Morven Kitchen Garden Coordinator Intern (Student Wage)

Morven Kitchen Garden is looking for an experienced UVA student who is passionate about sustainable agriculture and community outreach to be one of two MKG Coordinators to assist the Morven Kitchen Garden Manager.
In this paid position, the coordinator will gain hands-on experience in farm management: crop selection and season planning, soil health, resource management, budgeting, and business administration. Additionally, the coordinator will engage the community through volunteer coordination, educational workshops, and events, as well as food security outreach.
The coordinator will help the Morven Kitchen Garden Manager in all aspects of farm management, including scheduling shifts for the small farm crew of 3-7 part-time interns, and overseeing farm crew shifts to ensure work tasks are being completed. Additionally, the coordinator will assist the Morven Program team as we develop the strategic plan for the Morven Sustainability Lab (MSL).
The coordinators will plan Listening Circles with students engaged in the MKG program; they will assist with event planning related to the strategic planning process; create surveys for MKG participants as part of Lab planning; they will assist the team in developing the long-range vision for how the MKG will grow as the MSL develops.
UVA Students from all disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply. This is a paid position, 10-15 hours/week during the academic year, and up to 30 hours per week during the summer and other academic breaks.
This job will entail coaching and mentoring student crew members to execute the following regular garden tasks with independence:

• Planting, weeding, and harvesting produce. (includes operating heavy machinery such as weed whackers and tractors)
• Learning about small-scale sustainable agriculture.
• Washing, weighing, and packing produce for our UVA Dine wholesale, Food Insecure Resource Group, and Community Supported Agriculture program.
• Being part of a student leadership team: imagining new initiatives, coordinating with Morven Programs staff to facilitate workshops, guest speakers, and community engagement.
• Fielding email inquiries about Morven Kitchen Garden
• Customer service communication (phone and email) and sales of our CSA (community supported agriculture) shares
• Taking photos and videos of our programs and saving them in our archive
• Creating and sharing posts to our social media accounts and website
• Keeping accurate logs and organized records in compliance with our GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certification

OVERVIEW:
The Morven Kitchen Garden (MKG) is a 1.5-acre sustainable garden where UVA students connect with our local food system, learn about sustainability, and engage with local food justice efforts. The garden is located 10 miles from the UVA campus at Morven, a 2,913-acre historic estate that hosts a variety of programming to engage the world of practice with the academic community to address the most essential issues of our time. Morven is the home of UVA's Sustainability Lab.
At MKG, we grow over 40 different crops and sell our produce through a summer and fall CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) project, to UVA Dine, and donate produce to local food banks. MKG staff are involved in all aspects of sustainable food production. Coordinator may also get the opportunity to explore the garden's beehives.
Timeframe: January 15th, 2024 - December 15th, 2024.
Weekly Hours: 10-15 hours per week during the UVA academic year, 20-30 hours per week during UVA's Summer vacation; must work a consistent weekly schedule within the Monday-Friday 8am-5pm timeframe. Occasional weekend or evening shifts may be required.
Compensation: $18-20 per hour depending on experience; includes a portion of the farm's fresh produce.
Ideal Candidates will have:

• Prior experience in farming and/or gardening.
• Prior experience in sustainability and/or natural resource management
• Experience leading or managing others in a professional setting.
• Ability to motivate others to accomplish a shared goal.
• Passion for educating others about sustainable agriculture.
• Attention to detail, good listening, and communication skills.
• The ability to work both as part of a team and independently.
• Ability to safely lift 50 pounds.
• The ability to work outside under various weather conditions including heat, cold, and rain.

Minimum Requirements:

• Current student at UVA enrolled in at least twelve credit hours.
• Must have reliable means of transportation to and from their work shift each day.
• Must be able to interact and communicate respectfully with persons of all backgrounds.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Please attach resume and cover letter.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Education: Current undergrad UVA student
Experience: None
Licensure: None
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This position requires lifting more than 30 pounds frequently without assistance, and working outdoors in all weather conditions.
The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician's Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.