Bylands Nurseries Ltd. is a producer of premium plants offering one of the most diverse and complete mixes of hardy plants available in North America. Over the past 60 years, Bylands has been recognized with numerous industry awards for outstanding business practices and environmental stewardship.
Our Culture of Excellence supports our Vision (Enhancing Lives With Plants). We are a cohesive team that communicates enthusiastically to brainstorm solutions and act swiftly to help each other. We take ownership & accountability for decisions made with integrity. We approach each day feeling empowered and looking for ways to continuously grow, improve & adapt. We prioritize the quality & service we provide to our customers.
This is a full-time, year-round position earning $70,000 - $75,000/year. We offer a comprehensive benefit plan including Extended Health & Dental, along with a matched retirement savings plan.
Job Description
Our Agriculture Irrigation Systems & Maintenance Lead is accountable for irrigation & maintenance activities throughout all Bylands Nurseries & Garden Centre locations to support the reliability of our large-scale nursery irrigation systems. This role works with pump stations, water mains, filtration systems, automated controls, and multiple irrigation zones to maintain consistent growing conditions across greenhouse and field environments. The Lead works directly on irrigation & maintenance tasks, responds to issues as they arise, and helps ensure that our growing environments remain stable and productive.
This role carries meaningful responsibility for system performance but does not involve ongoing people management. The focus is on dependable execution, problem-solving, and completing the work. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys solving mechanical and system challenges and takes pride in keeping essential systems running properly. (Note: This role focuses on maintaining and troubleshooting agricultural systems rather than installing residential/commercial irrigation systems.)
- Maintain and repair irrigation systems including pumps, filters, lines, and nozzles to keep systems operating reliably.
- Use systems to adjust watering settings to support plant health and production needs. Monitor results & make corrections as needed.
- Identify under-performing or failing systems and follow issues through until resolved.
- Purchase, organize, and track irrigation materials to ensure availability for ongoing work.
- Perform routine inspection, maintenance, and minor repairs on farm vehicles, implements, and portable powered equipment such as chainsaws, weed eaters, and lawnmowers.
- Maintain accurate records for equipment servicing, work completed, and parts used.
- Operate equipment such as trenchers, loaders, and small machinery to support irrigation and maintenance tasks.
- Carry out practical construction and repair work including installing or modifying greenhouse and field equipment, benches, shade structures, and related infrastructure.
- Perform facility tasks including basic carpentry, plumbing, painting, and small equipment operation.
- Respond to after-hours and weekend emergencies as part of the on-call rotation, addressing urgent irrigation or facility issues that impact production.
Qualifications
Education & Experience:
We recognize that strong candidates may come from a variety of backgrounds. Formal certifications are an asset, but not required. Experience in the following environments is especially valuable:
- greenhouse, nursery, agricultural, or large-scale irrigation systems
- pump systems, filtration, and water distribution infrastructure
- automated irrigation controls or climate systems
- maintenance and troubleshooting of water delivery systems
- farm, greenhouse, or production facility maintenance
Core Competencies: Accountability, Growth, Integrity, Quality & Adaptability
- Attention to Detail, Organizational Skills
- Technical Proficiency, Equipment & Tool Dexterity
- Resourceful Troubleshooting
- Safety Minded
Additional Information
You will need a valid driver's licence to travel between our different local sites. This position is based in our West Kelowna office and supports locations from Coldstream to West Kelowna. This is a hands-on, physical role, with work taking place outdoors and in our greenhouses. We are seasonal with fast-paced periods with higher demands in spring and fall, which can mean adjusted hours. Priorities can shift quickly, and so comfort working independently and solving problems as they arise is important. Reliability, responsiveness, and flexibility are critical in responding to after-hours irrigation issues.
Required
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2 year(s): Irrigation, greenhouse, nursery, or farm maintenance
Preferred
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Plumbing, mechanical, or facility repair experience
Preferred
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Technical/other training or better
Required
