About Us
At Mushroom People Pty Ltd, we are a proud family-owned and operated gourmet mushroom farm located on the west side of Melbourne. Our deep passion for seeing mushrooms grow and staying connected to nature is at the heart of everything we do. We believe in sustainable, environmentally friendly farming practices that look after our local community and promote a healthier planet. Every single one of our gourmet varieties (including exotic Oyster and Lion's Mane varieties) is grown with love and delivered fresh to restaurants, grocery stores, and wholesalers across Australia.
As we expand our production capacity, we are looking for a dedicated full-time Horticultural Grower (Mushroom Grower) (working 38 hours per week) to join our tight-knit farm family and help us grow with love.
The base salary offered is $79,500 - $82,500 per annum plus superannuation.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Planning and coordinating the cultivation, production, and marketing of gourmet mushroom crops from initial substrate preparation to final harvest, taking into careful account environmental variables and shifting market factors.
- Selecting, preparing, and inoculating grain spawn and liquid cultures, while grafting and testing new exotic mushroom strains to optimize crop resilience and yield.
- Maintaining optimal indoor crop production cycles by cultivating mycelium blocks, de-budding excess pinheads, monitoring flushing intervals, and adjusting climate control infrastructure.
- Organising and conducting daily commercial farming operations, including the strategic collecting, cold storage, strict grading, and eco-friendly packaging of fresh gourmet produce.
- Directing the sale, purchase, and dispatch of mushroom products to local wholesalers, restaurants, and grocery networks to meet tight delivery contracts.
- Overseeing general bio-secure farming activities, with a strict focus on non-chemical pest management, pathogen controls, and rigorous environmental hygiene.
- Maintaining facility infrastructure, specialised climate incubation rooms, commercial vertical shelf equipment, and automated water-misting supply systems.
- Evaluating comprehensive records of all farming activities, tracking market price fluctuations, and forecasting crop preparation volumes to meet seasonal consumer demand.
- Managing crop production within established budgets, tracking operational expenses, and reporting financial performance to business owners.
- Selecting, hiring, training, and supervising diverse farm staff and contractors to ensure total alignment with the farm's sustainable, family-oriented operational ethos.
- Overseeing climate and humidity controls within the grow rooms to protect crops from external weather fluctuations and ensure stable, year-round yields.
- Managing strict workplace health and safety (WHS) processes, while ensuring continuous facility compliance with Freshcare and HARPS food safety standards for exotic mushroom production.
Skills, Qualifications and Experience Required
- At least an AQF Certificate III or IV in Horticulture, Agriculture, or Agribusiness (Alternatively, at least 5 years of relevant work experience may be substituted for the degree).
- Minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in a supervisory or management role within an intensive primary production, commercial horticultural, or indoor cultivation environment.
- Strong knowledge and practical experience in agricultural production principles, specifically including indoor climate control, substrate handling, and crop hygiene.
- Demonstrated experience working within commercial food safety frameworks, with exposure to Freshcare and HARPS compliance and audit readiness highly regarded.
- Excellent communication, team leadership, and organisational skills, with a proven ability to manage daily tasks, lead a small production team, and meet strict harvesting and deliverydeadlines.
Pay: $79,500.00 – $82,500.00 per year
Work Location: In person
