Job title: Farm Support Operator
Position Type: Full-Time, seasonal (Summer)
Compensation: Hourly; $20/hour
Location: Lancaster, MA (In-person)
World Farmers is hiring a Farm Support Operator who will be responsible for supporting key staff in providing assistance to Flats Mentor Farm (FMF) farmers in all areas of production, land management, and farmsite supervision throughout the summer season. This position will assist in a wide array of on-farm tasks and requires a person who is excited to learn and is willing to take on any task.
Responsibilities Include:
- Support farmers with technical assistance in food safety practices according to MDAR-CQP and FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
- Perform on-farm plot and crop assessments daily, and communicate to farmers.
- Support farmers to maintain CQP records and ensure farm sites and wash sites are upholding food safety standards.
- Support farmers to implement safe food handling practices at wash stations.
- Support key staff to assist farmers in implementing pest management practices.
- Assist with general farm operations across land sites.
- Support farmers with general production-related technical assistance.
- Perform general outreach to FMF farmers as needed by key staff.
- Any additional duties as requested or required to support each FMF farmer. World Farmers encourages a team environment and asks staff to support, collaborate and communicate across roles to ensure our services remain seamless to FMF farmers.
- Ensure completion of all evaluation and reporting needs for program efforts.
Qualifications Necessary:
- Experience in crop production on small-scale vegetable farm operations.
- Knowledge of farm equipment is a plus.
- Familiarity with cultural crops and their production needs a plus.
- Passion, compassion, curiosity, and creativity to explore solutions with and for immigrant farmers related to production and farm management needs.
- Qualities of self-motivation, time management, flexibility and cooperation, and ability to be effective in a dynamic, multicultural/multilingual work environment.
- Social Justice, Racial Justice, and Food Justice minded and motivated individuals.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, if needed.
- Ability to lift 50 pounds or more and walk the fields regularly in all weather.
- Ownership of reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license.
- Capacity to build a collaborative culture across teammates to ensure effective and strong systems are built and implemented.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with diverse farmers.
Additional Duties Include: acting as World Farmers ambassador and representing our values and mission across all interfaces, including with staff, farmer participants, and partners; and any other duties that working in a mission-driven, fluid operation require.
Compensation: This position is full-time at 40 hours per week, seasonal (Summer), and hourly at a starting rate of $20/hour.
Benefits: health insurance, vacation and sick time, as well as fresh veggies!
To apply: Submit your résumé, brief cover letter, and three references to HR [at] worldfarmers [dot] org with the subject line: Application. References will not be contacted without your prior approval and notification.
Start Date: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Ideal start date May 1, 2023, (negotiable).
World Farmers holds 30 years of experience in supporting immigrant, refugee, and beginning farmers to grow and market their produce. Through Flats Mentor Farm in Lancaster, MA, World Farmers assists over 350 farmers by providing access to land, farming infrastructure, and technical assistance in agricultural production and marketing so that immigrants and refugees passionate about agriculture and living in New England can grow familiar foods and contribute to community food systems where locally produced cultural crops are available to all.
World Farmers is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applicants from culturally diverse backgrounds and/or historically under-represented communities.
We are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or any other status protected by law. World Farmers is committed to equal employment opportunity and strongly encourages women and people of diverse backgrounds to apply.