Tractor Operator

About Our Client
Mills Recruitment is proud to partner with a highly respected, family-owned commercial vegetable grower in Pukekohe, New Zealand, to recruit an experienced Seasonal Tractor Operator for the 2026/27 growing season.

This is not your average tractor driving job. You’ll be joining a progressive farming business that has spent more than 60 years building a reputation for producing premium onions, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and pumpkins. Farming over 280 hectares, the business combines generations of experience with modern farming practices, precision agriculture and a genuine commitment to quality.

If you’re travelling New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa and have solid tractor experience, this is an outstanding opportunity to spend the season working with a professional team, modern equipment and a business that genuinely values skilled operators.

About the Role
You’ll be working for a grower that is recognised throughout the industry for producing premium-quality vegetables and continually investing in new technology, improved farming practices and its people. The team is passionate about what they do and takes pride in delivering produce that ends up on supermarket shelves across New Zealand and overseas.

You’ll be involved in all aspects of seasonal crop production, operating a range of modern tractors and specialist vegetable-growing equipment, including:
Bed formers
Power harrows
Rotavators
Disc cultivators
Chisel ploughs
Cambridge rollers
Precision seed drills
Fertiliser spreaders
Boom sprayers
Ridgers and hilling equipment
Mechanical onion harvesters
Potato harvesting equipment
Bulk trailers and field transport equipment

The season runs from late November – late April, giving you over five months of consistent, full-time work during one of the busiest periods of the horticultural calendar.

Your work will support the production of premium onions and other vegetable crops from land preparation through to harvest.

About You
We’re Looking For Someone Who Has
- Proven experience operating tractors in commercial agriculture or horticulture
- Previous onion farming experience (highly desirable)
- Experience with vegetable or arable crops
- Confidence operating a variety of cultivation, planting and harvesting implements
- Mechanical knowledge and the ability to complete daily servicing and basic maintenance
- A strong understanding of safe machinery operation
- A positive attitude and willingness to work as part of a close-knit team
- The flexibility to work longer hours during busy harvest periods
- A current driver’s licence
- Eligibility to work in New Zealand, including applicants on a Working Holiday Visa

What’s On Offer
- Competitive hourly pay based on experience
- Accommodation provided throughout the season
- Work with one of New Zealand’s most respected commercial vegetable growers
- Modern John Deere, Fendt and New Holland machinery (fleet may vary)
- Gain valuable experience in large-scale onion and vegetable production
- Work alongside an experienced team that enjoys mentoring skilled operators
- Explore New Zealand while earning excellent money over the summer season

Whether you’re looking to build your international farming experience, strengthen your CV, or simply enjoy an unforgettable season in New Zealand, this role offers the chance to work with some of the best in the industry.