As more states are legalizing medical and recreational marijuana, we can expect to see more jobs popping up in the industry. According to New Frontier Data, an industry research firm, the industry is expected to create 250,000 jobs in 2020 as awareness and acceptance of the plant continues to soars. With the wave of legalization of marijuana comes the demand for workers across the spectrum, from accounting to compliance, customer service, extraction, and more. Many jobs will be available in different areas requiring different skill sets, but here are some of the new jobs you should look out for.

·      Director of Cultivation

Growing marijuana plants for commercial purposes is quite different from growing it for personal consumption. The legalization of marijuana will create the need for a director of cultivation to oversee and manage a team of growers that will handle several activities, including planting, cloning, feeding, watering, pest management, and more. The director of cultivation will also be responsible for full compliance with local and federal laws to keep the company from being penalized. Those who want to apply for this position will need to have a background in horticulture as well as be familiar with the cannabis plant. 

·      Budtender 

A budtender can be considered as a pharmacist, bartender, confidant, and hall monitor – all rolled into one person. The budtender is the individual that has direct contact with the customers, and some of the responsibilities attached to the position include checking IDs and prescription cards, tracking all cannabis sales, helping customers understand the products, and how to use them. Due to the nature of the job, it is crucial for bartenders to have extensive knowledge of marijuana products even if they’ve never used them. Thankfully, most dispensaries offer on-the-job training for bartenders to help them familiarize themselves with the peculiarities and particulars of the products they offer to the public. 

·      Dispensary manager 

As more dispensaries pop up, the demand for dispensary managers will also increase. Managing a dispensary is very similar to managing a retail store as the key responsibilities include managing the staff, tracking the inventory, and maintain a clean, professional atmosphere. The seeming difference between a store manager and a dispensary manager is that the latter must have a good understanding of relevant regulations to ensure compliance from all the employees. Having previous experience working in a dispensary or a high-end retail outlet is a huge asset as it demonstrates your ability to oversee the operations of a dispensary. 

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·      Director of extraction 

Legal marijuana can be sold to consumers in diverse forms like gummies, vaping oils, concentrates, teas, pills, candies, and even tampons. The director of extraction will be in charge of the process of extracting the oils and ensuring that they’re free from all forms of impurities as demanded and that they’re compliant with regulations so they can be used to manufacture such products. That means, the work of the director of extraction will largely be in the laboratory while managing a staff and maintaining strict scientific protocols. Due to the sensitive nature of the job, only those with relevant certificates and experience can be considered for such positions. Examples of candidates suitable for this position are chemists, Ph.Ds and people coming out of pharmaceutical labs. 

·      Trimmer 

Trimmers are those that will be responsible for removing buds from stems and trimming the leaves in preparation for sale at harvest time. This job is usually available on a seasonal basis as only established companies with large indoor grow operations employ trimmers year-round. Trimmers require no educational qualifications as they can be trained on the job. However, those interested in this position must be at least 21 years old and must obtain a special state permit.

·      Vaporizer retailer 

Now that e-cigarettes and vaporizers are becoming a favorite means of cannabis consumption, many stores are popping up that are solely dedicated to selling smokeless devices. This job doesn’t require any educational qualification, but you will need to be familiar with vaping devices as well as possess soft skills, including customer service skills. 

All in All

Looking for a marijuana job? You can apply to any of the jobs above in the industry and more if you meet the requirements. Job hunting isn’t very different from other fields, so be sure to check job search sites regularly. A good place to begin your job search is The Cannabis Job Board, as there’s a good chance of finding openings for your dream job there. 

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