Agriculture is North Carolina’s largest industry, supporting approximately one in every five jobs and employing about 1 million people. While many may believe that the only jobs on a farm are the farmers working directly with animals, modern agriculture offers a much wider range of career opportunities!
Today’s egg farms rely on positions such as animal care specialists, veterinarians, nutrition experts, engineers, food safety professionals, truck drivers, marketers, accountants, and many more to produce the safe, healthy eggs families enjoy every day. Whether you’re interested in science, technology, business, logistics or veterinary health, there are many ways to build a rewarding career in the egg industry.
Here are just some of the fields and specific job positions within the North Carolina egg farming sector:
Science and Animal Health: Professionals often focus on hen health, nutrition and overall farm performance.
– Animal Care Specialist
– Poultry Veterinarian
– Poultry Nutritionist
– Feed Mill Manager
Quality and Food Safety: Team members help ensure eggs meet quality and safety standards before reaching consumers.
– Quality Assurance Specialist
– Food Safety Manager
– Egg Processing Technician
Transportation and Logistics: Employees with these skills help to move eggs safely and efficiently from the farm to stores and restaurants.
– Truck Drivers
– Transportation Coordinators
– Logistics and Supply Chain Specialists
Business and Office: Like any successful business, egg farms rely on professionals to support operations, employees and customers.
– Sales Representatives
– Human Resources Professionals
– Marketing and Communications Specialists
– Finance and Accounting Professionals
Q&A with Phoebe Gray, Human Resources Director at Rose Acre Farms
To learn more about careers in the egg industry, we spoke with Phoebe Gray, Human Resources Director at Rose Acre Farms.
Q: What types of employees are most in demand right now?
Phoebe: The skilled trades positions are our most difficult positions to fill. However, in general, outside of any specific position, from a Rose Acre perspective, the most in-demand type of employee is the ones that are dependable, eager to learn and willing to adapt to change.
Our industry is constantly evolving, and we want individuals who are willing to evolve with us. Our team can teach and train on-the-job skills, but finding someone who shows up, works hard and wants to learn is what really makes a difference.
Q: What technology-related careers are available on modern egg farms?
Phoebe: Today’s modern egg farms have highly technical and automated facilities. At Rose Acres, we rely on robotics and automated technology to help our farms run efficiently. Those highly automated machines create a variety of career opportunities for students who have strong technical and problem-solving skills.
We currently employ automation engineers and a team of maintenance individuals who inspect, troubleshoot and repair such equipment/systems.
Q: What advice would you give students interested in agricultural careers?
Phoebe: I would tell students to keep an open mind. Individuals typically associate agriculture careers with hands-on farming. Yet, there are so many different opportunities outside of farm labor positions. Get hands-on experience early, whether that be through internships or other avenues, so you can find what areas interest you and which ones might not.
Whether you’re passionate about animals, fascinated by technology, or interested in business, the egg industry offers opportunities to make a meaningful impact while helping provide a nutritious food source to families across North Carolina and beyond.
Learn more about North Carolina egg farming and meet the North Carolina egg farmers.
