Thanks to legalization, the cannabis industry is growing in leaps and bounds. Many people are getting in on the ground floor by looking into cannabis industry jobs with promising salaries. This article will review the jobs you may consider pursuing.
Top Cannabis Industry Jobs
Dispensary Manager
A dispensary manager is one of the cannabis industry jobs that are in high demand. The position entails various duties that vary from shop to shop. They may include:
- Managing inventory
- Hiring and supervising employees
- Overseeing operations
- Working with bookkeepers on financial management
- Working with the store’s budget to decide on growth strategies
- Partnering with vendors and handling vendor relationships
- Customer service
National annual average salary: $50,433
Accountant
An accountant can work in various industries including the cannabis industry. An accountant that specializes in the cannabis industry will understand the unique laws that apply to cannabis businesses. They will ensure that their clients meet financial requirements and align with current banking regulations.
Other accounting duties may include:
- Bookkeeping
- Financial advice
- Yearly taxes
- Organizing financial documents and records
National annual average salary: $55,951
Laboratory Assistant
Laboratory assistant is one of the science-based cannabis industry jobs. It requires working in the lab to assist staff members, chemists, scientists, and researchers in conducting studies, analyses, and reviews of cannabis products. A lab assistant will find out about cannabis composition and health results. They may also work with producers to prepare products for selling purposes.
Duties include:
- Operating and maintaining laboratory equipment and software
- Working alongside staff members, chemists, and scientists
- Recording information
- Evaluating samples
National annual average salary: $51,389
Marketing Specialist
A marketing specialist will come up with the best ways for companies to market cannabis products. In addition to understanding the ins and outs of marketing, they must also get a handle on the regulations of the cannabis industry. They must be aware of making false claims, avoiding tactics that market to children, glamorization, and more.
Here are some marketing day-to-day responsibilities:
- Researching target audience demographics
- Developing ads
- Making pitches
- Researching current cannabis marketing regulations
- Promoting campaigns via social media, TV, radio, billboards, etc.
- Determining the best promotional channels
- Providing reports to make clients aware of success rates and ROI
National annual average salary: $58,382
Extraction Technician
An extraction technician uses lab equipment, solvents, heat, and pressure to extract cannabis compounds from the plant. The compounds will later be added to cannabis products such as oils and vapes. They may work with flammable, explosive, and dangerous substances.
Duties of an extraction technician may include:
- Testing and refining compounds to ensure potency
- Recording analyzed data
- Cleaning and storing lab equipment to ensure a safe environment
National annual average salary: $40,326
Field Technician
Field technicians will spend much of their day traveling from location to location. They will work independently in the field and remotely coordinate with the main office when needed. They will assist with installing new equipment, training teams, and ensuring safety.
Field technician duties include:
- Creating a daily activities report
- Troubleshooting client problems
- Correctly installing equipment
- Making equipment recommendations
- Training teams in operations and safety
- Traveling for service appointments
National annual average salary: $59,037
Delivery Driver
You may be surprised to find delivery drivers on this list of top-paying cannabis industry jobs, but this position does not refer to drivers that deliver products from dispensaries to clients. These drivers take cannabis to distribution centers and dispensaries that deliver it to retail centers and patients. They often have special commercial licenses and qualifications.
Duties include:
- Carrying products to dispensaries and distribution centers
- Ensuring the safe delivery of products
- Staying in contact with dispatch centers for updated progress
National annual average salary: $63,203
Compliance Officer
Compliance officer is one of the cannabis industry jobs that requires a deep knowledge of the field. They will work with an organization to ensure their practices align with government regulations. They also monitor financial documentation and records to see to it that reporting is accurate and filed with the appropriate entities.
A compliance officer’s duties may include:
- Traveling to various organizations to meet with leaders
- Researching to find out about current cannabis rules and regulations
- Reviewing documents
National annual average salary: $61,604
Brand Manager
Brand manager is one of the more lucrative cannabis industry jobs. The position serves as a go-between for the brand leaders and marketing specialists. They determine brand identity and ensure it is communicated through the company’s marketing efforts.
A brand manager’s duties may include:
- Working with team leaders to create a brand image
- Working with marketing teams to ensure materials are in-line with the brand image
- Creating graphic designs
- Ensuring intellectual property is protected
- Researching current marketing trends
National annual average salary: $62,316
Environmental Specialist
There are many environmental concerns in the cannabis industry. Therefore, environmental specialists have come to be one of the integral cannabis industry jobs. An environmental specialist will evaluate growing environments and determine steps that can be taken to make crops more eco-friendly. They ensure crops are being grown following government regulations. They work with growers to ensure crops are healthy.
Daily tasks may include:
- Traveling to various growing facilities to meet with botanists and growers and examine crops
- Staying on top of the latest environmental regulations regarding cannabis crops
- Making recommendations to improve growing conditions and crop health.
National annual average salary: $63,920
Chemist
Chemist is likely to be the highest paying of all cannabis industry jobs. A chemist will research to assess how cannabis compounds interact with various bodily systems. They will also work with growers and lab technicians to ensure THC levels meet government regulations.
Chemist duties include:
- Working in a lab to determine cannabis effects
- Experimenting with compounds to understand how different ingestion methods affect results
- Determining the makeup of different strains
- Overseeing the potency and purity of various products
National annual average salary: $77,051
Now that you are aware of the various cannabis industry jobs, which will you be pursuing?
