Agriculture Equipment Mechanic

Summary

Join the Black Gold Farms team as an Agriculture Equipment Mechanic. This is an opportunity for an accomplished agricultural mechanic to take ownership of a diverse, mission-critical equipment fleet and serve as a trusted technical leader across multiple Black Gold Farms locations. The successful candidate will combine hands-on John Deere expertise with strong planning, coaching, data discipline, and a commitment to safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations.

Objective

Lead the maintenance and reliability of Black Gold Farms’ agricultural, material-handling, construction, and transportation equipment. This highly skilled role combines advanced diagnostics and repair with preventive-maintenance planning, team supervision, accurate documentation, and disciplined parts management. The Senior Agricultural Equipment Mechanic reduces downtime, protects company assets, supports critical crop and facility operations, and keeps equipment, shops, and parts areas safe, organized, and Tour Ready.

Requirements and Qualificiations

• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience maintaining and repairing agricultural, heavy, industrial, or fleet equipment. Advanced hands-on experience diagnosing and repairing John Deere agricultural equipment is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise with John Deere 8R tractors, grain harvesters and combines, self-propelled and pull-type sprayers, potato planters and harvesters, potato washing and handling lines, tillage and soil preparation equipment, backhoes, excavators, trucks, pickups, and related support equipment.
• Advanced diagnostic and repair capability in diesel and gasoline engines, hydraulics, electrical and electronic systems, CAN-bus and machine-control systems, powertrain and power-transmission components, air-conditioning systems, welding and fabrication, bearings, drives, motors, pumps, and gearboxes.
• Ability to use John Deere diagnostic software, service information, telematics, computerized maintenance-management systems, equipment databases, parts catalogs, Microsoft Office applications, and other technology required by the company.
• Proven ability to lead, train, supervise, and inspect the work of technicians, operators, seasonal employees, vendors, and contractors.
• Strong planning, organization, communication, recordkeeping, inventory-control, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to read and interpret service manuals, schematics, technical bulletins, parts diagrams, and equipment specifications.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet company driving requirements. Commercial driver’s license and applicable certifications are preferred.
• Ability to work extended and flexible hours during planting, harvest, shipping, and critical repair periods; respond to urgent equipment needs; and travel on short-term assignments to other locations.
• Commitment to Black Gold Farms’ safety expectations, operating standards, stewardship principles, teamwork, continuous improvement, and Tour Ready culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Accept responsibility for the overall mechanical condition, reliability, safe operation, and readiness of assigned farm, wash-line, heavy, and fleet equipment.
• Serve as the primary on-site technical resource for John Deere equipment and other agricultural, construction, material-handling, and transportation assets.
• Diagnose mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, electronic, and control-system failures accurately; complete repairs to company and manufacturer standards; and verify proper operation before returning equipment to service.
• Develop, implement, and maintain preventive and predictive maintenance programs based on manufacturer recommendations, operating hours, seasonal demands, equipment condition, and operating history.
• Plan preseason inspections, repairs, rebuilds, updates, and equipment-readiness activities with the Farm Manager, Service Team Manager, Agronomist, operators, and other stakeholders.
• Prioritize and schedule daily maintenance and repair work to support planting, crop care, harvest, washing, handling, storage, and transportation operations while minimizing downtime.
• Lead, coach, and develop employees performing maintenance work. Assign tasks based on skill level and operational priority, communicate expected completion times and quality standards, monitor progress, enforce safe work practices, inspect completed work, and provide timely feedback and follow-up.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely equipment records in company systems, including work orders, preventive-maintenance tasks, inspections, labor, parts used, meter readings, failure descriptions, corrective actions, downtime, and repair costs.
• Complete root-cause failure analysis on significant or recurring breakdowns and recommend practical preventive actions, engineered improvements, equipment updates, or operating changes.
• Order parts and supplies using approved vendors, purchasing procedures, and purchase-order requirements. Confirm correct part numbers, quantities, pricing, lead times, and delivery priorities.
• Maintain an organized, secure, clean, and current parts room. Establish appropriate stocking levels for critical and routine parts; label and maintain storage locations; record receipts and issues in the company system promptly; conduct periodic physical inventories; and resolve identified discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate parts, equipment, and attachment inventories in company databases and promptly reconcile discrepancies, transfers, disposals, and equipment status changes.
• Maintain service manuals, technical bulletins, diagnostic resources, software subscriptions, special tools, and shop equipment in usable and current condition.
• Coordinate repairs and specialized services with Black Gold Farms’ Service Team, John Deere dealers, outside vendors, contractors, and other farm locations. Confirm scope, cost, scheduling, quality, and documentation.
• Inspect incoming equipment for condition, completeness, and proper setup; prepare departing equipment for safe transport; document concerns; and communicate issues to the sending or receiving location and Service Team.
• Support maintenance-budget development and cost control by tracking repair trends, evaluating repair-versus-replace decisions, managing parts use, avoiding unnecessary emergency purchases, and identifying reliability improvements.
• Promote equipment and workplace safety by following lockout/tagout, guarding, lifting, welding, chemical-handling, electrical, confined-space, and other applicable company and regulatory procedures.
• Support DOT, licensing, inspection, insurance, and documentation requirements for trucks, pickups, trailers, and permitted loads in coordination with responsible company personnel.
• Keep the shop, service vehicles, tools, equipment staging areas, and parts inventory clean, orderly, safe, and Tour Ready at all times.
• Communicate equipment status, risks, downtime, parts constraints, repair priorities, and expected return-to-service timing clearly and promptly to farm leadership and affected operators.
• Participate in continuous-improvement efforts that increase equipment reliability, labor efficiency, data accuracy, operator care, asset life, and overall operational performance.
• Travel to and assist other Black Gold Farms locations when requested and perform other duties assigned by the Farm Manager or Service Team.

