Do you love animals? Want to work outside with a lovely herd of dairy goats? We want your help!
Job: Dairy Goat Milker
Description: Our small, family owned goat dairy is looking for a hard working individual to help us during our 2024 milking season. We are currently milking 46 extremely friendly and adorable Lamancha goats twice a day. If you love animals, working outdoors and are looking for a job that is self-guided and dynamic, this could be the right fit for you.
15-40 hrs/week depending on the season and employee preference.
Starting wage $16.50, higher starting wage negotiable with direct experience.
Shift hours are generally either morning or afternoon shifts; morning shifts generally begin at 7am, and afternoon shifts generally end at 7pm. Depending on employee preference and company needs, shifts can be either 4 hours or 8 hours. A mix of both morning and afternoon shifts should be expected.
Commitment: July through November 2024 with possibility of a year round position for the right candidate.
Requirements: The right candidate must love animals, have a positive attitude, be hard working and extremely reliable. They must be able to lift 75 pounds and be able to work both independently and as a team. They must be able to work early mornings and evenings and have reliable transportation. They must be able to handle the ups and downs of animal husbandry.
Experience: No experience required. Animal handling / husbandry experience preferred. Must have a good attitude and be able to work hard with demonstrated efficiency.
Schedule: 4-8 hour shifts (morning, evening, weekend and holiday availability required).
Duties include:
Feeding animals (goats, livestock guardian dogs)
Perform milking shifts as scheduled adhering to highest standards of hygiene and sanitation
Safe and responsible use of chemicals for the sanitation and cleaning of the milking line and related equipment
Monitor herd health and communicate updates to manager
Weekly deep clean of the milking parlor
Ability to access email regularly to ensure you have the latest information before each shift worked
Occasional bottle-feeding of goat kids
Maintain a high level of awareness to ensure herd health, personal safety, and product quality
Help the goat team with miscellaneous tasks as needed
Great communication skills
Cleaning/mucking pens, working in dusty environments
Loading bales of hay in the back of an RTV
Occasionally feed/care for other animals on the farm (pigs, cows, cats, fish)
About our farm: Stepladder Ranch & Creamery is a small farmstead goat dairy and creamery located in the hills of Cambria, California. We specialize in small-scale, handmade cheeses with milk from our herd of Lamancha goats. We also make artisan cow's milk and mixed milk cheeses using milk from a local herd of Holstein and Jersey cows. All the goat milk used to make our cheeses comes exclusively from our herd on the property.
To apply: Please email us with a resume, your availability, and a cover letter telling us why you think you would be a good fit, what your goals are for this position and why you are seeking this unique opportunity.