Job Profile: Post Harvest Technician

Job Overview

The Post Harvest Technician operates as the primary steward of the cannabis plant's value after it leaves the cultivation facility. This role is central to the entire manufacturing supply chain, functioning at the critical junction where raw agricultural product is transformed into a stable, high-quality, and compliant input for all finished goods. The technician executes the precise, science-driven processes of drying, curing, and initial processing that directly determine the final product's chemical profile, sensory characteristics, and market value. Through meticulous material handling, environmental control, and data management, this individual prevents catastrophic crop loss from mold, pests, or improper handling. Their work ensures that the significant capital and labor invested during cultivation are preserved and optimized, directly impacting the profitability and brand reputation of the entire enterprise. This position requires a unique blend of agricultural sensibility, process discipline, and logistical acumen, making it the bedrock of product formulation and manufacturing.

A Day in the Life

The day's operations begin with the intake of a freshly harvested batch from the cultivation department. The technician’s first action is to coordinate the logistics of the material handling. This involves receiving sealed bins containing whole plants or branches, each tagged with a unique batch identifier from the state's seed-to-sale tracking system. The technician scans each tag, verifying the batch number and weight against the digital manifest. The initial weigh-in of this 'wet weight' is a critical data entry point for compliance, establishing the starting inventory from which all subsequent weights will be reconciled. A preliminary quality assurance inspection is performed under bright light, checking for any signs of pests, mildew, or other contaminants that might have been missed in the field.

Next, the focus shifts to the drying room. The technician carefully hangs the whole plants or branches on sanitized racks, ensuring adequate spacing for uniform airflow. This step is crucial to prevent the formation of microclimates that could foster mold growth. The technician then verifies the environmental control settings for the room, calibrating the system to maintain a precise temperature and humidity level, often around 60-70°F and 55-65% relative humidity. This controlled environment is designed for a slow drying process, which is essential for preserving the plant's delicate, volatile terpenes. Throughout the day, the technician will monitor these levels using digital sensors and data loggers, making micro-adjustments to the HVAC and dehumidification systems based on the specific moisture release rate of the cultivar. Adaptability is key, as a dense, resinous cultivar will dry very differently from a lighter, fluffier one.

Midday operations involve processing material that has completed its initial drying phase. The technician performs a 'snap test' on the stems to determine if they have reached the target moisture content. Once confirmed, the bucking process begins, where individual buds are carefully removed from the stalks. This material is then moved to the trimming stage. The technician may operate an automated trimming machine, ensuring it is calibrated correctly to avoid damaging the delicate trichomes, or may perform detailed hand-trimming for premium flower products. Each container of trimmed material is weighed again, and this new weight is recorded in the tracking system. This quality control step ensures that waste material (stems and leaves) is properly accounted for, maintaining a transparent chain of custody.

The afternoon is dedicated to the critical curing process. Dried and trimmed buds are placed into large, airtight containers, typically food-grade bins or glass jars. The technician's role now becomes that of a curator. Each container is labeled with the batch ID, strain name, and date. The core task is 'burping' the containers—opening them for a short period to release built-up moisture and ethylene gas. The frequency and duration of burping are cultivar-dependent and require sensory skill; the technician assesses the aroma and feel of the buds to guide the process. Meticulous data entry continues as humidity levels inside the containers are measured and logged daily. The curing phase can last for weeks, and the technician's consistent attention during this time is what develops the product's final, nuanced aroma and flavor profile. The day concludes with a final inventory check, updating all batch records and preparing a logistics plan for the next day's movement of cured material to either the packaging department or the extraction lab.

Core Responsibilities & Operational Impact

The Post Harvest Technician's duties are categorized into three primary domains of operational control:

1. Biomass Preservation & Material Handling

• Environmental Management: Operating and monitoring HVAC, dehumidification, and airflow systems to execute precise drying and curing protocols. This direct control prevents the degradation of cannabinoids and terpenes, which are the primary drivers of product value.
• Process Execution: Performing the physical tasks of hanging, bucking, trimming, and curing cannabis according to strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Proper material handling minimizes physical damage to trichomes, protecting the plant's potency and appearance.
• Sanitation and Maintenance: Ensuring all equipment, surfaces, and containers are meticulously cleaned and sanitized between batches to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of microbial pathogens, safeguarding both product integrity and consumer health.

2. Quality Assurance & Control

• Incoming Material Inspection: Serving as the first line of defense in quality control by inspecting all harvested biomass for signs of pests, disease, or foreign matter before it enters the processing stream.
• In-Process Monitoring: Continuously assessing biomass throughout the drying and curing stages, using both sensory evaluation (smell, touch) and quantitative tools (moisture analyzers) to ensure it meets quality specifications. This proactive quality assurance prevents entire batches from failing to meet standards.
• Sample Preparation & Coordination: Aseptically collecting representative samples from finished batches for mandatory third-party laboratory testing. The accuracy of this sampling directly impacts the final Certificate of Analysis (COA) that validates the product's safety and potency.

