Nutrition Education Paid Internship

The University of Washington Farm is offering the Nutrition Education paid internship for the 2024 growing season. This position is an important part of a team that will manage the farm for the UW Seattle campus and nearby community. 

Location: UW Farm growing sites at the Center for Urban Horticulture, Mercer Court and McMahon Hall Culinary Garden

Deadline to apply: May 20, 2024

Position Start Date: June 17, 2024

Position End Date:  December 1, 2024 

This internship is ideal for UW undergraduate and graduate students interested in exploring careers in the environmental field, particularly organic and urban farming and food systems. It is designed to serve current students with identities that have been historically and traditionally excluded from the mainstream environmental movement.

 

Internship overview

This position offers opportunities to work at three unique farm sites on campus as well as opportunities to develop real-life work skills in project management, team work, leadership, communication, volunteer management, food production, food safety, organic practices, small farm business management and environmental science. In addition, the UW Farm Manager will support interns by incorporating education and mentorship throughout the workday, as well as offer opportunities for field trips and workshops, based on student interest. 

Interns often have opportunities to participate in field trips to area urban farms, gardens and locations to add to knowledge of urban farming methods. Past visits have included 21 Acres, Viva Farms, Danny Woo P-Patch, Picardo P-Patch, Beacon Hill Food Forest, McMenamins edible landscaping, Belltown P-Patch, WoodLand Park Zoo Compost facility, Skyroot Farm, The Organic Farm School, The Garden Institute, UDistrict Farmers Market.

COVID-19 Protocols

Please refer to the following link for COVID-19 related protocols (https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/Summer-2021-Internship-COVID-prevention.pdf) If you have any questions about these protocols and how they apply to the internship program, please email rdein@uw.edu. 

 

Goals of the UW Farm

  • Provide students with practical urban farming experience, from plan to production to kitchen
  • Support academic programs and faculty offering coursework, independent research, and capstone and culminating experiences related to food, nutrition and other topics as needed.
  • Create a model of sustainable, organic urban food production at the UW
  • Provide reliable, predictable, and quality produce for UW Housing & Food Services, UW Club, CSA members, and other customers

 

Internship Learning Objectives

During this internship, interns will prepare for careers as environmental professionals in science and urban farming and food systems fields, develop leadership skills, work with a diverse population, and manage the production records of the farm and campus and community food system. Through this training, interns learn to work together to identify personal skills and build a sense of teamwork and community, Specific skills learned will include: 

 

  • National Organic Production, as administered by WSDA crop cultivation and practices, including regenerative soil practices, propagation, transplanting, integrated pest management, harvesting, washing, packing and delivery.
  • Infrastructure installation and maintenance: such as row cover application, occultation, trellis installation, and irrigation 
  • Principles of tool use, including maintenance and safety
  • Active Leadership development in teaching, coordinating, and developing community with volunteers

 

Required qualifications

  • Current UW undergraduate or graduate student enrolled
  • Commitment to two academic quarters in a calendar year:  Summer and Fall
  • Driver’s license and good driving record
  • Flexibility in work schedule, ability to adjust to weather and demands on-the-fly
  • Willing to learn leadership, communication and large group management skills 
  • Physical strength and stamina, ability to lift 50 lbs. on a regular basis
  • No severe reactions or allergies to insects or vegetable crops
  • Elementary knowledge of plants, soil, farming/gardening
  • Positive, “Can-do” attitude
  • Ability to multitask
  • Conduct oneself in a professional manner as a representative, ambassador of the UW Farm 

 

Additional desired knowledge and experience

  • Social media and communication platforms experience, including proficiency in Canva, MailChimp, and Instagram
  • Critical thinking & Creative problem-solving skills
  • Excel proficiency
  • Previous farming or gardening experience

 

Physical demands and work environment

  • Working in all kinds of weather including smoke (wildfire potential), cold, heat over 90 degrees
  • Working in an environment that may have allergens—dust, mold, grasses, etc.
  • Working with hazardous materials such as bleach, gasoline, motor oil, etc.
  • Wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) when necessary
  • Working Saturday mornings on an as-needed basis

 

Compensation

  • $5,000 Stipend paid upon successful completion of the Summer quarter
  • $2,500 Stipend paid upon successful completion of the Fall quarter
  • Professional references upon request upon successful completion of the internship

 

Application requirements

  • Deadline to submit materials via email is midnight, May 20, 2024
  • Send a cover letter describing why you desire an internship position and your qualifications 
  • Send a resume listing your relevant work, volunteer, and/or course experiences that relate to the internship and any additional skills that may contribute towards the internship experience
  • Include at least two reference contacts

Submit Cover Letter and Resume to: Perry Acworth, UW Farm Manager, persis@uw.edu and uwfarm@uw.edu

 

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