Head Mushroom Grower

Summary
Our client is an organic specialty mushroom producer pioneering innovative cultivation methods. As they expand their operations to a new farm in Peach County, Georgia, they are seeking a Head Grower to lead the production of multiple mushroom species. This role represents a unique opportunity to help establish the new farmʼs production processes and team, build equity ownership in operation, and enable the delivery of specialty mushrooms to customers across the Eastern United States.

Responsibilities

• Meet yield and quality targets for multiple varieties of specialty mushrooms, including Oyster, Pioppino, and Shiitake.
• Manage substrate production, including material sourcing, recipe formulation, and pasteurization.
• Train and supervise production teams across substrate production, inoculation, growing, and harvesting.
• Monitor for contamination and disease, work to identify root causes, and take corrective actions to maintain yields and quality.
• Oversee maintenance of production equipment to ensure optimal functionality and reliability.
• Integrate insights from the Research team to implement findings that increase yields.
• Work closely with Operations and Sales teams to match production plans with customer demand.
  
  Characteristics

• Deeply passionate about mushrooms and mycological theory. Committed to producing crops at the highest standard. 
• Eager to champion innovative production techniques, drawing on both past cultivation experience and new research insights. 
• Driven by data and first principles, with a focus on results and continuous improvement. Open-minded, flexible, and excited about doing things in new ways. 
• An excellent manager and effective teacher, with a desire to share knowledge with farm staff. 
• Ambitious and excited to play a fundamental role in our client's expansion.
  
  Qualifications
  
• 10+ years of experience working at mushroom farms producing 20,000 lbs/week (Agaricus or specialty), with at least 5 years as a Grower and 2 years as a Head Grower.
• Bachelor's degree in agriculture-related or STEM fields is strongly preferred; a Master's degree is a plus.
• Mechanical proficiency with the ability to troubleshoot and repair a wide range of machinery related to the production process.
• Comfortable using productivity software and spreadsheets for tracking production and managing operations.
• Willing to relocate to Peach County, GA.
• Preferred experience: cultivation of multiple mushroom species; spawn production; management of harvesting teams; proficiency in Spanish; familiarity with food and worker safety practices.