The University of Washington Farm 2016 UW Student Farm Staff Positions

The University of Washington Farm (UW Farm) is a student-run farm on the UW-Seattle campus. The mission of the UW Farm is to be the campus center for the practice and study of urban agriculture and sustainability, and an educational, community-oriented resource for people who want to learn about building productive and sustainable urban landscapes.

With two farming locations on campus, the UW Farm offers year-round vegetable production for Housing and Food Services, the University of Washington Club, a 40-member Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and the University District Food Bank. The UW Farm strives to build and strengthen connections between our growing spaces and academics on campus, leading tours, hosting academic internship opportunities, and providing service-learning opportunities for students from several disciplines.

The goals of the UW Farm are multiple:

* Provide students with practical urban farming experience, from plan to production to table;

* Link directly to academic programs in the study of food, including but not limited to: coursework, independent research, and capstone and culminating experiences;

* Create a model of sustainable urban production at the UW;

* Provide reliable, predictable, and quality production for UW Housing & Food Services, UW Club, CSA members, and other customers;

Position Description:

The UW Farm is seeking three student farm staff members for the 2016 growing season. This position offers opportunities to work at three unique farm sites on campus, as well as opportunities for work specialties and project leadership.

During the course of the position, student staff will learn and practice practical aspects of sustainable urban agriculture including:

* Field preparations, including tilling, amending, irrigation and mulching

* Installation, testing, and maintenance of drip irrigation systems

* Vegetable production, including seed starting, transplanting, pest management, harvesting, washing, packing and delivery.

* Infrastructure set-up and maintenance, including hoophouse, row covers, trellises, wash-pack, and storage areas

* Basic maintenance of tools and machinery

* Recordkeeping

The UW Farm Manager will support student staff by incorporating education and mentorship throughout the workday, as well as opportunities for field trips and workshops, based on student staff interest.

This is an all-weather job. Student staff are expected to come to work on time and consistently, rain or shine. Commitment to the full three quarters is required. In the event of activities requiring supervision of minors, a criminal background check will be conducted by the University of Washington.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

* Heavy Lifting

* All-weather

* Work environment may have allergens—dust, mold, grasses, etc.

* Hazardous materials

* Wear and work in personal protection when appropriate or necessary

* Occasional work after-hours or on weekends will be required due to weather or other factors

Hours: 10 hours per week Spring and Fall Quarter / 35 hours per week Summer

Pay: $15/hour

Internship Start Date: 3/29/2016 Internship End Date: 12/9/2016

To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to Sarah Geurkink at sgeurk@uw.edu by Tuesday, March 1.