Vineyard Supervisor

A Vineyard Supervisor oversees the daily operations of vineyard sites, directing seasonal and permanent staff in vine cultivation, disease and pest management, and harvest preparation. They monitor vineyard health through regular inspections, coordinate with winemaking teams on fruit ripeness and readiness, and ensure compliance with agricultural safety standards and organic or biodynamic certification requirements where applicable.

Direct vineyard workers in pruning, canopy management, and trellising operations according to seasonal requirements and varietal specifications. Conduct regular canopy inspections to assess vine vigour, disease incidence, and water stress using visual assessment and moisture monitoring equipment. Identify and manage fungal diseases (powdery mildew, downy mildew, botrytis) and pest infestations through integrated pest management strategies compliant with spray regulations. Schedule and supervise pesticide and fungicide applications, ensuring compliance with chemical safety data sheets and state agricultural chemical registration requirements. Assess fruit ripeness through sugar levels (Brix), acidity (pH, titratable acidity), and phenolic maturity to advise winemakers on optimal harvest timing. Coordinate workforce planning for labour-intensive periods including flowering, fruit set, and harvest, and induct seasonal workers on vineyard-specific safety protocols. Operate and maintain vineyard equipment including spray rigs, pruning tools, canopy management machinery, and irrigation systems. Monitor soil health through visual assessment, moisture monitoring, and nutrient status; recommend irrigation scheduling and fertiliser applications.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Harvest season means 12-hour days for weeks straight. You're also responsible for costly spraying decisions: get the timing wrong on fungal disease and you lose the vintage, costing thousands.

Vineyard work is location-locked to wine regions: you can't do this job remotely or in the city. Jobs tend to appear through industry networks and local recruitment rather than mainstream job boards.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Conflict Resolutioncore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Rostering and Scheduling Supportcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workflow Prioritisationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Award Interpretation
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Carry out work related calculations in agriculture
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Process Improvement Identification
• Report Writing
• Supplier Communication
• Workload Self-Management

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026