Agricultural Specialist

Job Description:

  Agricultural Specialist

 Programs Overview

Trellis provides programming for youth and adults that address food insecurity and community sustainability.  Our programs help youth cultivate work and life skills and organizations and adults to address food insecurity in the region.  As our mission indicates, our programs utilize organic gardening, environmental conservation, and food justice as mediums for people to grow and evolve.  While each program has its own distinct theme, each provides education and activities that help participants to develop an understanding of themselves in relation to their community and society and equips them with the necessary skills and perspectives to become agents of positive change.

Job Description

The Agricultural Specialist is seasonal, part-time position that supports the agricultural aspects of all Trellis’ programs. The Agricultural Specialist reports to the Agricultural Program Manager and will primarily support the Food for All (FFA) program sites, while also making significant contributions to the SEED Skills program sites.

The agricultural specialist will report to, and work with, the Agricultural Manager.  The primary goal of the Agricultural Specialist position is to maintain healthy crops in our 20+ FFA partner gardens sites. This includes assisting with garden design, builds, plantings, maintenance, and harvests.  The role includes both planning, logistical, and “outward facing” aspects.  Agricultural Specialists will regularly be asked to guide volunteers and partners through plantings, garden checks, harvests, and other activities.  The agricultural specialist will be expected to represent Trellis with a high degree of professionalism and nurture our community relationships.   

Successful Agricultural Specialists are passionate about organic agriculture and the potential for developing a more localized and sustainable food system. Strong candidates will have an open mind, an upbeat, positive attitude, high energy, and flexibility. The position requires strong leadership and interpersonal skills, a positive attitude and high energy, as well as other attributes that demonstrate Trellis’s core values.  

This is a temporary, hourly position that will start as soon as possible in May, and continue through the end of August.  The hours will vary somewhat week to week but generally range from 10-15 hours per week.  The Trellis for Tomorrow office is located in Phoenixville, but the agricultural components of our programs are widespread around the region and the Agricultural Program Manager is expected to maintain a regular, scheduled presence throughout the Trellis service area. Applicants must have a valid PA’s drivers license and provide their own transportation. All Trellis employees are required to have current criminal and child abuse clearances.

Primary Job Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Support garden builds, plantings, and site visits in consultation with the agricultural manager and senior programs director
• Periodically deliver agricultural education to youth and adult participants of FFA and SEED
•  Greenhouse and garden activities in preparation for each program cycle Skills programs
• Leads periodic program educational sessions, including both on the ground, virtual, and classroom-based programming related to organic agriculture
• Assists in the preparation and delivery of surveys and evaluations to measure program impact; collects data regarding program, both process and outcome measures, as needed for funders, contracts and/or program assessment and improvement
• Is an ambassador for the program in the community; proactively work to build positive relationships and be a model of the values of Trellis in the community around the program site, including with the host site staff as well as key gatekeepers in the community

Experience and Skills:

Qualifications:

• 2 years’ total experience (at least part time) in farming/agriculture; an understanding and experience with organic agriculture is strongly preferred
• Strong organizational and time management skills, attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Able to work as a team on projects; yet independent enough to prioritize and work without supervision
• Capacity for problem solving and willingness to come up with creative solutions
• Flexibility/adaptability and a willingness to “pitch in” where needed
• Ability to provide and receive honest, supportive feedback
• Alignment with Trellis Core Values 

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to David Ryle at dryle@trellis4tomorrow.org .  

Benefits

Trellis for Tomorrow is an equal opportunity organization and makes all employment, volunteer, and program acceptance decisions without regard to race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, disability, age, genetic information, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.