Lead Cultivation Associate

Job Description

Job Description

At Curaleaf, we're redefining the cannabis industry with a strong commitment to quality, expertise, and innovation. As a leading global cannabis provider, our brands—including Curaleaf, Select, and Grassroots—offer premium products and services in both medical and adult-use markets.

Join us at Curaleaf to be part of a high-growth, purpose-driven company that champions corporate social responsibility through our Rooted in Good initiative, supporting community outreach and positive change. Here, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, drive innovation, and help shape the future of cannabis.

Title:  Lead Cultivation Associate 
Pay Range: $21.25 - $24.00
Location: Litchfield, IL 
Job Type: Full Time | Non-Exempt 
Shift: Tuesday - Saturday, 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Who You Are:  
You're a hands-on leader who knows how to balance plant health, team productivity, and compliance in a fast-paced cultivation environment. You lead by example on the floor, support and guide Cultivation Associates through daily priorities, and take pride in running an organized, efficient, and compliant vegetative garden. You're detail-driven, calm under pressure, and comfortable holding yourself and others accountable to quality, safety, and performance standards. 

What You'll Do:  

As a Lead Cultivation Associate at Curaleaf, you'll oversee day-to-day vegetative cultivation operations while supporting your team across the full plant life cycle. You'll partner closely with Cultivation leadership to execute the grow plan, maintain plant integrity, and keep the garden running smoothly. Your responsibilities will include: 

• Lead and pace Cultivation Associates through daily tasks including watering, feeding, transplanting, pruning, defoliation, cleaning, and basic equipment maintenance 

• Support cloning, sanitation, room prep, and flower room operations while maintaining plant health across growth stages 

• Monitor grow rooms daily, auditing environmental and irrigation systems and escalating issues outside of tolerance 

• Perform pest inspections and mitigation while safely applying sanitizers, foliar treatments, and preventative sprays in line with SOPs 

• Maintain plant structure and canopy health to support airflow and light penetration, and assist with harvest and post-harvest activities 

• Measure, label, track, and dispose of plant material and waste in compliance with regulations while using trackers and metrics to monitor planned vs. actual output 

• Training, coaching, and guiding team members on SOPs, safety practices, and cultivation standards 

• Support continuous improvement, sanitation, biosecurity, and safety initiatives while communicating priorities and updates to keep the team aligned 

What You'll Bring:  

• At least 1 year of hands-on experience in a commercial cannabis, agricultural, or landscaping setting 

• You're confident managing daily priorities, pacing work, and keeping teams on schedule while communicating clearly under pressure 

• You have strong attention to detail and a consistent approach to quality, documentation, and compliance 

• You're comfortable with production trackers, inventory systems, and basic computer tools, and confident with measurements and scales 

• You're reliable, accountable, and take ownership of your work and your team's performance 

• You have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent 

Even Better If:  

• You have at least 1 year of experience leading or guiding a team in a commercial cannabis, agricultural, or landscaping environment 

• You bring previous knowledge of growing technologies including lighting, irrigation, nutrients, HVAC, or CO₂ systems 

• You've supported sanitation programs, bio-security protocols, or 5S initiatives 

• You understand different cannabis strains and their unique vegetative growth needs 

Physical Requirements & Work Environment:  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

• This position has allergen warnings, potential exposure to dust, pollen, and plant pathogens, and requires daily use of provided PPE, such as masks, hair nets, beard covers, respirators, boot covers, scrubs, non-slip shoes, and Tyvek suits as necessary, has exposure to loud noises, including but not limited to air compressors, packaging equipment, and alarms, has exposure to CO2 manufacturing procedures at OSHA approved CO2 levels, requires high-stress tolerance, adaptability, and flexibility, as well as the ability to work in an ever-changing environment.   

• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, use hands to finger or feel, reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb and balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and lift up to 50 lbs. 

• This position requires close vision, distance vision, color vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.     

Curaleaf is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Curaleaf Pay Transparency

$21.25—$24 USD

What We Offer:

• Career Growth Opportunities
• Competitive Pay and Benefits
• Generous PTO and Parental Leave
• 401(K) Retirement Plan
• Life/ Disability Insurance
• Community Involvement
• Referral Bonuses and Product Discounts

Benefits vary by state, role type, and eligibility.  

Follow us on Social Media: 
Instagram: @curaleaf.usa
Twitter: @Curaleaf_Inc
LinkedIn: Curaleaf LinkedIn

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf") is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to enhance lives by cultivating, sharing, and celebrating the power of the plant. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise and reliability, the Company, and its brands, including Curaleaf, Select, Grassroots, Find, and Anthem provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. Curaleaf International is powered by a strong presence in all stages of the supply chain. Its unique distribution network throughout Europe, Canada and Australasia brings together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction and production. Home | Curaleaf | Cannabis with Confidence

Our Vision: To be the world's leading cannabis company by consistently delivering superior products and services and driving the global acceptance of cannabis. 

Our Values:

• Lead and Inspire.  
• Commit to Win.  
• ONE Curaleaf.  
• Driven to Deliver Excellence.  

Curaleaf is an equal opportunity employer. Curaleaf recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Individuals adversely impacted by the war on drugs are encouraged to apply.

Current Curaleaf employees should apply for open positions through our Internal Job Board, which can be accessed via the link on The Leaf. 

***Please note that U.S. immigration rules and regulations are governed by federal law; not state law.  Although Curaleaf operates in states that have legalized and decriminalized marijuana, it is still considered a controlled substance under federal regulations and thus illegal under federal law. For this reason, unless and until federal law changes, Curaleaf is prohibited from offering sponsorship for any non-immigrant or immigrant visas. 

***Please also note that while candidates who are Lawful Permanent Residents (such as those with Green Cards) are eligible for employment with, and are hired by Curaleaf, working for a company engaged in a business that grows and sells a product that is illegal under federal law might compromise the candidate's immigration status. Before a Lawful Permanent Resident accepts an offer of employment, Curaleaf recommends that the candidate seek the advice of an immigration lawyer.