Conservation Stewardship Coordinator

Ursinus College is hiring a full-time Conservation Stewardship Coordinator to oversee operations at the Campus Farm and Food Forest, beginning Spring 2025. The role involves managing land stewardship activities, supervising students and volunteers, collaborating on educational projects, and supporting community engagement in sustainable agriculture. Candidates should have expertise in agroecology or sustainable farming practices. This position is based on-site in Collegeville, PA.
Overview :

Ursinus College invites applications for a full-time Conservation Stewardship Coordinator to work with the Office of Sustainability (OS) and the newly renamed Department of Environment and Sustainability (ENVS) to begin in Spring 2025. The Conservation Stewardship Coordinator will be an individual who is trained in agroecology, food forestry, community gardening, and/or sustainable agriculture and who will primarily work to manage the year-round operations at the Campus Farm and Food Forest at the Whittaker Environmental Research Station along with other campus land management initiatives. The Conservation Stewardship Coordinator will collaborate with ENVS and OS on the long-term vision of the Campus Farm and Food Forest, support curricular and co-curricular activities in which the Campus Farm and Food Forest and other campus locations serve as a laboratory for collaborative student-faculty education and research, and embody a welcoming ethos that centers community and inclusion to students, faculty, staff, and external community members/partners.

Responsibilities :
• Plan and manage in conjunction with students (e.g., agroecology fellows, Food Forest leaders) short-term and long-term land management strategies/activities associated with food growing and closely related ecological stewardship efforts on the Campus Farm, Food Forest, and on campus including: planning and carrying out planting, harvesting, and tending practices throughout the seasonal calendar; managing and supervising irrigation and seasonal management interactions (e.g. pruning); planning and operating farm stands or “u-pick” activities with campus and off campus consumers.
• Supervise students (e.g. agroecology fellows, practicum students in ENVS (i.e. ENVS practicums), and volunteers at stewardship activities on the Campus Farm, Food Forest, and related projects.
• Manage budgets, equipment, and infrastructure, in consultation with OS/ENVS and the Campus Facilities Department, related to the Campus Farm and Food Forest operations.
• Assist faculty members with integrating curricular activities and research projects on the theme of sustainable food and agriculture into the campus community.
• Assist faculty members and OS with community learning about diverse aspects of sustainable agriculture, including supporting field trips by local schools, at the Campus Farm and Food Forest.
• Contribute to relationship building through organizing, hosting, and participating in events, projects, and communication between students, faculty, and staff at the College and community members.
• Support the efforts of the campus, Campus Farm, and Food Forest to implement commitments to the Delaware Tribe of Indians as part of Welcome Home Project initiatives.
• Serve as a resource to the campus and surrounding community on sustainable land management techniques (for example, planting multifunctional spaces, assisting in naturalization, meadow establishment, and other innovative strategies), including working with ENVS faculty and ENVS students registered in practicums associated with these greenspaces).
• Work with Directors of OS and the Food Forest to develop grant proposals to support co-curricular aspects of these sites and their contribution to student achievement in the area of sustainable agriculture.

Requirements and Qualifications :
• Master’s degree is required (in fields including but not limited to arboriculture, agroecology, environmental science/studies, forestry, horticulture, permaculture).
• The ability to work some weekends and evenings.
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively is essential.
• Strong written and oral communication skills are required.
• Demonstrated passion for sustainable agriculture and associated land or food production transformation (e.g., regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, food forestry).
• Enthusiasm for working with, and experience supervising, others, ideally undergraduate students, in applied management tasks and undertaking new practices.
• Experience with and ability to plan and manage short-term and long-term land management strategies/activities associated with food growing and community outreach/volunteer management.
• Demonstrated ability to, or interest in, supporting student research in areas related to sustainable food production and land management.
• Knowledgeable about food safety and practices that reduce risks. Should be familiar with Good Agricultural Practices and relevant food safety protocols (and plan to attend Produce Grower Certification Training within the first six months of hiring).
• Demonstrated ability to work well with diverse community partners, both on campus and off. These include College administrators, other staff, faculty, students, alumni, and parents as well as diverse organizations (e.g. local non-profits, companies).
• Demonstrated intercultural competence and a desire to support OS and ENVS’ work with the Delaware Tribe of Indians as part of Ursinus’ Welcome Home Project initiatives.

The following qualifications are strongly preferred:
• Experience with grant-writing. Evidence of successfully funded grant submissions a plus.
• Experience working with undergraduate students as part of outdoor education.