Technical Services Manager

Altman Specialty Plants

Granville, IL 61326, USA

Published: 6/14/2022

Technology

Full Time

Job Description

Job Title: Technical Services Manager

Department: Technical Services

Location: Granville, Illinois

Reports To: General Manager

FLSA Status: Exempt

Summary: The Technical Services Manager is responsible for the plant health program across the entire Granville facility: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) scouting and reporting, pesticide and biological application scheduling and supervision, pesticide recordkeeping and regulatory compliance, in-house media and water testing, outside laboratory sampling and diagnostics, and chemical and fertilizer storage and inventory. The Technical Services team is the early-warning and quality-control system for the growing operation, giving the Head Growers and Section Growers accurate, timely information so pest, disease, and nutrition problems are corrected before they affect saleable product. As a member of the Granville leadership team reporting directly to the General Manager, the Technical Services Manager sets the standards for scouting, testing, and application; builds the team, schedules, and records that deliver them; and ensures every finding is turned into a written action plan with the growing team and followed through to completion. This is a new management position that assumes all plant health duties previously performed by the Technical Services Supervisor, with expanded responsibility for program development, staffing, budget, and compliance. Success in this role rests on the fundamentals of entomology, plant pathology, and plant nutrition; attention to detail and consistency across the team; and a strong sense of urgency for time-specific tasks.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership and Team Development

Be a key cultural ambassador and champion of the company – always promoting and articulating our company values.
Lead, coach, and develop the Technical Services team – scouts, testing technicians, and licensed pesticide applicators/spray teams – and build a culture of accountability, consistency, and complete documentation.
Determine, hire, and develop the proper number of technicians and applicators to complete scouting, testing, and application work on schedule. Train and cross-train irrigators and Section Growers on delegated tasks (hanging sticky cards, tagging soil-test results, maintaining indicator plants) and build redundancy to cover absences or changes in workload.
Develop and manage the Technical Services budget – crop protection chemicals, biological controls, fertilizer, testing supplies and meters, outside laboratory fees, PPE, and application equipment – and forecasted results.
Participate in staff meetings and be a key solution-oriented contributor.

IPM Scouting and Reporting

Own the facility-wide IPM scouting program. Establish and publish the scouting schedule by zone and crop so every house is scouted on a defined cadence, with sensitive crops and any compliance-agreement crops scouted at a higher frequency.
Perform and supervise daily scouting for insects, mites, diseases, and physiological disorders. Mark any crop issue in the house with a red-and-white checkered flag and report the problem the same day.
Manage the sticky-card monitoring program – four cards per house (about one per 10,000 sq ft), yellow and blue cards placed, dated, counted, and replaced on schedule – and record counts by location, crop, week, and pest so pest pressure trends and the effectiveness of control measures can be tracked over time.
Maintain indicator (bean) plants and distribute them through the growing zones on schedule for early detection of mites and thrips.
Enter all scouting and testing results into the Technical Services record file (Excel) and email the scouting report daily per schedule. Keep the records complete and organized so they can be used for trend analysis and future crop planning.
Meet with the Head Growers and Section Growers to review scouting and testing findings and ensure every scouting report of concern receives a written action plan; follow up to confirm the action was completed and effective.

Pesticide and Biological Control Applications

Develop the facility's crop protection program with the Head Growers – integrating chemical and biological controls, rotating modes of action (IRAC/FRAC groups) to manage resistance, and selecting products that are safe for each crop and compatible with the biologicals in use.
Build the daily and weekly spray schedule and pesticide postings based on the scouting reports and the Head Growers' action plans; schedule and supervise the spray teams.
Verify rate calculations, tank mixes, water volumes, sprayer calibration, application technique, and coverage for every application, and confirm that the correct crop, house, and target were treated.
Maintain all application equipment – hydraulic and electrostatic sprayers, foggers, backpacks, and respirators and other PPE – in clean, calibrated, working condition.
Lead the use and release of biological controls, and evaluate new products, biologicals, and practices through documented trials.

