100 Specialty & Nut Harvesters Jobs Available in The UK

Job Description

The Specialty & Nut Harvester is a vital role responsible for the manual and machine-assisted harvesting of nut and specialty fruit crops. This position requires physical stamina, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team in a fast-paced, outdoor environment. The harvester will be involved in various stages of the harvesting process, from preparing the orchard to ensuring the quality of the final collected product.

Specialty & Nut Harvesters Benefits

• Accommodation allowance: Earn based on your speed and efficiency (piece-rate) or a guaranteed hourly wage, often with the potential for higher earnings during peak harvest.
• Competitive Piece-Rate or Hourly Pay: A guaranteed hourly rate for all hours worked.
• Overtime Pay:Receive premium pay (e.g., time-and-a-half) for hours worked over 40 in a week, as required by law for non-exempt employees.
• Weekly Pay: Get paid on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, providing regular cash flow.
• Safety Equipment (PPE): Employers typically provide necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, safety glasses, and hard hats at no cost to you.
• Seasonal Completion Bonus: A financial bonus awarded upon successful completion of the entire harvest season, incentivizing reliability and retention
• Performance & Production Bonuses:(for physical centers): Opportunities to earn extra money for individuals or crews that exceed harvesting targets.
• Referral Bonus: Earn a bonus for referring a friend or family member who is hired and completes the season.
• Access to Health Insurance: For longer seasonal contracts or year-round positions, access to medical, dental, and vision plans may be available, often with employer contribution.
• Worker’s Compensation Insurance: Mandatory coverage that provides medical and wage benefits if you are injured on the job.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): A bank of hours that can be used for vacation, sick days, or personal time. Accrues with tenure.
• Cross-Training: Learn valuable new skills in different aspects of agriculture and machinery operation.
• Health & Safety: All necessary safety gear is provided, and you are covered by Worker's Comp.

Specialty & Nut Harvesters' Requirements

• Orchard Floor Clearing: Remove large sticks, rocks, and debris from under and around trees to prevent damage to machinery and ensure a clean product.
• Equipment Setup: Position and set up harvesting equipment, including: Catching Frames: Assembling and placing large, umbrella-like frames around trees to catch falling nuts.
• Tree Shaking (Mechanical): Operate or assist with mechanical tree shakers, which clamp onto the tree trunk and vibrate to loosen the nuts.
• Tree Shaking (Manual): For smaller operations or specific crops, use poles or manually shake branches to dislodge the nuts..
• Safety Inspection: Perform a visual check of the work area and equipment for any obvious hazards.
• Manual Gathering: Use hand tools like rakes, hoes, and nut rollers to gather nuts into windrows (long rows) or piles for the harvesting machine to pick up.
• Operating Harvesting Machinery: Drive or operate self-propelled harvesters, sweepers, and pick-up machines that collect the nuts from the ground.
• Monitoring Collection: Ensure the machinery is collecting nuts efficiently and not picking up excessive amounts of soil, rocks, or debris.
• Transferring the Crop: Empty collected nuts from harvester bins, catching frames, or tarps into larger containers like trailers, bins (bins), or hoppers for transport.
• Initial Sorting ("Gleaning"): Perform a basic visual inspection during collection to remove large debris, rotten nuts, or visible foreign material.
• Field Gleaning (Secondary Harvest): Walk the harvested rows to manually gather any remaining nuts left behind by the machines, ensuring a thorough harvest.
• Equipment Clean-down: Clean all harvesting tools, tarps, and machinery to prevent the spread of disease and prepare them for storage or the next use.
• Basic Maintenance: Assist with basic equipment maintenance, such as greasing fittings, checking fluid levels, and reporting any mechanical issues to a supervisor.
• Orchard Clean-up: Assist in general post-harvest field cleanup, which may include removing temporary irrigation lines or preparing the orchard for winter.
• Quality Control Vigilance: Actively identify and report signs of pest infestation, mold (e.g., aflatoxin), or widespread disease to the supervisor.
• Irrigation Line Management: Before harvest, help roll up and move drip irrigation lines out of the way of machinery.
• Processing Support: Some workers may be cross-trained to work in the processing plant, sorting, cracking, or packaging the nuts.