Company description

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is a nonprofit environmental science education organization. Since 1968, ACES has inspired a life-long commitment to the earth by providing innovative and immersive programming for all ages. We have three locations: Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch, and Catto Center at Toklat. Our programs focus on ecological literacy, regenerative agriculture, forest and ecosystem health, land restoration, and environmental leadership.

ACES works to contribute to a national agenda for increased environmental awareness. Our programs reach over 140,000 individuals every year. We teach daily in schools from Aspen to Rifle, provide kids camps, adult classes, guided hikes and field programs for all ages, with 70 partner organizations. We also engage our community by hosting public lectures and events. ACES collaborates with land trusts, public agencies, and other nonprofits to achieve our mission.

In the next 50 years, ACES seeks to cultivate a community of environmental stewards so that children, parents, consumers, decision-makers, and leaders can make informed decisions in an increasingly complex world.

Internship description

ACES Agriculture Apprenticeship is a hands-on learning and training program that is geared towards those with an interest in pursuing agriculture as a career. This production focused program exposes you to every aspect of the season from planning to production to sales, with the intent of making you a competitive candidate for future agriculture operations. Upon completion of this program, apprentices will feel confident and knowledgeable in a diversity of regenerative agriculture systems.

Educational Opportunities and Professional Development:

• During the season, production responsibilities are complemented by additional learning opportunities via tours, presentations, workshops, and training. Some of this additional programming require limited evening obligations.
• Programming primarily takes place in the spring and fall and may include:
  • Presentations on various agricultural topics, practices, and methods including agriculture policy, production planning, and carbon sequestration;
  • Hands-on workshops offering exposure to subjects that could include floral arrangement, welding, butchery, and many others;
  • In-depth training on skills including tractor operation, trailer driving, manual transmission driving, small power tools, and others;
  • Tours of local farm and food operations;
  • Public speaking;
  • Events set up and execution.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

1) Low-till Vegetable Production:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assist with vegetable production including: soil preparation, seed propagation, irrigating, transplanting, and cultivation.
• Assist with harvesting, washing, packaging, and sales of final vegetable products.

• Assist with sales of produce and meat at farmers’ markets and at the ranch through farmstand and CSA pick up.
• Assist with maintenance of the vegetable production area by mowing and weed whacking.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

1) Livestock production:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assist with the daily care of cattle, sheep, goats, laying hens, meat chickens, turkeys, rabbits, ducks, and bees. Daily care may include: providing feed and fresh water, moving animals, mucking out stalls and houses, collecting and washing eggs.
• Participate in humane, on-property animal harvesting of chickens and turkeys.

• Participate in evening chicken cratings through the summer.

2) Customer Service, Events, and Other Duties:

• Provide a welcoming and educational environment to all guests.
• Lead public farm tours.
• Assist with leading and mentoring summer stewards.
• Assist with sales of produce and meat at local farmers’ markets and at the ranch. Farmers markets require longer work hours. CSA pick-up requires working in the evening.
• Participation in on-farm events, including, but not limited to, dining events, educational programs, and farm tours.
• Select evening events are either compensated with comp time or an hourly pay.
• During the work day, event preparation and site maintenance duties required.
• After-hours, on-call responsibilities which will include chicken crating, animal emergencies, animal birthing, or site maintenance issues.
• Other duties as assigned to further the mission of ACES

3) Site Maintenance

• Assist with lawn care including mowing and weed whacking
• Assist with on-site trail maintenance
• Assist with maintenance of ACES Habitat Garden including weeding, planting and trail maintenance
• Assist with varying site tasks as needed

Qualifications:

Candidates must have the following:

• Exposure to agriculture production (season of production, summer internship, regular volunteering, or equivalent experience).
• An interest in pursuing farming as a career.
• Strong work ethic and understanding that farm work is rewarding, yet physically demanding.
• Enjoy working outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Able to lift heavy items.
• Friendly, inviting personality and positive attitude.
• Community mindset
• Respect for farm products, fellow crew members, and all ACES staff.
• Strong willingness and desire to learn.
  

Preferred but not required, candidates will have the following:

• Bilingual, particularly conversational Spanish.

Reporting Relationship: This position reports to the Agriculture Manager. The Agriculture Crew Leads also provide management and support.

Location: This position is located at ACES’ Rock Bottom Ranch site in Basalt, Colorado.

Work schedule: 5 days per week, Tuesday through Saturday. Up to 50 hours a week in peak season. Additional rotating weekend chores responsibilities are required and are additionally compensated. We value a work/life balance; however, farming has peak demands and occasional times of unpredictability where we will be challenged to work through our physical and mental limitations.

Housing: Housing provided. On average, one hour per week of general maintenance duties are expected to be fulfilled as part of the in-kind housing compensation.

Position Dates: April 16, 2024 – October 26, 2024. The start date is non-negotiable

.ACES employees work with school children, therefore, ACES conducts background checks for criminal history and motor vehicle records.

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

Compensation

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

Application instructions

Deadline

January 07, 2024