Company description

Worlds End is a 107 acre working farm and home to a group of artists and writers. At the heart of the farm is the Saipua flower program: the keystone of Worlds End.

Saipua is home to the creative practices of artist and educator Sarah Ryhanen and her network of collaborators and co-conspirators. Saipua began in 2006 with a Brooklyn studio devoted to the dual crafts of flower arranging and soap-making (Saipua means “soap” in Finnish, a nod to Sarah's heritage and the tradition of Sauna). Through her floral practice, Sarah has cultivated a distinct aesthetic, inspiring a broad movement in floral design. Saipua's work has adorned weddings worldwide, runway shows, and collaborations with artists and organizations.

Over the years Saipua has developed into a dynamic consortium of creative endeavors; cultivating products, spaces, educational programing, and experiences that foster and encourage more intimate and provocative connections to the natural world.

The Farm at Worlds End, founded in 2011, is the current headquarters of the Saipua team.

Job description

Part time (3 days or 28 hours per week) // Must live within a 30 minute radius of Esperance

Saipua is hiring a part-time soap production assistant at the Worlds End soap studio where over 200,000 bars are produced annually to be shipped to wholesale and retail customers all over the world. You are more of a baker than a cook (measurements, weight, science vs. dashes, pinches, art) but you appreciate the beauty of small luxuries and well-designed products. You work exceptionally well with others and have a communal spirit.

Saipua matriarch Susan Ryhanen began making soap as a hobby in 1999 in her basement using olive oil from the grocery store and a shoebox as a mold. The hobby grew into a small business called Creekside Soaps; and Susan would sell soap at the Peekskill farmers market. Susan’s husband Pentti, a retired auto body repair man and woodworker, engineered better molds and soap cutters in his shop and the business grew to offer soap making supplies to other hobbyists.

In 2004 Susan’s daughter Sarah and her partner Eric suggested a re-branding of the soap - and SAIPUA (derived from the Finnish word for soap ‘saippua’ and a nod to Pentti’s heritage) was formed.

Over the course of the next 20 years, the soap business would serve as a backbone for a fledgling floral business and allow for the purchase and development of Worlds End Farm which now serves as a dynamic headquarters for teaching, learning and creatively reimagining work and art.

Specific duties include:

• Manage stock of soap making supplies and place supplier orders as needed
• Manage inventory of finished soaps and assist in production scheduling
• Hand-wrap soaps in custom paper and pack orders for shipping
• Learn the craft of soap making including recipes, techniques and troubleshooting common issues

Specific qualifications include:

• Detail-oriented and precise
• Process-driven and able to follow complex instructions
• Solution-oriented and flexible attitude
• Exceptional time management and organizational skills
• Comfortable functioning independently to complete designated tasks
• Able to complete repetitive tasks
• Basic weights and measurement skills
• Not sensitive/allergic to various strong scents (essential oils used in production)

There is a possibility for this to develop into a full-time position.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline