Plennegy Research: Tunnel Manager

Starke Ayres is the foremost African specialist and global supplier of premium vegetable, flower and lawn seed varieties – both for commercial and home garden planting. The following position has become available for a Tunnel Manager in Kempton Park.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Facility Maintenance & Hygiene

• General hygiene, appearance and tidiness around all tunnel structures including roads, lawn and fences.
• Monitor, maintain and service:

a. Greenhouse structures

b. Pump room and fertigation systems

c. Wet walls

d. Fresh water supply

e. Spraying equipment

f. Heating equipment (Boiler)

g. Weather station (with long term record keeping)

Climate Control Management

• Program/adjust seasonal/daily settings influencing climate control with regards to:

a. Day length

b. Cooling

c. Heating

d. Ventilation

e. Radiation

Breeding & Production Support

• Working closely with breeders to determine ideal growing conditions with regards to breeding requirements (manipulating plants for optimum pollination and seed production) and screening conditions (representative of commercial practices).

Plant Health Monitoring & Management

• Monitor general plant appearance throughout the day with regard to the below. Apply corrective measures on a continuous basis:

a. Wilting/heat stress

b. Nutritional abnormalities

c. Chemical burn

d. Physiological abnormalities

e. Physical damage

Fertigation & Nutritional Management

• Programming of fertigation system according to fertilizer recommendation based on commercial practices.
• Consulting with fertilizer/nutrition expert on a monthly basis to prevent and eliminate potential problems before they arise.
• Monitoring of EC, pH and run-off figures on a daily basis with appropriate record keeping and reporting.
• Be confident in changing fertigation programmes after consultation with breeder and fertilizer expert.
• Identify and solve nutritional deficiencies/toxicities.
• Recommendation regarding adjustment in growing medium composition.
• Taking of leaf samples and interpret analysis in collaboration with nutritional expert and adjust fertigation programme accordingly.

Pest & Disease Control

• Sanitise and disinfect facility on a daily/seasonal basis.
• Ensure availability and correct application of sanitiser, gloves, boots & coats to prevent spreading of disease.
• Scouting for pest and disease on a daily basis.
• Recommendation of spraying programmes after consultation with internal and external experts.
• Monitoring efficiency of spray recommendations resulting in the necessary adjustments.

Staff Supervision & Health & Safety

• Hiring and management of staff/labour with regard to:

a. Assigning work schedules

b. Spraying responsibilities

c. Pump room and fertigation activities

d. General greenhouse activities

e. Health and safety protocols with special reference to hazardous chemicals

• Training of staff with regards to the above.

REQUIREMENTS:

Qualification:

• Tertiary qualification in Horticulture (essential) (knowledge in agronomy and pathology will be an advantage)

Experience:

• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in tunnel or protected environment crop production
• Minimum 2–3 years’ experience managing tunnel operations, including planting schedules, crop cycles, and harvest planning
• Demonstrated experience managing teams of 5–20+ staff, including scheduling, supervision, and basic labour relations
• Proven experience in tunnel or protected environment crop production
• Experience managing full tunnel operations, including planting schedules, crop cycles, and harvest planning
• Experience supervising and managing a production team, including workforce scheduling, performance management, and basic labour relations
• Hands-on experience with irrigation systems, fertigation programmes, and climate control equipment within a tunnel environment
• Experience implementing pest and disease management programmes in a protected growing environment
• Experience maintaining accurate production records, including yields, input usage, crop performance, and forward planning schedules

Technical Knowledge:

• Strong knowledge of plant physiology and the impact of tunnel conditions (temperature, humidity, light, and ventilation) on crop growth, yield, and quality
• Sound understanding of irrigation scheduling, EC and pH management, and fertigation principles
• Ability to accurately assess plant health, including early identification of nutrient deficiencies, physiological stress symptoms, and pest or disease pressure
• Knowledge of integrated pest and disease management (IPM) principles specific to tunnel production systems
• Understanding of post-harvest handling practices required to maintain product quality from harvest through to dispatch

Other:

• Valid driver's license
• Reside on farm (essential)
• Willing to work unexpected hours