Farm Research Data Intern

Pasa Sustainable Agriculture; Harrisburg (Dauphin County); Remote; USD 28,000 - 40,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid job training

Travel time paid

Mileage reimbursement

Job summary

Pasa Sustainable Agriculture seeks a Farm Data and Coordination Intern to support the Soil Health Benchmark Study. Responsibilities include organizing field data, communicating with farmers and partners, and possibly seasonal fieldwork.

The internship runs from December 16, 2026 to June 30, 2027, at 25 hours per week, primarily remote with occasional travel within Pennsylvania; Harrisburg-area residency is preferred.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of farm production experience in annual cropping systems.
• Familiar with using spreadsheets to review large data sets.
• Able to communicate and work effectively in a remote environment.
• Able to communicate and collaborate with a diverse group of farmers and people.
• Detail oriented and able to carry out tasks precisely.
• Willingness to learn new systems and technology.
• Passion for Pasa's mission.
• Commitment to advancing anti-oppression principles.

Responsibilities

• Collect, organize, and review field management data from multiple farms.
• Identify missing data and follow up with farmers as needed.
• Follow research protocols established by the team.
• Communicate timely with research team, farmers, and partners.
• Review other research survey data as needed.
• Support other coordination tasks or seasonal fieldwork, as needed.

Skills

Farm production experience

Spreadsheet skills

Remote communication

Diversity & collaboration

Detail oriented

Learning agility

Mission passion

Anti-oppression

Tools

Salesforce

Google Workspace

Job description

Mission:

Cultivating environmentally sound, economically viable, community-focused farms and food systems

Program overview:

Through our Farm-Based Research, Pasa is advancing an inclusive definition of sustainable agriculture that focuses on measurable outcomes, rather than a prescriptive set of practices. We facilitate research projects among our community—who farm at diverse scales and employ a vast array of strategies—that measure the dimensions of sustainability they care about: the health of their soils, the nutrient-density of their products, and the financial viability of their farm businesses. Measuring these sustainability indicators allows for the establishment of benchmarks for what's typical—and what’s possible

Position overview:

Do you have a background in farm production experience and also love data and spreadsheets? We are seeking a Farm Data and Coordination Intern to support key areas within our Soil Health Benchmark Study. Key tasks for this position include receiving, organizing, and reviewing farmer field management data; timely communication with farmers and partner organizations related to data and study participation; and potentially seasonal field work. Other research survey data review, communication, and tracking tasks may be assigned as needed. This is an exciting opportunity to work within Pasa's unique and innovative research program and contribute to a change-making model for agricultural research and education.

This internship opportunity begins December 16, 2026 and ends June 30, 2027. This position is 25 hrs/week. This is a primarily remote position with occasional travel to farm sites throughout Pennsylvania and for in-office workdays. Residence within a 150-mile driving distance of Harrisburg is required unless special permission is granted to reside closer to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, in which case employees must reside within a one-hour drive from either city. Opportunities are available to attend our annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference, which takes place each February in Lancaster, PA. This position will work collaboratively with various research team members. It will be supervised by Pasa's Research Technology Coordinator.

Responsibilities

• Collecting, organizing, and reviewing field management data (planting and termination dates, equipment activity, amendments, grazing activity) from a variety of farms
• Identifying missing data and inconsistencies, following up with farmers when needed
• Carefully following protocols developed by research team
• Timely communication with research team members, farmers, and partners
• Receiving, organizing, and reviewing other research survey data, as needed
• Supporting other coordination tasks or potential seasonal fieldwork, as needed

Qualifications

• 2 or more years of farm production experience in annual cropping systems
• Familiarity and comfort using spreadsheets to review large groupings of data
• Ability to communicate and work effectively and collaboratively in a remote environment
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with a diversity of farmers and people
• Ability to carry out detail oriented tasks and procedures successfully
• Ability to learn new systems and technology
• Passion for Pasa's mission
• Commitment to advancing the principles of anti-oppression

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience in statistics, data analysis, experimental design, and/or survey design.
• Experience with a variety of data management, analysis and relevant technology platforms (i.e., Salesforce, Google Workspace)
• Coursework or experience related to accounting or finance
• Academic fieldwork or research experience

Compensation:

$25/hour Includes paid job training, paid travel time, and mileage reimbursement. Interns must provide their own laptop/computer. Additional technology needs can be considered with supervisor's approval.

Initial interviews will be conducted remotely via Zoom beginning November 16th 2026. The anticipated start date for this position is December 16th 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact jobs @pasafarming.org.