Assistant Gardener

Brays Island Plantation; Sheldon (SC); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Brays Island Plantation seeks a Garden Assistant to support the Farm Manager in producing and selling fresh produce from Brays Island Garden. You will harvest, package, seed, transplant, and help manage inventory while assisting with tours and volunteer activities.

The role requires physical stamina, a valid driver's license, and the ability to work outdoors in varied weather. Safety and teamwork are emphasized in this environmental setting.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• 1–3 years experience in diversified organic farming or outdoor work preferred.
• Ability to identify various plants and insects.
• Must have a valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Harvest, clean, sort, and package crops for sale while maintaining high quality standards.
• Rotate stock and manage produce inventory for a steady supply of fresh produce.
• Seed soil blocks, transplant seedlings, and care for crops.
• Monitor supplies and report levels to the farm manager.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and well-organized workspace and tools.
• Operate tractor with attachments and manage irrigation systems as needed.
• Assist with garden activities including tours and volunteer management.
• Provide exceptional customer service to Owners, Guests, and partners.

Skills

Physical stamina

Detail oriented

Driver's license

Education

High school graduate

Job description

FUNCTION: To assist the Farm Manager in the production and sale of fresh produce from and maintenance of the Brays Island Garden. Ensures that all support and service is conducted and fulfilled in a manner consistent with the ONE BRAYS Leadership Credo.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Harvesting, cleaning, sorting, and packaging crops for sale including closely monitoring crops to maintain high quality standards.
• Rotating stock and managing produce inventory to ensure a quality supply of fresh produce.
• Making and seeding soil blocks for transplants and transplanting seedlings
• Monitoring supplies and reporting levels to farm manager
• Maintaining a clean and orderly workplace and maintaining garden tools and equipment.
• Managing weeds using various hand tools and walk-behind rototiller.
• Repairing and maintaining drip and sprinkler irrigation systems; programming irrigation timers
• Assisting with bed turnover including mowing crop debris with walk-behind flail mower, removing debris with hand tools, and spreading fertilizer.
• Operating tractor with front end loader and various attachments
• Assist with garden activities including tours, workshops, and managing volunteers.
• Maintaining a work pace demonstrating efficiency and high productivity as demonstrated by farm manager.
• Foster a “One Brays” culture that ensures alignment to values, employee engagement, owner-centricity, and resource sharing.
• Provides exceptional customer service to Owners, Guests and internal and external partners.
• Other duties as required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Position involves climbing, sitting, standing, stooping, kneeling, pushing, shoving, lifting, carrying and moving objects that can weigh up to 60 lbs. This movement can occur throughout the day. Must be able to transport oneself around the plantation. Must be able to drive a car, and possess a valid driver's license.
• Must be able to see well enough to read faint or partially obscured writing or printing, with corrective lenses if needed.
• Must be able to speak English in a clear and understandable voice so that various types of communications may be conducted with people of various levels of education and capabilities.
• Must be mentally alert and detail oriented with good reasoning skills.

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Working environment is both indoors and outdoors. Required to perform job in all types of weather conditions. Work day will be divided in varying percentages from well-lighted, temperature-controlled work area to exposure of all types of weather elements.
• The employee will be in the vicinity of site-specific vegetation and native species of reptiles and mammals, subjecting the employee to possible injury from contact or bites. Proper footwear, headgear, and maintenance attire should be worn for protection.
• Must be able to work on more than one assignment at a time with frequent interruptions, changes and delays. Must be able to remain focused and work effectively, efficiently, and cheerfully under such circumstances. For safety reasons, employee must remain alert to working conditions and aware of safety, health, and environmental concerns.
• Must be able to work effectively and cheerfully in an environment, which may be stressful due to adversarial situations resulting from the proper performance of duties.

Education and Experience:

• High school graduate or equivalent
• 1–3-year experience in diversified organic produce farming or other physically demanding outdoor work preferred. An interest in farming/gardening is a must as demonstrated through home gardening experience or gardening-specific education.
• Ability to identify various plants and insects.

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job when circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, rush jobs, changes in personnel, workload, technological developments, etc.).