3. Data Integrity & Logistics Management

• Seed-to-Sale Data Entry: Accurately recording all weight changes, phase changes (e.g., from 'drying' to 'curing'), and waste material in the state-mandated tracking system. This function is absolutely critical for maintaining regulatory compliance.
• Inventory Control: Maintaining precise physical and digital records of all biomass within the post-harvest department. This includes tracking batch locations, quantities, and statuses to ensure full accountability and efficient workflow.
• Intra-Facility Logistics: Coordinating the timely and secure transfer of processed material to the next stage of production, whether it is bulk flower for extraction or trimmed buds for the packaging team. This ensures a smooth and efficient production schedule.

Strategic Impact Analysis

The Post Harvest Technician directly influences key business performance metrics through the following mechanisms:

Chain of Command & Key Stakeholders

Reports To: This position typically reports to the Post Harvest Manager or, in smaller organizations, the Director of Operations.

Similar Roles: This role shares core competencies with positions in other regulated industries. Titles like Food Processing Technician, Agricultural Curing Specialist (e.g., in tobacco or hops), Cellar Hand (in winemaking), or Quality Control Inspector in food and beverage manufacturing reflect a similar blend of hands-on processing, environmental control, quality assurance, and meticulous record-keeping. Professionals with experience in logistics and inventory management as a Warehouse Associate or Inventory Coordinator also possess the critical data entry and material handling skills required.

Works Closely With: This position is a crucial node in the production network, working closely with the Head of Cultivation to coordinate harvest schedules, the Quality Assurance Manager to ensure all product meets testing and quality standards, the Extraction Manager to supply properly prepared biomass, and the Compliance Manager to guarantee data integrity in the tracking system.

Technology, Tools & Systems

Operational success requires proficiency with specific industry technologies:

• Seed-to-Sale (S2S) Software: Daily, intensive use of platforms like Metrc, BioTrack, or LeafLogix for tracking every gram of material. Proficiency with barcode scanners and label printers is essential.
• Environmental Control Systems: Operating and monitoring integrated HVAC and dehumidification systems, as well as standalone data loggers, to maintain precise climate conditions.
• Quality Control Instrumentation: Use of digital scales, moisture analyzers, and lighted microscopes to conduct in-process quality checks and ensure product meets specifications.
• Processing Equipment: Safe operation and basic maintenance of automated trimming machines, bucking machines, and material conveyors used in large-scale processing.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

Transferable Skills

Success in this role leverages experience from industries that demand process control and quality management:

• Food & Beverage Production: Professionals experienced with aging cheese, curing meats, fermenting wine, or drying hops possess a deep, transferable understanding of controlled environmental processes that enhance product quality over time.
• Specialty Agriculture: Individuals with a background in post-harvest handling of high-value, delicate crops like premium tobacco, tea, or coffee have direct experience in preserving aromatic compounds and preventing spoilage.
• Pharmaceutical/Nutraceutical Manufacturing: Experience working under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) with a focus on batch records, sanitation, and quality control provides an ideal foundation for the precision and documentation required.
• Warehouse & Logistics: Expertise in inventory management, data entry using ERP/WMS systems, and process-driven material handling is directly applicable to the compliance and logistics aspects of the role.

Critical Competencies

The role demands specific professional attributes:

• Process Discipline: The ability to adhere to detailed SOPs consistently across hundreds of batches, ensuring product uniformity and safety.
• High Adaptability: The capacity to quickly learn the unique characteristics of new cultivars and adjust drying and curing parameters to optimize the outcome for each specific genetic profile.
• Data Integrity: An unwavering commitment to accuracy in all data entry and record-keeping, recognizing that this is the foundation of regulatory compliance.
• Sensory Perception: A well-developed sense of sight and smell to identify subtle shifts in product quality, detect early signs of contamination, and guide the artisanal aspects of the curing process.

Top 3 Influential Entities for the Role

These organizations set the standards and regulations that define the scope of this role:

• State Cannabis Regulatory Agency: This is the most dominant entity. Whether it's California's Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) or Michigan's Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA), this body dictates the specific, non-negotiable rules for seed-to-sale tracking, batch definitions, testing requirements, and waste disposal.
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP): While not universally mandated at the state level yet, GMP principles (originating from the FDA for food and pharmaceuticals) are the gold standard for safe, consistent production. Leading cannabis companies voluntarily adopt GMP standards for sanitation, documentation, and quality control, which heavily influences the daily tasks of a Post Harvest Technician.
• ASTM International Committee D37 on Cannabis: This organization develops voluntary consensus standards for the industry. Their standards on topics like cannabis quality management, sampling, and laboratory testing provide the technical best-practice frameworks that forward-thinking companies use to build their SOPs and quality systems.

Acronyms & Terminology