Apiary Manager

Duxton Bees ("DB") is a large commercial beekeeping business operating in various geographic areas in the Southeast of Australia, and we intend on becoming one of the largest beekeepers in Australia.

The Role

Reporting to the General Manager, the Apiary Manager will be responsible for effectively maintaining and monitoring hives to achieve the highest standards of apiary management.

This includes helping to institute all beekeeping activities through the 12-month season, focusing on all field operations. Key beekeeping areas of focus are on honey production, pollination, and queen rearing. This will incorporate efficient completion of tasks such as feeding and stimulation, disease treatment and requeening through the season.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Effectiveness

• Ensure the timely and complete management of hives during rounds and season as per the beekeeping calendar.
• Maintain excellent record keeping an ensure the integrity of hive numbers and My Apiary inspections.
• Complete Monthly Reporting, including: total amount of hives in the region, AFB count for the month, average honey over current production placements, current hive strengthaverage # of brood and bees, biggest win for the month including photographs, and risk areas and action plans.
• Ensure the completion and integrity of Harvest Declarations to ensure honey production information per landowner is accurate.
• Provide feedback to General Manager on equipment required and beehive health to ensure execution of seasonal plan.

Hive Management

• Identify and control hive diseases and maintain good hive hygiene.
• Assess the strength of the hive and report findings.
• To assess and control hive swarming, report, and take appropriate actions as necessary.
• To accurately record hive equipment and communicate effectively back to General Manager.
• Efficiently super hives in production, reading the bloom correctly and using the correct amount of honey supers to maximise box weights and honey production.
• Efficiently pull honey from beehives to ensure maximum crop value is achieved.
• Efficiently move hives during hours of darkness.
• Effectively winter down hives in preparation for winter.
• To be able to develop a robust beekeeping seasonal plan, in collaboration with the General Manager and then institute it within the beekeeping team.
• To prepare and oversee the maintenance and building of hive equipment as and when required.
• Responsibility for managing beekeeping staff and culture within the Apiculture Centre.

Essential skills and experience

• Bachelor's degree or higher relevant qualification or at least 5 years of fulltime experience relevant to the beekeeping industry;
• Knowledge of plant and animal biology;
• Strong work ethic and ability to work autonomously;
• Strong people leadership skills;
• Reasonable level of financial acumen;
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills; and
• Strong commercial acumen.

Salary:
From $90,000.00 per year

Schedule:

• Overtime
• Weekend availability

Work Authorisation:

• Australia (preferred)

Work Location:
In person

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