UW Assistant Farm Manager Seasonal Position

The UW community has an outstanding opportunity for a seasonal, part-time Assistant Farm Manager for the 2019 season. This is a staff position, reporting to the UW Farm Manager and Director of the UW Botanic Gardens.

The UW Farm works to create and sustain farming activity on the UW-Seattle campus with the following goals as priorities:

• Provide students with practical urban farming experience, from planning to production to table.
• Create a model of sustainable urban production at the UW.
• Provide reliable, predictable, and quality produce for sales, including but not limited to the UW Farm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), the UW Club, and UW Housing & Food Services
  (HFS).
• Provide produce for other uses, including but not limited to the UW Food Pantry project, student gleaning teams, UW Farm events, and fundraisers.
• Facilitate the growing of traditional foods and preserving of farming practices in cooperation with the Intellectual House under the Office of Minority Affairs.
• Link the practice of urban farming directly to academic programs in the study of food, including but not limited to coursework, independent research, capstone and culminating experiences,
  and other experiential learning opportunities.

The Assistant Farm Manager will support the Farm Manager with carrying out the sustainable maintenance of all of three UW Farm growing sites, including the maintenance of all required
certifications; continued and creative production through a sustainable planting plan, implementation of a student-based farming plan, and continuous outreach to production for partners across campus; and balancing the production and academic goals of the farm.

Care needs to be taken to ensure that all farmed land is visually appealing, safe, and highly productive, and provides exceptional value to student learning. This position will require:

• Practical abilities to manage and work on an urban farm.
• Business skills necessary to build and maintain a balanced budget.
• Social skills necessary for interfacing with a wide array of operations and academic partners.

In addition, academic responsibilities include supporting food studies and related courses, minors, majors, and other experiential opportunities in undergraduate and graduate programs in at least 15 academic units, including a minor in Nutritional Sciences and a planned major in Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health within the School of Public Health, a “Food Pathway” component of the Environmental Studies major within the College of the Environment, and courses in Anthropology, Biology,  Environmental Science and Terrestrial Resource Management, Geography, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning.

Success in the position and of the UW Farm will be measured by a series of outcome metrics. These metrics include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing the number and diversity of students associated with the UW Farm and who play leading roles in Farm operation.
• Increasing farm production in quantity and diversity while steadily improving predictability in quantity, timing, and delivery.
• Increasing the number and type of academic connections to the UW Farm.
• Maintaining Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification, implementation of WSDA Organic Certification, and other standards necessary for the continued purchase of healthy foods from
  the UW Farm.
• Balancing production and student research across the lands managed by the UW Farm.
• Maintaining a successful sustainable business plan and budget.
• Positive student evaluations from The Carlson Center, other partnering organizations, participants, and volunteers.

Specific offices and programs aligned with the UW Farm include:

• The CUH in collaboration with UW Botanic Gardens (UWBG) staff.
• College of the Environment, Program on the Environment dean, faculty, lecturers, and staff.
• Nutrition Sciences dean, faculty, lecturers, and staff.
• The UW Grounds, director, and staff
• The lead department within Finance & Facilities at the UW.
• UW Landscape Architect.
• Housing & Food Services, directors, and staff.
• The director, staff, and students of wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ, a longhouse-style facility (aka the Intellectual House under the Office of Minority Affairs) on the UW-Seattle campus that provides a multiservice learning and gathering space for American Indian and Alaska Native peoples.
• Other academic schools, departments, and programs throughout UW.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the general supervision of the Farm Manager, the Assistant Manager’s primary responsibilities are field supervision and production, which includes but is not limited to:

• Leading the work of students and volunteers in farming production and harvest activities on 1 acre of cultivate space .
• Assist with the management of all infrastructure at three farming sites on campus, the Center for Urban horticulture, Mercer Court and McMahon Hall, totaling approximately two acres.
• Organize student activities and work parties to ensure successful and adequate production.
• Collaborate with the director, staff, and students from w???b?altx? (aka the Intellectual House under the Office of Minority Affairs) in meeting their farming and food needs.
• Operate, maintain, and provide training on the use of motorized equipment used in crop production, including tractors and their implements, rototillers, weed abatement machines, etc.
• Provide support to classes and programs involved with the UW Farm, including providing or assisting with tours, labs, and field trips for UW academic programs and farm partners.
• Provide an environment where students can achieve academic goals, including but not limited to course-based work, independent study and independent research projects, service learning,
  and capstone and culminating experiences.
• Interface with faculty who will provide research guidance and mentoring for farm-based students.
• Assist in the planning, production, delivery, and sales of produce to HFS, CSA, UW Student Pantry, and other outlets.
• Help carry out and monitor work plans to maximize the human and financial resources available to this program.
• Assist in maintaining GAP certification and implementation of WSDA organic certification program.
• Co-manage farmland for weed and pest control and soil conditions using NOP practices, integrated pest management methods, and natural soil amendments.
• Assist in creating educational and marketing materials, including a weekly newsletter, social media content, Instagram, etc.
• Assist students in developing grant projects on the UW Farm, seeking funding from the Campus Sustainability Fund and other on-campus and off-campus sources to increase the UW Farm
  infrastructure as regards the sustainable and innovative practice of urban farming.
• Co-manage UW Farm events, including an annual Farm-to-Table community dinner and monthly on-farm events, i.e. pizza bakes, flower workshops, tomato tastings, etc..
• Other related duties as required.

REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s Degree in horticulture, urban agriculture, or a related field and/or 2-3 years of experience in the following areas:

• Management of an organic produce farm, preferably in an urban area in the Pacific Northwest.
• Demonstrated safe use of farm equipment, including tractors, plows, tillers, and backhoes.
• Experience with irrigation systems and in soil management and soil fertility.
• Working with and mentoring young adults.
• Ability to work with a wide array of personalities in a complex environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, and planning skills.
• Driver’s license and good driving record.
• Demonstrated experience in social media platforms and protocols.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except where there are legal requirements such as license/certification/registration.

DESIRED:

• Planning, implementation, and execution of a small farm business, including developing work plans and timelines.
• Knowledge of the National Organic Program (NOP) standards.
• Knowledge of GAP standards.
• Demonstrated ability to work with student groups and to mentor college-age students in farming and food production.
• Evidence of an ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups.

Conditions of Employment:

• A satisfactory outcome from criminal background verification may be required prior to hire.
• Physical ability to do the required work, including manual labor, in outdoor locations and occasionally in adverse weather conditions.
• Must be able to operate a state vehicle, which requires a valid driver’s license recognized by the State of Washington.
• Must be able to lift objects up to 50 pounds on a regular basis.
• Flexibility in work schedule, ability to adjust to weather and demands on the fly.
• Ability to working in all kinds of weather and conditions, including smoke (wildfire potential), cold, and heat over 90 degrees.
• Work in an environment that may have allergens—dust, mold, grasses, etc.
• Work with hazardous materials such as bleach, gasoline, and motor oil.
• Wear and work in personal protection gear when appropriate or necessary, such as ear plugs, rubber gloves, and safety goggles.
• Work after hours, Saturdays, and Sundays on an as-needed basis.
• Have no severe reactions or allergies to insects or vegetable crops.

Appointment to this position is contingent upon obtaining satisfactory results from a criminal background check.

Hours: 20-30 hours per week on average, with a maximum of 950 hours for the season.

Position Start Date: 3/25/2019 Position End Date: 11/1/19 (with some flexibility possible)

Compensation: $18.00/hour, depending on qualifications.

The University of Washington supports a culturally diverse student body and workforce. UW Farm works to create a dedicated team capable of enabling our students to explore and interpret the rich array of disciplines and perspectives that they will encounter. We seek candidates whose teaching, mentorship, and/or service have not only prepared them to fulfill our commitment to inclusion, but have also given them the confidence to engage and work with students and audiences from a wide spectrum of backgrounds.

DEADLINE: To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to Perry Acworth, Farm Manager at persis@uw.edu by midnight, Friday, March 1, 2019.