Farm Specialist

The Farm Specialist at EarthCorps in Seattle, WA, is a training role focused on habitat restoration and farming. Responsibilities include hands-on farming support, volunteer management, and office tasks like outreach and project design. The position splits time between EarthCorps and farming partners, engaging with communities to address climate change. A cover letter is required, and the application deadline is February 18, 2025.
Please note: A Cover Letter is required for this position. Please detail how your interests and values align with this role.

Deadline to apply: February 18, 2025, 7:00 AM

TRAINING POSITION SUMMARY:

The Farm Specialist role is about a 50/50 split between work at EarthCorps and work with our farming partners. This training position is offered through the Washington Climate Corps Network. It offers a mix of office work, hands-on habitat restoration work, farming work, outreach, and community volunteer event leadership. Field tasks include day-to-day farming support, completion of on-farm projects, youth engagement, volunteer management, plant removal, native plant installation, and maintaining tools and equipment. Office tasks include designing outreach and education materials, event recruitment, using software and tools to organize data, delivering presentations, and designing projects. The Farm Specialist may occasionally complete non-volunteer field projects with EarthCorps.

This is a training role that works as part of our EarthCorps Volunteer Corps Program. This role will support EarthCorps Community and Volunteer Team and is supervised by EarthCorps, but works closely with our farming partners, who will support in providing day-to-day tasks at the farm and developing longer-term projects.

WASHINGTON CLIMATE CORPS NETWORK

The Volunteer Specialist is a Washington Climate Corps Network (WCCN) position with EarthCorps. The WCCN is a network of service organizations coordinated by Serve Washington that are supported by community and state allies working to address climate change in Washington. WCCN engages young adults (ages 17-31) and veterans to help build climate resilient communities, economies and ecosystems.

The WCCN prioritizes service to overburdened communities. These are areas where people who live there face disproportionate environmental harms and risks. They are often disproportionately comprised of people who may be minorities, low-income and/or tribal or indigenous.

Check out this link for more information on the goals of the Washington Climate Corps Network. https://servewashington.wa.gov/programs/washington-climate-corps-network

FARMING PARTNERS OVERVIEW:

The following are EarthCorps' primary farming partners. The Farm Specialist can expect to work closely with these organizations. This is not an exhaustive list, and it is encouraged that the Farm Specialist forge new partnerships with farms and farming organizations during the term. Descriptions are found at the bottom is this posting.

Wakulima USA
Black Farmers Collective
Living Well Kent

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Time in this position will be split approximately 50% farming project work, 40% EarthCorps project work and volunteer management, and 10% training and education.

Farms Project Support (50%):
• Farming Support and Project Management
• Conduct farm visits to better understand the needs and challenges of immigrant and BIPOC farmers.
• Spend time supporting farm partners with daily tasks, including planting, weeding, harvesting, etc.
• Co-design projects to meet farm needs with the support of partner farming organizations and EarthCorps' Farm Program Manager. Examples include: building a storage solution for irrigation lines, implementing new soil health strategies, designing buffers to mitigate runoff, etc.
• Support with planning opportunities for EarthCorps' crews to be involved with projects at farm partners' sites.
• Prepare oral and written reports, including photos of community events and project summaries.
• Farm Consultation and Guidance
• Assist farmers in developing farm management plants, setting goals, and implementing sustainable methods.
• Search for local opportunities for immigrant and BIPOC farmers, including grants, materials donations, workshops, etc.
• Support EarthCorps' Farming Program Manager to deliver workshops and trainings to farmers. Topics include soil health, marketing strategies, nutrient and pest management, and more.
• Community Engagement
• Organize community events, workshops, and networking opportunities to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration among immigrant and BIPOC farmers.
• Organize volunteer events to bring support to farming partners.
• Develop events and internships to engage local BIPOC and immigrant youth in farming activities and address low food literacy rates in these communities.

EarthCorps Project Support (40%):
• Outreach, recruitment, and planning for EarthCorps community restoration volunteer events.
• Coordination and collaboration with EarthCorps team of Volunteer Specialists, working together to deliver weekly community events and projects.
• Support Earthcorps' Community and Volunteer team to deliver multiple youth restoration internships
• Maintain tools and equipment on a regular basis.
• Prepare oral and written reports, including photos of volunteer events, work project summaries, equipment use and maintenance logs, and incident reports

Workshops and Trainings (10%)
• Attend EarthCorps organized orientations, retreats, and professional development trainings to gain skills to apply in the Specialist role.
• Attend Washington Climate Corps Network workshops and events as scheduled.

