Vineyard machinery operator
Also known as: grape grower, winery machine operator, farm machinery operator, vineyard machine operator, machinery operator in a vineyard
About this occupation
Vineyard machinery operators carry out practical activities related to cultivation, propagation of grape varieties and production of wine with specialised machinery or equipment.
Essential skills and knowledge
- operate agricultural machinery
- perform trellis repairs
- perform hand pruning
- plant disease control
- manage canopy
- pest control in plants
- execute disease and pest control activities
- environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry
- execute fertilisation
- maintain vineyard machinery
- plant vine yards
- harvest grapes
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse (O*NET 45-2092.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
- Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
- Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops.
- Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
- Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.
- Harvest fruits and vegetables by hand.
- Typical education (US)
- Less than a High School Diploma
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Enterprising
Top skills: Speaking, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Critical Thinking
US median pay: US$35,660 a year (2025), 265,500 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Less than a High School Diploma
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Agricultural Equipment Operators
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Forest and Conservation Workers
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners
- Fallers
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.