machinery and spending a few hours a day operating a tractor? Figuring out maintenance intervals and keeping the stock of filters up-to-date? Killing thousands of weeds each time you take the tractor out for a spin? Troubleshooting equipment fixes under pressure?
Successful Tractor Operator and Maintenance Lead applicants will be passionate about organic vegetable production, have a minimum of two years previous farm experience with a record of equipment operation.
Applicants need to be mechanically inclined with an eye for detail and the ability to follow complex instructions and plans.
To enjoy a season on a farm you also need to be able deal with plans changing, sometimes daily, while always having an eye on the big picture to keep the farm team goals moving forward.
Why We’re Hiring
The Tractor Operator and Maintenance Lead is a key role in the successful operation of our farm. This position is responsible for tractor operation with a large focus on mechanical cultivation, and standard maintenance of the various pieces of equipment throughout the season. While there is tractor work throughout the growing season, the majority of the work with the tractors is in the spring and summer with a heavier focus on weekly cultivation in the main growing season. The Lead’s main responsibilities are day-to-day tractor operation and maintenance and scheduling repairs of various pieces of equipment.
While the focus is on cultivation, maintenance and general tractor work, the Tractor Operator and Maintenance Lead is an active part of our farm crew who is involved in all aspects of the farm, whether planting, cultivating, harvesting, washing and packing and much more whether inside the high tunnels, out in the fields or inside the packhouse.
About Us
We are a certified organic, women led diverse vegetable farm located on Westham Island outside of Ladner, BC. In our 18th year, our focus is on growing a wide diversity of annual field crops, using greenhouses for both summer and winter growing. We harvest every week of the year and sell our produce at 2 weekly farmers markets in Vancouver, at our farmstand, our 2 seasonal CSA programs serving 200+ members and to top Vancouver restaurants.
At 24 acres we are a “big” small farm that focuses on innovative production methods to grow high quality vegetables for our community while centering crop health, personal sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Our team is made up of dedicated farmers who love what we do. We are passionate about sharing our knowledge of agriculture as we build strong community ties with staff, other growers and customers in our region.
Our team is made up of 7 year round employees plus an additional seasonal team of 5-6. We are committed to building long-term employees and have a supportive and dedicated management team that focuses on growing our staff. Most of our crew are entering their 5th+ year with us, with many folks on our team having moved up into more senior roles, whether Crew Supervisor, Post-Harvest Lead or Propagation Lead. We are also proud to be a training ground for future farmers, with many ‘alumni’ having started their own farms.
We believe farm work is skilled work and should be valued for the diversity of experience it requires. Our farm supports staff in their development not only as growers, but as dynamic and thoughtful leaders and teammates. Teamwork, diversity and open communication are central to our farm culture.
Through regular check-ins with staff, we are committed to building trust in our team and supporting staff to reach their goals on the farm. There is a lot to learn on the farm and we strive to create an environment where we can problem solve, trouble shoot and give and receive feedback together as a team.
Ecology and biodiversity are also key components of the farm. We are proud to dedicate time and space to barn owl boxes, to planting hedgerows and flowering plants for beneficial insects and wildlife, alike. At the core, we believe healthy, nutrient rich soils create healthy, nutrient dense food.
DESIRED QUALITIES
We are looking for folks who enjoy being part of a team, are positive teammates and can communicate easily and effectively with the rest of the crew.
- You would be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities and are dynamic in a fast-paced environment and thrive in process oriented systems.
- You take care of yourself both physically and mentally: you get enough rest, stay hydrated throughout the day and can communicate your limits.
- You have an eagerness to learn and grow alongside us. We expect our crew members to approach tasks thoughtfully, embracing a team effort to achieve the farms’ goals for quality and efficient work, along with their own goals of developing their farming career through professional work experience.
Our entire Farm Team works and collaborates closely, and an important part of your role as a Lead will be to encourage and uplift the abilities of each team member. Each team member shares the responsibility to foster a productive work environment where we support each other and communication is open, respectful and based on mutual respect and trust.
The Tractor Operator and Maintenance Lead position would have additional responsibilities as noted below and would fit with someone who already has some proven leadership skills and farm work experience.
POSITION TASKS
Key Responsibilities
- Provides daily feedback to Farm Manager and Assistant Farm Manager on the tractor, cultivation and maintenance aspect of the farm operation.
- Work closely with Assistant Manager, Farm Supervisor and other farm leads to complete the daily task list, whether harvest, field activities, wash or pack-outs on schedule.
- Assist in creating a weekly cultivation plan and coordinate with Assistant Manager and other tractor operators to carry out cultivation work.
- Overseeing the maintenance and improvements of farm infrastructure, equipment and facilities maintenance
Regular tractor operations to complete daily farm tasks.
Qualifications
- A minimum of 1 season of production based, vegetable farming experience
- A minimum of one year of tractor and equipment operations
- Basic carpentry and mechanical skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
- High attention to detail and well organized
- Open-minded, inclusive, and respectful of others.
- Ability to work well in both a team environment and independently.
- Attention to detail, quality and consistency
- Ability to work in a dynamic workplace and flexible for changing needs
- Proficiency in basic veggie math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
- Proficient in spoken and written English
- Physically capable of carrying out tasks which require the ability to stand, kneel and bend for long periods of time, repeated lifting up to 20Kg.
- A positive attitude with the ability to work efficiently in all weather conditions.
- Ability to commit to a flexible work schedule with some extended hours and weekend work.
- Class 5 driver’s license
- Able to work in loud environments, whether tractors or using hand tools
- Must have reliable access to a vehicle (nearest bus route is 8km. There may be opportunities for some carpooling depending on scheduling and location).
- Must be able to legally work in Canada
- Basic or proficient in Spanish is an asset.
- Ability to work with and repair irrigation an asset
- Other applicable skills, such as plumbing, electrical, and welding are assets.
If you don’t check all the boxes but have a positive attitude and a willingness to learn, we encourage you to apply.
For additional information on responsibilities and qualifications please view the full Tractor & Maintenance Lead Job Description on our website
POSITION DETAILS
Term: Full-time year-round position, ideal start date of March 1st, 2026
Hours per week: 36 to 45 hours/week depending on the season. Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Saturday
Wage: Based on experience, in the range of $22 – $25 per hour plus 4% vacation plus access to farm produce and flowers.
- Health & Wellness Benefits after 6 months of employment
- Gear Stipend after 3 months of employment
- Education Stipend after 3 months of employment
- 2 weeks of annual vacation
- 5 paid sick days
TO APPLY
Please email your cover letter and resume to lydia@cropthornefarm.com. You can also send your questions about the position in the same email.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received, so we encourage folks to apply as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you.
Deadline to apply: February 6th, 2026
When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org
Please note that Young Agrarians does not have the capacity to pre-screen job opportunities. Please screen your potential employer to ensure that you are entering into a fair exchange that meets your needs and expectations. Try asking the farm for references of past workers, or ask people in the community if you are unsure.
LEARN MORE ABOUT Cropthorne Farm
Website: www.cropthornefarm.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cropthornefarm
Instagram: @cropthornefarmstand