What are the Best Indoor Farming Jobs?  

Over the last couple of decades, indoor farming has evolved from a fringe hobby to a full-on industry. Prior to cannabis legalization and advancements in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technology, most indoor growing occurred at home, in people’s closets and basements. As we make our way into 2021, it is glaringly apparent that indoor gardening is here to stay. Whether it be with cannabis cultivation or vertical farming, there are some amazing indoor farming jobs on the market today. 

Mac & Fulton Talent Partners consistently monitors the CEA industry for hiring patterns, career opportunities, and changing dynamics. As leaders in horticulture and hydroponics staffing, we are well aware of the indoor farming job market. For those of you curious about working in the CEA space, we wanted to highlight some of the best indoor farming jobs. 

Engineers

The technology behind modern indoor farms is largely responsible for making this industry profitable today. To illustrate, you simply couldn’t build a functional vertical farm without LED lighting technology. In like fashion, growers can’t monitor cultivation environments without proper sensors and controllers. Engineers are responsible for developing all of this important CEA technology. 

Indoor farming jobs in Engineering can be quite diverse. To illustrate, many Engineers find careers with horticultural technology companies that design and manufacture grow equipment. Or, other Engineers work directly with crop producers like Plenty to design commercial cultivation facilities. Finally, many indoor farming Engineers find work with CEA and cannabis consulting firms in grow room design. 

Head Growers 

There are a variety of Head Grower positions in the indoor gardening industry. Demand for cultivation talent varies depending on the market in question. To illustrate, there are a good deal of qualified indoor cannabis growers in established markets like Colorado. However, aside from cannabis, most of the CEA space is lacking Head Growers. 

Indoor cultivators who can manage large vertical farms and hydroponic operations are in high demand. To this end, companies like Bowery will pay over $100,000 per year for Head Growers can consistently produce food crops like leafy greens. If you enjoy growing plants indoors, we recommend getting some formal CEA training from a program like that at Arizona University. In doing so, you will set yourself up for a rewarding and well-paying career. 

IT Specialists

As seen in nearly every industry today, Information Technology is a big deal in the indoor gardening space. When it comes to commercial production, it’s critical that cultivation equipment communicates effectively across an operation. For example, temperate and humidity sensors in a grow room must speak correctly with an atmospheric controller so it can make appropriate adjustments to the cultivation environment. However, these things don’t always work as planned.

While automation is critical for commercial CEA production, it still takes a human touch to keep these crops going. Therefore, IT Specialists are hired to monitor and oversee the computer systems and software that run indoor gardens. Another notable indoor gardening career for IT Specialists is software development for garden management platforms. 

Sales & Marketing 

No matter what your industry, sales and marketing are a big deal. This notion also applies to indoor farming jobs. Not only must marketers create attractive brands that differentiate themselves from competitors, but the products must also be sold. Importantly, you could have the best product in the world, but it doesn’t matter if it is not effectively sold. 

Hiring the right sales talent is critical for success in the indoor gardening space. Sales jobs in the industry are available with CEA crop producers, where sales teams work with grocery stores and restaurants. Another huge vertical where M&F Talent has found huge success is with outside sales jobs in the hydroponics equipment space. 

Talk to M&F Talent About Indoor Farming Jobs 

With such rapid growth in the indoor gardening space, investors and professionals alike are flocking to this new industry. Today, the CEA space is a multi-billion dollar business with sizable profits at stake. If you are interested in getting involved with the indoor gardening industry, we recommend you take a critical look at your skill-sets to realize where you will find the most success. 

To learn more about the best indoor farming jobs, please contact info@mandfconsultants.com.