Farm Assistant - Fall/Spring Semester

Butler•Indianapolis, IN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Farm at Butler is a one-acre diversified farm on Butler’s campus. It produces a variety of food crops for the Butler community and demonstrates sustainable urban agriculture. The Farm also supports place-based learning for classes and groups focused on food systems, agro-ecology, and sustainability. Student assistants perform farm and garden tasks that support daily operations and these goals. The role offers opportunities to develop attention to detail, initiative, observation, systems thinking, resilience, and responsibility to a team. The schedule is 8–10 hours per week, to be determined based on the student’s class schedule, plus availability to work about an hour every 2–3 weekends. Applicants must attach a resume and a cover letter explaining why they are applying, the skills they bring, their career interests, and what they hope to achieve professionally through the internship. Applications missing either document will not be considered.

Requirements

Availability to work 8–10 hours per week and about an hour every 2–3 weekends.
Commitment to the job schedule.
Willingness to perform physically demanding work to meet job demands and deadlines, potentially in all types of weather, and to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Capacity for detail-oriented tasks and creative problem-solving.
Submit a resume and cover letter as attachments; the cover letter must describe the applicant’s reasons for applying, skills, career interests, and professional goals for the internship.

Nice To Haves

Appreciation for food production in the context of enhancing the ecological quality of the space.
Desire to feel shared ownership of and responsibility for the farm.
Willingness to notice and care about broader needs beyond the specific assigned task.
Value for providing sustainably grown food to Butler dining from produce grown on campus.

Responsibilities

Harvest, wash, record, and package produce as appropriate for its end use.
Manage weeds and soil by hand and with appropriate farm tools.
Amend beds, including loading, transporting, and unloading wheelbarrows of compost.
Clean and organize farm containers, tools, and spaces as needed.
Mow grassy walkable areas of the farm.
Manage pests through cultural practices, such as physical exclusion or hand-picking.
Plant by transplanting or direct-seeding.
Prepare beds, including removing old crop material, measuring and re-forming permanent beds, managing weeds, and amending soil.
Complete other tasks identified by the farm manager.
Maintain regular and punctual attendance.
Comply with University standards and policies.
Ensure confidentiality of information.