Pesticide Recordkeeping and Regulatory Compliance

Maintain the chemical record file: a complete application record for every treatment (date, time, location, crop, product, EPA registration number, rate, volume, applicator, REI) as required by the EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS) and the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Keep the 30-day central posting of pesticide applications current, post restricted-entry intervals (REIs) at treated areas, and ensure the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) library and WPS safety poster and decontamination supplies are in place.
Maintain the chemical storage area to 5S standards – labeled, organized, inventoried, with secondary containment, restricted access, and proper disposal of obsolete product and containers.
Submit the weekly order request for chemicals, fertilizer, and testing supplies; manage stock levels so scheduled applications are never delayed for lack of product.
Complete the month-end chemical and fertilizer inventory and reconcile usage against application records and budget.
Ensure every applicator holds a current Illinois pesticide license, completes annual WPS handler training, and is current on respirator medical evaluation and fit testing; track continuing education and renewal dates for the team.

Media, Water, and Nutrition Testing

Test clear-water alkalinity, pH, and EC weekly (Monday) for all irrigation water sources; record and report results and alert the growing team to any change.
Collect and test media from the planting line daily per the planting schedule – pH, EC, and saturation (“sit”) tests – and report out-of-range results immediately to the Production and Growing teams so mixes can be corrected before planting.
Run the scheduled in-house crop media testing (pH and EC) by zone and crop; record results on white tags with yellow flags in the crop, enter them in the record file, and email results the same day.
Prepare and send media, tissue, water, and plant pathology samples to outside laboratories with the Section Growers; complete the paperwork, track results, and review the findings with the growing team.
Assist the growers in verifying fertilizer injector accuracy and stock-tank mixes, and oversee fertilizer mixing and distribution where assigned.

Diagnostics and Technical Support

Serve as the facility's first-line diagnostic resource for pests, diseases, nutrient disorders, and phytotoxicity, using laboratory results, reference materials, and university extension and supplier technical resources.
Inspect incoming young plants, cuttings, and liners with the growers for pests and diseases, and document and report quality issues to Scheduling & Production for follow-up with the supplier.
Maintain pest and disease identification guides and training materials, and train growers, irrigators, and crews to recognize pests, diseases, and early symptoms during their daily work.
Support Illinois Department of Agriculture nursery inspections and any compliance agreements; maintain the required records and coordinate corrective actions.
Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in scouting, testing, application methods, and records, and implement them across the facility.

Cross-Department Coordination

Work daily with the Head Growers and Section Growers so scouting, testing, and spray schedules support each crop's production plan and finish dates.
Partner with Scheduling & Production on planting-line media testing and incoming plant material inspection.
Partner with Facilities Maintenance on application equipment, water treatment, and the chemical storage facility.
Coordinate with Collection & Order Fulfillment and Distribution so treated crops are not collected or shipped inside a restricted-entry interval and product leaves the facility clean and pest-free.
Communicate significant pest, disease, or nutrition risks immediately to the General Manager and Head Growers, including the action plan and the impact to the crop or potential sales.

Safety and Compliance

Ensure a safe workplace for all with a focus on eliminating injuries and accidents, and ensure the safety program is followed by every member of the team.
Ensure the pesticide program is compliant with all local, state, and federal laws, including the product label (FIFRA), the EPA Worker Protection Standard, the Illinois Pesticide Act and Department of Agriculture regulations, and OSHA Hazard Communication and respiratory protection standards.
Ensure all testing and application equipment is used and maintained properly.
Lead weekly safety topics on pesticide handling and WPS, and deliver WPS worker and handler training for new and transferred employees.
Other duties may be assigned.

Daily and Weekly Accountabilities:

The Technical Services Manager is accountable for completing and reporting the following to the General Manager:

Expectation

Frequency

Scouting completed per schedule; scouting report emailed and crop issues flagged in the house

Daily

Scouting and media-test results entered in the Technical Services record file

Daily

Planting-line media pH, EC, and sit-test results reported to Production and Growing

Daily, per planting schedule

Spray schedule and pesticide postings issued; spray teams assigned and supervised

Daily

Application records entered and 30-day central posting updated

Daily, as applications occur

Written action plan agreed with the Head Grower or Section Grower for every scouting finding of concern

Within 24 hours of the report

Clear-water alkalinity, pH, and EC tested and reported

Weekly (Monday)

Sticky cards counted, recorded, and replaced; indicator plants refreshed

Weekly, per schedule

Chemical, fertilizer, and supply order request submitted

Weekly

Weekly team labor plan and schedule completed

Weekly