Plant Growth Technician (Contract)

ABOUT BENSON HILL
Benson Hill empowers innovators to develop more healthy, tasty and sustainable food by unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants. Benson Hill’s CropOS™ platform combines machine learning and big data with breeding techniques and plant biology to drastically accelerate and simplify the product development process. This platform allows for cost-effective and more efficient ways for companies to analyze and make improvements in plant genetics. Benson Hill brings a unique and holistic approach to our product and platform development, as we span a broader workflow involving trait and seed development, genome editing, and breeding all the way to creating better ingredients and varieties that tap a strong consumer demand for more flavorful and nutritious fruits and vegetables. More information can be found online at www.bensonhill.com. Follow us on Twitter at @BensonHillInc.

OUR PURPOSE AND CORE VALUES
Our Core Values are a set of common principles we share that are fundamental to our company’s identity.
- BE BOLD! We redefine boundaries by providing new solutions to difficult problems. Together we are driven to transform the future and will not allow the fear of failure to prevent us from innovating. We voice our opinions, embrace change, and challenge each other to think creatively.
- BE INSPIRED! We redefine boundaries by providing new solutions to difficult problems. Together we are driven to transform the future and will not allow the fear of failure to prevent us from innovating. We voice our opinions, embrace change, and challenge each other to think creatively.
- BE REAL! We understand who we are, what we want to achieve, and what it takes to get there. We hold each other accountable through timely, candid, and well-intentioned feedback. Together we engage in honest communication and healthy debate that leads to success through true alignment.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW
Benson Hill recently opened a new 47,000 square-foot facility that features dynamically adaptive Conviron® growth houses and chambers. These state-of-the-art environmentally controlled grow rooms are equipped with multi-channel LEDs, additive CO2, temperature, humidity and lighting controls providing a >2 fold increase in crop cycles annually compared to traditional cropping methods. The Crop Accelerator department is responsible for all of Benson Hill’s indoor growing facilities and enables the rapid prototyping of healthier, more sustainable, and better tasting foods through unconventional growing methods. 

POSITION SUMMARY 
The Plant Growth Technician executes established plant care and assists with horticultural related tasks such as growth room and horticultural equipment sanitization & cleaning, threshing, stake and tying, collecting water quality samples, waste disposal, IPM support such as scouting and documenting pest pressure, assist applying beneficial insects, calibrate and maintain pH/EC meters, automated pot filler, dosatrons; and possible irrigation responsibilities depending on the candidates previous experience with plant care. These tasks are critical for the success of our plant production pipeline to ensure optimal growing environments and plant quality while minimizing pest issues and mitigating any compliance risks.

YOU WILL:
(ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES)
- Daily water quality pH and EC checks
- Filling, maintaining, adjusting and calibrating dosatrons
- Assist with plantings, transplanting as needed
- Perform basic maintenance to fundamental horticultural equipment
- Plant moves/set out
- Scout for plant disease symptoms, insect pressure, and other IPM considerations and communicate issues to appropriate support staff.
- Assist in applying beneficial insects
- Perform regular and as needed cleaning, sanitation and discarding tasks in plant growth areas, potting areas, and/or common areas as instructed by the growers
- Assist cross functional teams as needed for when large production tasks are needed
- Participate in quality programs to ensure optimum plant health, growth, and yield
- Communicate all equipment and facility issues to management
- Waste disposal by room and prepare plant waste for devitalization pick up
- Monthly cleaning/sanitation of the pot filler
- Train as a cross-pollinator to support multi crop breeding program to become proficient at crossing at least one crop with 6-12 months
- Possible irrigation / fertigation duties depending on candidate’s skill set / experience

YOU HAVE: (COMPETENCIES AND QUALIFICATIONS)
EDUCATION
- HS/ GED

EXPERIENCE
- 1-2 years relevant experience

SOFTWARE/SKILLSET
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Able to follow directions and execute protocols as trained
- Some horticultural, agricultural or gardening background experience
- Passion for working with or around plants in a research environment
- Independent once training has been completed
- Microsoft Office, Smartsheet

OTHER
- Views problem solving as an impact opportunity
- Strong customer focus
- Collaborative
- Ability to prioritize and work independently to meet goals and milestones
- Understands change is constant and embraces continuous improvement
- Familiarity with any automated irrigation systems