Coles Farms employs staff from both NZ and overseas. We look for team members who are enthusiastic and hard-working, with experience dealing with animals and agricultural machinery. If you are from overseas you will need to have a valid work visa before you apply. Visit the NZ Immigration website for more information. Other more specific positions, such as calf rearers and tractor drivers, are sometimes also available in our business. We are always keen to see people progress through the dairy industry as we have done, and people who have proven themselves over a period of time have gone on to become involved in our business, as equity managers and contract milkers, while many others have progressed on to other roles outside the business. If you are interested in a position within our business (current vacancies are listed at the bottom of this page), please click here to fill out our online employment application form.

Some of the things we offer our team members:

• Provide you with Coles Farms branded clothing
• Hold a Start-of-Season dinner, Christmas function and various Social Club events throughout the year
• On-going training and attendance at discussion groups/field days/conferences is encouraged and time off is provided to take part in this
• A good standard of on-farm accommodation for most positions

Calf Rearer

We are looking for a calf rearer to join our friendly team on two adjacent farms located at Orari (5 minutes from Geraldine and Temuka). We will calve 1850 cows in total and hope to rear approximately 600 heifer replacements plus some bull calves and bobbies.

We offer an excellent set-up with great facilities and a friendly team.

Experience is preferred and we are looking for someone with a good work ethic, a quiet manner and respect for animals. Good time management skills, attention to detail and excellent hygiene standards are essential. All applicants must be reliable, physically fit and able to work as part of a team. Please do not apply if you do not have a current visa.

All heifer replacements are tube fed colostrum upon delivery to the calf sheds, fed twice daily for the first two weeks, then once a day until they move to paddocks, at which time the dairy farm staff take over their feeding. Approximately  35-40  hours a week daily throughout August and September. 

Apply Online here OR Alternatively, you can download a copy of our application form as a Word document, complete it then either email or fax it back to us once completed. Download Application Form.