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Custom Harvesting Jobs in Ohio (NOW HIRING)

Beef Harvest Operator

Lucas, OH

$20 - $30/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... custom processing markets in north-central Ohio. The facility handles a full range of species ... harvesting or related slaughter experience. * Prior harvest floor or slaughter experience is ...

Custom Harvesting information

See Ohio salary details

$7

$24

$53

How much do custom harvesting jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average hourly pay for custom harvesting in Ohio is $24.50, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.62 and $26.81 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in custom harvesting?

To thrive in Custom Harvesting, you need expertise in operating and maintaining agricultural machinery, an understanding of crop cycles, and often a commercial driver's license (CDL). Familiarity with GPS-guided equipment, grain carts, combine harvesters, and sometimes farm management software is crucial. Strong teamwork, problem-solving skills, and effective communication help manage changing weather, tight schedules, and operational challenges. These abilities are vital for ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality harvesting operations during demanding seasonal work.

What is custom harvesting?

A custom harvesting job involves operating machinery such as combines, tractors, and trucks to harvest crops for farmers who hire harvesting crews. These crews typically travel across different regions following the harvest season for crops like wheat, corn, and soybeans. Workers may perform tasks such as driving equipment, maintaining machinery, and transporting harvested grain. The job requires long hours, physical labor, and may involve working in various weather conditions. It provides hands-on agricultural experience and is ideal for those who enjoy working outdoors and traveling.

What is a typical work schedule like for custom harvesting during harvest season?

During peak harvest season, Custom Harvesting professionals often work long hours, including weekends, to take advantage of optimal weather and crop conditions. Schedules can be variable and may depend on the maturity of crops and client needs, sometimes requiring 12-hour days or more when the weather allows. The role typically involves traveling between different fields and sometimes across state lines, especially if working for a custom harvesting crew. While this schedule can be demanding, it is balanced by the off-season, which usually provides more flexibility and downtime. Being adaptable and prepared for intensive periods of work is key to succeeding in this fast-paced environment.

What are the most commonly searched types of Custom Harvesting jobs in Ohio?

The most popular types of Custom Harvesting jobs in Ohio are:

Infographic showing various Custom Harvesting job openings in Ohio as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $50,951 per year, or $24.5 per hour.

Beef Harvest Operator

JSK Recruiting, Inc

Lucas, OH

$20 - $30/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 14 days ago


Job description

Beef Harvest Operator
Location: Ashland, OH
Pay: $20–$30/hour based on experience
Schedule: 1st Shift, approximately 6:00 AM–3:00 PM | Monday–FridayAbout the CompanyThis is a well-established, independent meat processing operation serving both wholesale and custom processing markets in north-central Ohio. The facility handles a full range of species including beef, pork, lamb, and goat, with a dedicated harvest floor that runs five days a week. The team is experienced, tight-knit, and takes the work seriously. The company is actively investing in its harvest floor operations, with new equipment and a facility consolidation underway in the near future.Why This Role Stands Out
  • $20–$30/hour depending on experience. Real pay for a physically demanding and skilled role.
  • Consistent 1st shift schedule with strong work-life balance
  • 401(k) with 100% employer match on the first 3%
  • Partially employer-paid medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
  • 100% employer-paid short-term disability
  • Profit-sharing bonus based on annual performance and merit
  • Paid holidays and PTO that grows with tenure
  • Relocation assistance available for the right out-of-area candidate
 Responsibilities
  • Perform all phases of the harvest process including stunning, bleeding, skinning, eviscerating, splitting, and trimming carcasses
  • Handle livestock humanely throughout the process, following all animal welfare standards
  • Trim, wash, and weigh carcasses to ensure quality and compliance
  • Sharpen and maintain knives and harvest floor equipment throughout the shift
  • Keep the harvest floor, walls, equipment, and workstations clean and always sanitized
  • Follow all HACCP Plan requirements and food safety protocols without exception
  • Support barn duties including weighing, feeding, and watering livestock as experience develops
  • Assist with general floor sanitation and end-of-shift cleanup
 Requirements
  • 1+ years of meat processing and harvesting or related slaughter experience.
  • Prior harvest floor or slaughter experience is preferred. Motivated candidates willing to learn will also be considered.
  • Comfort working in a physical, fast-paced environment. This role involves heavy lifting, sustained standing, heat, cold, and damp conditions.
  • Knife experience or a genuine willingness to develop knife skills on the job
  • Agricultural or livestock handling background is a plus
  • Knowledge of beef primal and subprimal cuts is a plus
  • Dependable, safety-conscious, and able to work as part of a close-knit production team
  • Ability to read, write, and communicate in English

If you have meat processing experience or a strong willingness to learn in that area and are ready to do hands-on, meaningful work at a facility that takes pride in what it produces, send your resume and let’s connect.
#ZR

Company Description

The team at JSK Recruiting, Inc. prides itself on providing boutique-level services combined with the resources of a larger recruiting firm. We forgo the traditional nine-to-five workday model in favor of complete accessibility. We are here for our clients and candidates when they need us most.

With 12 years of experience in the field of supply chain and manufacturing recruiting, we maintain the relationships that employers are looking for in a recruiting firm as well as those that talented professionals need when they are ready to make a career change.

At JSK Recruiting, we provide complete recruiting services, from sourcing candidates to organizing the interview process. Finding both long-term employees and rewarding careers across manufacturing and supply chain positions has never been easier.