Part-Time

Field Operator

Posted on 8/14/2025

TRIC Robotics

TRIC Robotics

11-50 employees

Autonomous UV-C strawberry pest control

No salary listed

Santa Maria, CA, USA

In Person

Overnight shifts with nights every three days; part-time start with goal of full-time mid-season.

Category
Mechanical Engineering (3)
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Requirements
  • Effective communication, including speaking, writing, listening and following instructions
  • Capable of lifting 50lbs
  • Basic understanding of electrical systems
  • Ability to work efficiently as part of a team
  • Quick troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
  • Excellent attention to detail and data entry skills for accurately maintaining field logs
  • Strong ambition to help the company grow
  • Passion for sustainable farming and the outdoors
  • No experience needed
  • English (verbal and written)
  • Location: Santa Maria, CA (Santa Maria, CA)
  • Overnight position with a rotating schedule
  • Part time with goal of full-time around mid-season
Responsibilities
  • Operation/monitoring of vehicle-sized robot and in-field data collection several nights per week
  • Shadow experienced field automation technicians until comfortable collecting data and running the platform yourself
  • All field data logged and submitted to our online database
  • During treatments document the robot's progress, check for proper operation, troubleshoot any issues that may prevent a complete treatment, and suggest improvements when possible
  • Robot build days
  • Treatment nights
  • Setup and monitor robot platform on the designated treatment site
  • Log treatment notes
  • Regular team meetings
  • Transportation to and from treatment sites
  • Transport to and from treatment sites
Desired Qualifications

TRIC Robotics offers an automated, chemical-free pest control service for strawberry farms. Its autonomous UV-C robot travels through fields, applying a specific wavelength of light to treat pathogens without harming plants or the environment. The system operates by self-navigating the fields and delivering targeted treatment, provided as a deploy-and-operate service rather than selling equipment. The goal is to create a more sustainable and predictable future for agriculture by reducing chemical use and helping growers manage pests on-site.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$7.4M

Headquarters

Newark, New Jersey

Founded

2017

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • $5.5M seed funding from Version One Ventures and USDA enables manufacturing scale-up.[5]
  • Non-dilutive $1.6M in USDA and NSF grants supports R&D without equity dilution.[4]
  • Expanding beyond strawberries into tomatoes and other high-value crops increases addressable market.[5]

What critics are saying

  • Winter cloud cover on Central Coast reduces UV-C efficacy, forcing reversion to pesticides.[6]
  • Competitors like Burro could rapidly pivot to UV pest control, eroding first-mover advantage.[5]
  • EPA or FDA may classify UV-C as pesticide, requiring costly re-approval or halting operations.[5]

What makes TRIC Robotics unique

  • UV-C light and vacuum integration reduces pesticide use by 70% versus chemical alternatives.[5]
  • Autonomous robots provide 24/7 crop monitoring with real-time data analytics for farmers.[5]
  • Service-based model with bi-weekly treatments generates actionable crop management insights.[4]

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Flexible Work Hours

Profit Sharing

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Robot Philosophy
Jul 24th, 2025
Robot Revolution in Farming - TRIC Robotics Raises $5.5M to Eliminate Pesticides with UV Tech!

TRIC Robotics has just raised $5.5 million in seed funding to tackle one of farming's biggest challenges - pest and disease control - without relying on harmful chemicals.

Newsdirectory3
Jul 23rd, 2025
TRIC Robotics Secures Seed Funding for AgTech

TRIC Robotics has closed its seed funding round to advance its agricultural robots, which offer sustainable pest and disease control. The company's autonomous robots use AI and sensors for early threat detection and precise treatment application, reducing pesticide use and providing 24/7 crop monitoring. The funding will enhance R&D, manufacturing, and scalability, reflecting strong investor confidence in TRIC Robotics' innovative solutions for the agricultural sector.

The Robot Report
Jul 23rd, 2025
TRIC Robotics secures $5.5M for pest control

TRIC Robotics has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to expand its autonomous robots for pest and plant disease control, starting with strawberries. The company's robots use ultraviolet light and vacuum technology to reduce pesticide use by up to 70% without harming the environment. The funding will help TRIC Robotics grow its team and expand its capabilities and regions. The company offers its technology as a service, providing data-driven insights and real-time field analytics.

DESCA
Apr 1st, 2025
Tric Robotics Wins DTIP Grant

Tric Robotics, a Newark startup that has designed a robot to autonomously treat strawberry crops with UVC light instead of pesticides, has won the state's Delaware Technical Innovation Program (DTIP) grant.

California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA)
Apr 1st, 2025
TRIC Robotics

State of California

INACTIVE