Salary: $24.00/hr 

Start Date: April 16, 2024 

End Date: November 16, 2024 

Schedule: Tues-Sat, 9am-5pm (some evenings and additional weekend work required) 

Location: Northern Manhattan Sherman Creek Center Field Office (3725 10th Ave., New York, NY 10034) 

Classification: Seasonal, Full Time, Non-Exempt 

NYRP’s Urban Agriculture Program supports a range of urban growers—including community gardeners, teachers, and urban farmers—in its broad network. Most come to the program via the Gardens For The City (GFTC) grant, where NYRP helps community-based organizations (schools, non-profits, urban farms) build and/or renovate garden spaces that are tailored to their unique needs. In 2024, NYRP is seeking two Seasonal Urban Agriculture Coordinators (Coordinator), reporting to the Director of Urban Agriculture, to operate as boots on the ground for the program. The Coordinator will serve as an educator, a builder and garden maintainer, and as a researcher and problem solver. They will support a range of program activities, including training sessions large and small, materials distribution campaigns (i.e., a city-wide Plant Giveaway), and a public workshop series. They will also help to maintain NYRP’s Demonstration Garden in Upper Manhattan. The position offers a unique chance to get to know NYC’s urban agriculture and food justice movements, while empowering communities across the five boroughs.   

To be successful in this role, a candidate must have strong communication skills, some background in education or public speaking, and familiarity with gardening / farming. The work is relationship-centered and hands-on, so the Coordinator should be eager to get their hands dirty and to build meaningful connections with NYRP’s urban ag constituents. The dispersed nature of the program means that the Coordinator may be called on to work independently, and will need to balance multiple projects at once. Candidates should be skilled time managers and excited about the chance to spread themselves across growing spaces and throughout the five boroughs. The Coordinator will often be called on to deliver materials and supplies to various garden sites using NYRP vehicles (including larger commercial vehicles), so a valid and clean driver’s license is an absolute must.
 
Principal Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provide guidance and hands-on support for a range of urban agriculture topics, including planting, basic garden maintenance (weeding, watering), irrigation systems, trellising, pest/disease management, season extension, soil health, mushrooms, and more. 

• Assist with the delivery of gardening materials and supplies to GFTC partners and NYRP gardeners across the city 
• Lead and support on the development and implementation of trainings and workshops for audiences large and small 
• Maintain excellent communication with the Director of Urban Agriculture, the Urban Agriculture Manager, and program constituents. 
• Document the work by taking photos, entering info into internal databases, and contributing to other record-keeping systems 
• Help keep program equipment and supplies organized and well-maintained 
• Pitch in with maintenance and stewardship of NYRP’s Demonstration Garden in Upper Manhattan 

 
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Prior experience working in food justice, community gardening, agriculture, and/or horticulture  
• Background in education, especially environmental or experiential education, and/or group facilitation and public speaking  
• Direct experience with underrepresented black, indigenous, and people of color communities (personal, lived experience or professional, work experience) 
• A valid and clean NY state driver’s license (mandatory) 
• Able to lift 40 lbs; embraces the physical nature of this work 
• Willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions 
• Excellent communication skills (bilingual English/Spanish preferred) 
• Flexible team player, capable of both working independently and collaborating with colleagues 
• Organized, enthusiastic, and a resourceful problem-solver who is eager to learn