Other Outreach & Communication Support:
• Strive for professional, clear, timely, and open communication amongst EarthCorps and farming partners.
• Work with the EarthCorps' Community and Volunteer team and EarthCorps' Program Director to meet personal and program goals, maintain consistent messaging about the organization, volunteer program, and crew program.

Habitat restoration, farming and community volunteer work are physically demanding. Each year new members consistently underestimate the physical and mental requirements. The Specialist must both have the capacity to perform restoration tasks in challenging physical situations and ability to motivate others. Service regularly involves:
• Long days of repetitively shoveling, digging, and swinging heavy tools.
• Heavy lifting up to 50 lbs. and bending.
• Working in the outdoors in all weather conditions, including heat/cold/rain.

Please consider the nature of the work prior to applying and let us know if you have any specific questions or concerns.

TERMS OF SERVICE:
• STATUS: Temporary, exempt
• PERIOD OF SERVICE: March 11 to December 12, 2025
• TYPICAL HOURS OF SERVICE: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00p.m. Tues-Saturday, alternating Tuesdays off, some evenings, overnights, and weekends are required.
• RATE OF PAY: Living Stipend of $3,955 per month

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Capacity to take initiative, stay motivated in an office and field settings, and work independently.
• Experience working with diverse communities.
• Capacity to delegate, manage time, multitask, stay organized, and be responsive.
• Commitment and ability to serve for the full length of the training program.
• Experience working on farms or farm-related projects.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Passion for and understanding of EarthCorps missions and goals.
• Knowledge of farming techniques, crop management, and sustainable agriculture practices.
• Familiarity with the challenges and opportunities faced by diverse communities.
• Interpersonal skills to work effectively with diverse communities.
• Ability to speak multiple languages is desirable but not required.
• Experience in delivering training programs, workshops, or educational initiatives.
• Interest in youth empowerment, social and environmental justice issues.
• Experience leading youth and adults in outdoor activities.
• Experience in community outreach or organizing.
• Effective cross-cultural communication including sensitivity to and awareness of cultural differences and a commitment to working in an inclusive environment.
• Experience leading and facilitating in a team setting.
• Proficient writer, editor, and communicator.
• Ability to bring positivity, humor, and optimism to challenging situations.
• Ability to be flexible and navigate ambiguity.
• Ability to commit to self-care in a highly social office and program environment.
• Experience in a customer service setting.
• Valid driver's license and comfort driving 12 passenger vans and large trucks.

BENEFITS:
• Education & Training
• Days off & holidays permissible as designated by EarthCorps
• Medical Insurance
• Subsidized ORCA Pass for bus transportation.
• Boots, pants, t-shirt, rain gear, and safety equipment provided.

Wakulima USA: Wakulima USA is a farming and food business cooperative that advances small business development and food sovereignty for low-income immigrants and people of color in the Puget Sound region. Wakulima means "Farmers" in Kiswahili, the most widely spoken language in Africa. Wakulima's founding members are Kiswahili speaking Kenyan immigrants who are committed to preserving traditional farming and food ways and creating shared prosperity through cooperative economics. Wakulima operates 3 farming locations out of Kent, WA and Des Moines, WA. Learn more about Wakulima HERE.

Living Well Kent: Living Well Kent (LWK) is a nonprofit organization that provides a variety of programming to improve the livelihood of Kent residents, including refugees and immigrants. LWK's Food Access program provides farmland access and supplies and equipment to farmers, hosts a farmers' market, and makes produce donations to food banks. Learn more about LWK HERE.

Black Farmers Collective: Black Farmer's Collective's mission is to build a black-led food system by developing a cooperative network of food system actors, acquiring and stewarding land, facilitating food system education, and creating space for Black liberation in healing and joy. Learn more about Black Farmers Collective HERE.

COVID-19 Considerations EarthCorps requires staff and corps members be fully COVID-19 vaccinated. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination must be provided before or on the initial start of employment. If you believe that you are entitled to a medical or religious exemption to our vaccination requirement, please contact Human Resources to start the evaluation process.

EarthCorps does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, political affiliation, or religion.