Assistant Farm Maintenance Technician

Just 50 miles outside of Chicago in the village of Wauconda, IL up the picturesque tree-line driveway is Golden Oaks Farm. Golden Oaks Farm was founded by the Crown family of Chicago, IL in 1948, the passion for dairy is lustrous as John Crown's love for Holsteins. John would spend his time at the farm fueling his passion and laying the building blocks to achieve an over 70-year reputation for outstanding Holsteins in an urban location.

Today, the Crown family relies on a team of 16 dedicated full-time and several part-time employees to make Golden Oaks Farm successful both in the Dairy and Genetic markets. Our team is driven by the mission statement:
To efficiently and profitably produce quality dairy product and superior cattle genetics while maintaining the integrity of agriculture in a suburban setting.

Golden Oaks Farm is known for breeding sound, well-balanced cows that have the combination of dairyness and strength needed to be highly productive while creating bloodlines with a strong maternal and paternal side to breed in the future. Our herd consists of roughly 720 milking females and 680 young stock, with about 99% of these animals registered. We aim to produce 19,000,000 pounds of milk every year with solid components.

We classify several times each year and currently have 45 Excellent and 200 Very Good cows.

Most of our 1,600 crop acres are planted each spring and harvested by custom harvesters in the fall. Alfalfa haylage, dry hay, corn silage, high moisture corn and oatlage are produced on the farm to feed the cows. Winter wheat is also grown to provide both straw for both feed and bedding. Additional dry hay, straw, corn gluten feed and a protein-mineral mix are purchased to fill out the ration.

• Perform preventive maintenance on equipment, machinery, and facilities
• Respond to after-hours breakdowns and participate in on-call rotation
• Assist with conducting oil changes, lubrication, and related equipment servicing
• Operate equipment and machinery as assigned
• Perform welding and fabrication for repairs and new projects
• Power wash and clean farm equipment regularly
• Maintain and repair farm structures and assigned maintenance areas
• Track and order parts as directed; maintain clean and organized work areas
• Follow all farm safety protocols and assist in training others when needed
• Support the Lead Technician in troubleshooting equipment issues
• Complete maintenance tasks according to established priorities set by the Lead Technician
• Serve as a backup equipment operator
• Assist with forage hauling and storage operations
• Assist with farm operations during peak workload periods
• Support maintenance and farm team with special projects as assigned
• Unload trailers and truck deliveries

• Education:
  
  High School Diploma or GED required, trade school certification preferred, or equivalent hands-on mechanical experience may be considered
• Certifications/Licenses:
  Valid driver’s license required
• 1 – 2 years of previous mechanical experience required
• Welding and fabrication experience preferred

• Strong mechanical aptitude with ability to service and repair equipment
• Ability to follow directions, multitask and meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently and with a team.
• Ability to perform welding, fabrication, and preventive maintenance tasks
• Knowledge of basic safety procedures and farm equipment operation
• Good problem-solving and decision-making abilities
• Physical ability to perform labor include lifting, bending, climbing, and working under equipment
• Basic computer skills for maintenance records and reporting
• Must be able to pass pre-employment physical.