Leadership and Performance Expectations

• Safety: Stops unsafe work, models safe practices, and ensures repairs do not create hazards for operators, employees, customers, or visitors.
• Reliability: Delivers thorough repairs, disciplined preventive maintenance, and dependable equipment readiness with minimal repeat failures.
• Accountability: Completes records, work orders, parts transactions, inspections, and follow-up actions accurately and on time.
• Leadership: Sets clear expectations, develops others, verifies work quality, and works collaboratively across farm and service teams.
• Stewardship: Protects company assets, manages costs responsibly, maintains organized facilities, and supports long-term equipment value.
• Continuous Improvement: Uses downtime and maintenance data to identify trends, solve root causes, and improve processes and equipment performance.

Physical and Working Conditions

Work is performed in shops, fields, farmyards, washing and handling facilities, equipment cabs, and outdoor environments. The role regularly requires standing, walking, climbing, bending, kneeling, reaching, using hand and power tools, working around noise, dust, weather, moving machinery, fuels, lubricants, and agricultural chemicals, and safely lifting or moving items consistent with company policy and applicable requirements. Required personal protective equipment and safe work procedures must be used at all times.

Role Notes

This position is a highly skilled maintenance and technical-leadership role and is not intended to function primarily as a full-time equipment operator. The mechanic may operate equipment as needed for diagnostics, testing, setup, transport, training, or operational support. This job description summarizes the position’s primary responsibilities and does not restrict management’s ability to assign related duties consistent with business needs.

Job Location

This position will work between our locations in Harrellsville, Canden, and Gum Neck, North Carolina.

Black Gold Farms is a multi-state Ag operation with locations that include: Grand Forks, ND (headquarters); Brooks, MN; Live Oak, FL; Rhodesdale, MD; Camden, NC; Columbia, NC; Harrellsville, NC; Delhi, LA; Arbyrd, MO; Charleston, MO; Winamac, IN; and Sturgis, MI.

Black Gold Farms is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The employee may perform other related duties as needed to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Pay: $80,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Briefly describe your leadership style, abilities, experience, and training.

Experience:

• agricultural equipment maintenance: 7 years (Required)
• advanced diagnostic engine and hydraulic repair: 2 years (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $80,000 - $100,000