BeeKeeper

About us

Whitehall Fruitpackers is one of the Waikato's leading horticultural businesses, with more than 300 canopy hectares of green, gold and red kiwifruit, including a strong organic production focus. Our operations also extend across dairy farming, dry stock, and apiaries.

About the role

An exciting opportunity for an experienced beekeeper—or a motivated beginner with a genuine willingness to learn—to join the established apiary team. This hands-on role offers variety across the full beekeeping cycle, from maintaining healthy colonies and supporting pollination through to honey production, queen rearing and seasonal hive management. You will work alongside a close-knit team, build practical skills and help maintain high standards of hive health, productivity and animal welfare across operations.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain colonies of healthy bees for pollination and production of honey
• Collect hive products including honey, beeswax, and pollen
• Help make decisions on yards, treatment, splits, honey harvesting and all other beekeeping activities
• Build and manage queen-rearing operations
• Ensure breeding yards are kept at an optimal level of production
• Maintain strict control over diseases and pests
• Identify and report hive health concerns
• Prepare colonies for both production and wintering during season changes

About you

• Passionate about beekeeping and willing to learn
• Strong work ethic, flexibility and commitment to get the job done
• Team player who enjoys working in a close knit and diverse team
• Observe all health and safety requirements and treat others with respect
• Communicate and listen well
• Physically strong and well, with the ability to lift up to 25kg
• Preferred: Commercial beekeeping experience
• Preferred: Queen rearing experience
• Preferred: Full Drivers license (Class 2 or above is advantageous)
• Preferred: Forklift license