Lead Cultivation Associate

At Curaleaf, we’re redefining the cannabis industry with a strong commitment to quality, expertise, and innovation. As a leading global cannabis provider, our brands—including Curaleaf, Select, and Grassroots—offer premium products and services in both medical and adult-use markets.

Title: Lead Cultivation Associate

Pay Range: $21.25 - $24.00

Location: Litchfield, IL

Job Type: Full Time | Non-Exempt

Shift: Tuesday - Saturday, 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM

You’re a hands‑on leader who knows how to balance plant health, team productivity, and compliance in a fast‑paced cultivation environment. You lead by example on the floor, support and guide Cultivation Associates through daily priorities, and take pride in running an organized, efficient, and compliant vegetative garden. You’re detail‑driven, calm under pressure, and comfortable holding yourself and others accountable to quality, safety, and performance standards.

As a Lead Cultivation Associate at Curaleaf, you’ll oversee day‑to‑day vegetative cultivation operations while supporting your team across the full plant life cycle. You’ll partner closely with Cultivation leadership to execute the grow plan, maintain plant integrity, and keep the garden running smoothly. Your responsibilities will include:

• Lead and pace Cultivation Associates through daily tasks including watering, feeding, transplanting, pruning, defoliation, cleaning, and basic equipment maintenance
• Support cloning, sanitation, room prep, and flower room operations while maintaining plant health across growth stages
• Monitor grow rooms daily, auditing environmental and irrigation systems and escalating issues outside of tolerance
• Perform pest inspections and mitigation while safely applying sanitizers, foliar treatments, and preventative sprays in line with SOPs
• Maintain plant structure and canopy health to support airflow and light penetration, and assist with harvest and post‑harvest activities
• Measure, label, track, and dispose of plant material and waste in compliance with regulations while using trackers and metrics to monitor planned vs. actual output
• Training, coaching, and guiding team members on SOPs, safety practices, and cultivation standards
• Support continuous improvement, sanitation, biosecurity, and safety initiatives while communicating priorities and updates to keep the team aligned

• At least 1 year of hands‑on experience in a commercial cannabis, agricultural, or landscaping setting
• Confident managing daily priorities, pacing work, and keeping teams on schedule while communicating clearly under pressure
• Strong attention to detail and a consistent approach to quality, documentation, and compliance
• Comfortable with production trackers, inventory systems, and basic computer tools, and confident with measurements and scales
• Reliable, accountable, and takes ownership of your work and your team’s performance
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent

• At least 1 year of experience leading or guiding a team in a commercial cannabis, agricultural, or landscaping environment
• Previous knowledge of growing technologies including lighting, irrigation, nutrients, HVAC, or CO₂ systems
• Experience supporting sanitation programs, bio‑security protocols, or 5S initiatives
• Understanding of different cannabis strains and their unique vegetative growth needs

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Allergen warnings, potential exposure to dust, pollen, and plant pathogens; daily use of provided PPE such as masks, hair nets, beard covers, respirators, boot covers, scrubs, non‑slip shoes, and Tyvek suits as necessary. Exposure to loud noises (air compressors, packaging equipment). Exposure to CO₂ manufacturing procedures at OSHA approved CO₂ levels. Requires high‑stress tolerance, adaptability, and flexibility, as well as the ability to work in an ever‑changing environment.
• Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, use hands to finger or feel, reach with hands and arms; occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and lift up to 50 lbs.
• Requires close vision, distance vision, color vision, and depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

• Career Growth Opportunities
• Competitive Pay and Benefits
• Generous PTO and Parental Leave
• 401(K) Retirement Plan
• Life/Disability Insurance
• Community Involvement
• Referral Bonuses and Product Discounts

Benefits vary by state, role type, and eligibility.

Curaleaf is an Equal Opportunity Employer.