Seasonal Garden Coordinator

City Parks Foundation•New York, NY

7d•$30 - $30

About The Position

Learning Gardens brings year-round, field and school-based garden science learning to NYC school children and community members. Our gardens are outdoor classrooms that provide vibrant green space in some of New York City’s most densely populated neighborhoods. We operate three gardens in three boroughs. Using our four community gardens, CPF presents engaging interdisciplinary lessons to expand student learning around urban ecology, horticulture, soil science, and sustainable urban food systems. Students in 2nd – 8th grade and their teachers receive resource materials, curricula, and tools to enhance their understanding of ecosystem services and address the unique challenges of growing food in an urban environment. High School interns are trained in garden instruction and horticultural techniques throughout the spring and then work alongside Learning Gardens staff throughout the summer. The Seasonal Garden Coordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day field operations in our main Learning Gardens located in Brownsville, South Jamaica, and the South Bronx. This includes garden maintenance, repairs, coordinating volunteer events, and assisting the community gardener program. The ideal candidate will be an excellent time manager, able to multitask, very well-organized, and an effective communicator. This is a seasonal, 8-month position reporting to the Director of Education and assisting the school day and internship program managers.

Requirements

At least 2 years of training and garden and/or farm experience
Sufficient knowledge in horticulture skills including but not limited to: plant propagation and growth, soil science, companion planting, Integrated Pest Management, composting, etc.
Ability, training and experience in operations/maintenance tasks including light painting, carpentry using power tools, operating light machinery including a weed whacker and a power saw, etc.
Organized, attention to detail, and good time management skills
Sufficient proficiency in Google Drive and Office applications (docs, sheets, slides)
A strong interest in culturally relevant gardening and promoting sustainable eating
Must have a valid driver’s license with willingness to travel throughout NYC alone
Ability to lift 40 lbs and perform strenuous outdoor tasks and work in inclement weather conditions such as heat and light rain
Open availability to work very occasional weekends and evenings

Nice To Haves

Committed to working towards equity and access to healthy food and environment for all New Yorkers
Familiar with and able to grow cultural crops that reflect Brownsville, Brooklyn; South Bronx, Jamaica, Queens, and East New York, Brooklyn communities
The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is essential
Ability & willingness to maintain professionalism and boundaries at all times when working with youth
Adaptability and cultural competency needed to work with youth and adults from diverse backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class and religion

Responsibilities

Oversee maintenance and operations of three Learning Gardens with weekly work hours at each one to ensure proper care of gardens and plants
Work with the Learning Gardens team to implement seasonal horticultural and maintenance plans for the gardens giving particular attention to managing weeds and pests using non-chemical methods
Assist school day and internship program managers to prepare for and/or implement the following with students in the gardens: planting, weeding, tending and harvesting (September - November)
Collaborate with the Learning Gardens team to perform garden maintenance tasks such as equipment inventory, site security, composting, seed starting, and greenhouse operations as it relates to the appropriate garden site
Collaborate with front-line educators that use the garden for programming during the school day and after-school hours in garden programmatic and safety needs
Perform or facilitate the repair of garden structures and equipment as needed
Communicate and coordinate with NYC Parks staff including from Maintenance & Operations and GreenThumb as needed (soil and wood chip orders, tree pruning, stump removal, etc.)
Keep any grassy areas within the gardens trimmed using a gas-powered weed whacker
Assist involvement in and commitment to intergenerational volunteering and additional community stakeholders in our main Learning Gardens sites: Grove Hill, CPF Liberty, and Abib Newborn
Co-facilitate seasonal meetings or workshops with 20-30 community gardeners with open communication to establish norms and ensure compliance with the NYC Parks GreenThumb by-laws.
Assist to coordinate with NYC Green Thumb when necessary
Assist Learning Gardens team to plan and implement volunteer group projects