Please visit https://caff.org/caff-job-small-farm-technology-advisor/ to read full job description and how to apply.
 

The Small Farm Technology Advisor will play an important role on our Farmer Services team by leading small farm appropriate technology technical assistance efforts within the broader Fresno region. This position was created under the development of the Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation (F3) Coalition, an exciting new development for the Fresno community which received $65.1 million from the American Rescue Plan to accelerate the integration of technology and skills in the region’s agriculture industry—improving productivity and job quality for existing farm workers while driving a more resilient and sustainable food system. This position will be an integral member of the CAFF Small-Farm Tech Hub team and will serve other farmers across California as available and appropriate. 
 

This position will focus on the use and development of appropriate farm technology best suited to the needs of small acreage farmers, including but not limited to; open source, grassroots agricultural technology and innovation, tools adapted to agroecology, digital, software, hardware, on-field production tools from hand tools to robotic carts, etc. Special focus will be dedicated to the topics of data and technological sovereignty, prioritizing farmer-led technological solutions and traditional knowledge, and local challenges experienced by farmers in the Fresno region. This position will play a key role in helping CAFF and the Tech Hub to address the vast disparities related to accessing resources and best-fit technologies for California small farms. This position will help to build out a program that supports an emergent socio-technical ecosystem orientated around agroecology, strengthening local and regional economies, and contributing to a growing innovation commons.
 

The Small Farm Technology Advisor contributes to organizational and team project strategy. They implement CAFF’s Racial Equity goals and practices throughout their work. This position will be responsible for managing program deliverables including, but not limited to, keeping project related data up to date in Dropbox and Salesforce, monitoring project timelines to plan for any adjustments, partner communication, and completing various project tasks associated with providing farmers technical support. A successful candidate will be highly detail oriented, have technical knowledge on small farm production, expertise in (and/or the ability to quickly develop expertise in) small farm technology and be a clear communicator. Resources developed as part of this program will be shared on CAFF’s website, social media, by webinar and through our many statewide partners, assuring that these tools are accessible to and designed for farmers of all types and from all backgrounds, especially historically marginalized and under-resourced farming communities. A strong grounding in technology for small farmers, a commitment to using technology to advance equity, project management skills, the ability to be part of a dynamic team are all important qualities for succeeding in this unique role.
 

Qualifications
 

Educational and Work Experience

• Associates, Bachelor’s, or Master’s Degree in business, applied technology, food systems, horticulture, agroecology, or equivalent preferred 
• At least 2 years of professional experience in small business development, preferably in local food and/or with small farms specifically 
• Small-scale diverse and/or organic farming experience 
• Knowledge of agricultural technologies  and  application to specialty crop production and/or diversified agricultural systems. 
• Event planning
• Teaching audiences about complex topics
• Professional experience managing dynamic projects
• Experience working directly with farmers
• Experience working with nonprofits strongly preferred
• Experience in building partnerships and with multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to work with ethnically diverse clientele.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bilingual, bicultural skills in another language required (preferably Spanish & heritage speaker)
• Passion for sustainable agriculture, local food and family farms and a general understanding of related issues.
• Solid understanding of practical agricultural technology and equipment as applied to small-scale and diversified agricultural systems. 
• Deep understanding of key concepts and challenges related to small farm businesses. 

• The ability to analyze data and information and develop systems as needed 
• Strong relationship builder, outgoing and eager to collaborate, make connections and grow the program

• Strong written and oral communication skills in English 
• Flexibility to work independently, with minimal supervision, as well as collaborate with others in a remote team setting 

• Ability to work on a variety of projects simultaneously with occasional weekend and evening commitments
• Ability to speak publicly and teach to various audiences. Demonstrated excellence in written, oral, and interpersonal, and information technology communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel 
• Proficiency with collaborative working platforms such as Salesforce, Action Network, Wordpress, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Project Management Software

Physical Abilities

• Ability to sit for long periods of time working at a computer. 
• Ability to drive long distances 4+ hours to visit farmers and conduct trainings. 
• Requires a full range of physical mobility, such as bending, stooping, lifting, turning, carrying objects, and grasping.

 
This role is non-exempt.