The cultivation sector is poised for significant growth with cannabis legalization on the ballot in multiple states this year. If 60 percent of Florida voters approve adult-use legalization in November—an outcome some pollsters anticipate—the state could see 24,000 new jobs.
Elections and potential rescheduling aside, the cannabis sector is on track to support 800,000 jobs by 2028, nearly doubling the 440,000 jobs the industry supports in 2024. Few areas of the industry will enjoy more growth than cultivation, where the magic begins.
To understand the immediate career demand for plant-touching roles in cannabis, we spoke with industry staffing agencies, executive headhunters, and networking organizations. Their insights, combined with 2024 trends, helped us categorize the following roles into high, medium, and low demand as companies prepare for 2025.
Director of Cultivation
- Salary range: $150,000-$250,000
- Demand level: High
- Experience/training: At least a decade in large-scale cultivation.
Directors of cultivation play a strategic role in the industry, particularly for multistate operators (MSOs). These individuals are responsible for overseeing cultivation operations across multiple locations. According to Bernard, cultivation directors need cannabis experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to run and optimize complex agricultural processes. Formal degrees and experience leading large teams are becoming essential.
Above all, the best candidates for director of cultivation roles can demonstrate measurable accomplishments in previous positions.
“Being able to provide a portfolio of photos of your product and/or providing a list of stores where the product you grew can be purchased is immensely helpful when being considered,” said Kara Bradford, CEO at Viridian Staffing.
Operations Director/Chief Operations Officer
- Salary range: $120,000-$250,000
- Demand level: Low to medium
- Experience/training: A decade in operations management, with three to five years in cannabis or another regulated industry. A background in business administration or supply-chain management often is required, along with expertise in compliance and scaling operations.
Operations directors and chief operations officers are vital for overseeing complex logistics, compliance, and day-to-day processes. Large and small cannabis companies seek candidates with a deep understanding of operational efficiencies and the ability to navigate ever-changing regulatory challenges. While demand is lower compared to sales roles, experienced leaders with a proven track record of scaling businesses and optimizing workflows are highly valued.
“Where we saw companies make cuts in the past few years, they’re now looking to bring on operations directors with a breadth of experience instead of paying multiple salaries,” Bradford said. “They expect the individual in this role to be an exceptional people manager in addition to being able to minimize costs while maximizing revenue.”
Within these types of roles, there’s a demand for knowledge around technological integration, which is meant to increase efficiency.
“As the industry evolves, the integration of technology — especially in areas like seed-to-sale tracking, data analytics, and e-commerce — is leading to more roles for tech-savvy professionals,” said Blunt Brunch co-founder Adelia Carrillo. “In my roles with both EventHi and Blunt Brunch, I have seen a growing interest in platforms that help manage and market cannabis events more efficiently, and the demand for tech professionals in cannabis is rising as companies adopt these solutions.”
Bulk Sales Director
- Salary range: $100,000-$200,000+ with commission
- Demand level: High
- Experience/training: Solid background in business-to-business sales, with at least a few years in cannabis sales or a similar regulated industry.
Bulk sales director roles, especially for those with an established client base, are in very high demand. Companies look for candidates with proven experience in driving bulk sales, opening new accounts swiftly, and leveraging a strong industry network.
“My clients are normally looking for cannabis experience, especially for sales positions,” said Raymond Navis, managing partner at R.W. Navis & Associates. “Candidates who can hit the ground running with a strong rolodex are preferred.”
Cultivation Manager
- Salary range: $90,000-$150,000
- Demand level: High
- Experience/training: Five to ten years of agriculture or cultivation experience, ideally in berries, flowers, or cannabis.
Cultivation managers oversee day-to-day growing operations, ensuring high-quality crop production. According to Liesl Bernard, chief executive officer at staffing agency CannabizTeam, companies increasingly look for candidates with formal education in agronomy and biology, providing more cannabis employment opportunities for people without experience in legacy operations.
“When we started CannabizTeam eight years ago, companies didn’t have a lot of choices as far as who they could access,” Bernard said. “At the time, people from the [old guard] industry were very in demand. But as the space has matured, companies are now asking for people with more education in agronomy, biology, and agriculture. The industry is professionalizing and becoming more sophisticated, and cannabis businesses are adjusting their talent needs accordingly.”
Post-Harvest Manager
- Salary range: $70,000-$120,000
- Demand level: Medium
- Experience/training: At least three years in post-harvest processing or packaging.
Post-harvest managers oversee drying, trimming, curing, and packaging to ensure product quality and consistency at scale. As the industry matures and competition intensifies, demand for professionals skilled in cutting costs through operational efficiencies continues to grow. In key markets like California, Michigan, New York, and Florida, expertise in large-scale facility management offers candidates a decisive advantage.
“Lots of new states have legalized and issued licenses, and we’re anticipating seeing a huge uptick in the Florida market as they gear up for adult use,” Bernard said. “Because of the industry expanding, there’s a lot of demand for this [post-harvest manager] position, because it all starts with cultivation. You can’t have products on the shelf without it. And these states still have to do cultivation independently, so whenever a state goes adult-use, the demand in cultivation shoots up.”
Extraction Technician
- Salary range: $40,000-$80,000
- Demand level: High
- Experience/training: Chemistry or biochemistry degrees are preferred.
Extraction technicians work to create cannabis concentrates and oils. According to Bradford, the role requires both scientific knowledge and practical experience, particularly in the extraction of cannabinoids. Candidates with a chemistry background often stand out, although hands-on experience with extraction equipment is highly valued.
Harvest Technician
- Salary range: $14-$22 per hour
- Demand level: High
- Experience/training: One harvest cycle of experience.
Harvest technicians are entry-level positions, but they’re in high demand due to labor shortages in some regions. These roles involve trimming, packaging, and processing crops. Companies often seek techs with hands-on cannabis harvest experience or those from other agricultural industries.
“It comes down to supply and demand,” Bradford said. “There is a high demand in several industries for the same group of individuals willing to work in hourly roles, which is why we’ve seen these wages increase.”
Trends in cannabis careers
Beyond some of these in-demand roles, here are some general trends to keep an eye on when it comes to hiring and applying.
Shift toward formal education
As Bernard mentioned, there’s a growing preference for candidates with degrees in fields like agriculture, biology, or related sciences. Traditional legacy growers gradually are being replaced by those with formal academic training, reflecting the industry’s shift toward more structured expertise with a large-scale cannabis manufacturing mindset.
Beyond the cultivation rooms, there’s also an increase in demand for employees who are well-versed in compliance and regulations, emphasizing an overall shift from legacy to corporate.
“As the industry continues to be heavily regulated and is forever changing, the need for professionals with expertise in compliance and regulatory affairs continues to expand,” Carrillo said. “We’ve seen many companies seeking compliance officers and legal professionals who specialize in cannabis regulations, helping businesses navigate state and local rules.”
Multifunctional roles
Cannabis jobs are increasingly multifunctional. Due to budget constraints fueled by tax challenges and other financial hurdles, employees are expected to handle various responsibilities — like operations, social media, and retail management — making adaptability a highly sought trait.
“I feel like every vertical within the industry will expand and grow over the next five to ten years, especially if rescheduling happens,” Bernard said. “It will be a huge boost, and we may even see interstate trade. But in general, it’s a life cycle. If you don’t have cultivation, you can’t have extraction and testing. If you don’t have extraction and testing, you can’t have retail. All of those verticals will grow because one is dependent on the other. It’s a chain reaction.”
Remote/hybrid roles
While roles in cultivation and extraction require employees to be on-site, executive positions at multistate operators (MSOs) are trending toward hybrid setups. This shift mirrors the geographical expansion of cannabis operations and the industry’s evolving work structure.
“No matter what role you’re going for, make sure to get as educated as possible,” Bernard said. “Make sure you have a solid educational background and foundation, and be versatile so you can fit in well with either startup culture or a more sophisticated company. A lot of companies, despite being large MSOs, still want people with an entrepreneurial mindset who can be flexible and wear many hats.
“Regardless of how big a company is, we’re all still in startup mode,” she added. “Attitude and mentality go a long way.”
