Temporary Farm Assistant

GrowNYC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 29,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

GrowNYC seeks a Temporary Farm Assistant to support the Governors Island Teaching Garden, lead volunteers, and assist with educational programming within the Green Space Program. This full-time, temporary role is funded through November 24.

Primary duties include planting, weeding, harvesting, site prep, volunteer coordination, and weekly produce donations, with additional teaching opportunities for K-12 students and community groups.

Qualifications

• Small farm production experience, preferably organic or chemical-free.
• Experience teaching youth and/or adults in farm or garden settings.
• Interest in sustainable agriculture, local food, and environmental education.
• Willingness to work outdoors in varying conditions and to supervise volunteers.
• Strong organizational and verbal/written communication skills.
• Experience supervising staff or volunteers and working with diverse communities.

Responsibilities

• Perform daily farm tasks: planting, pruning, weeding, mulching, trellising, harvesting, irrigating, and maintenance.
• Construct raised beds and assist with teaching garden setup.
• Track farming data: planting schedule, germination, growth, harvest logs, compost, soil nutrients.
• Coordinate daily site prep and cleanup; manage volunteers and weekly corporate volunteer events.
• Coordinate weekly produce donations with partners and assist with winter shutdown.
• Lead weekend public hours, garden tours, and hands-on lessons for students and seniors.

Skills

Small farm production

Teaching youth/adults

Sustainable agriculture

Outdoor work endurance

Team player

Written/verbal communication

Volunteer supervision

Job description

Description

Temporary Farm Assistant

Organization Information

GrowNYC is a 56-year-old environmental nonprofit organization helping more than 3 million New Yorkers by providing essential services and taking action to make NYC a livable city, one where every person can enjoy a healthier, more sustainable life. GrowNYC Programs include:

• Our network of Greenmarkets,and the work of GrowNYC Wholesale ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, healthiest local food.
• We build and support community and school gardens through volunteer days, technical assistance, training, grants and more.
• We provide 70,000 children each year with programs that provide meaningful interactions with the natural environment.

Temporary Farm Assistant (Full-time)

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Program Manager within GrowNYC’s Green Space Program, the Temporary Farm Assistant is responsible for supporting maintenance of the Governors Island Teaching Garden, leading volunteers, and supporting educational programming. This position is temporary and is funded until November 24th.

Requirements

Temporary Farm Assistant Responsibilities (Include but are not limited to):

Primary Duties

• Perform all daily farm-related tasks including planting, pruning, weeding, mulching, trellising, harvesting, irrigating, and general maintenance.
• Assist with construction of the teaching garden, build raised beds.
• Track farm operations and data, including planting schedule, germination rate, plant growth, harvest log, compost production, and soil nutrient management.
• Coordinate daily site prep each morning and site clean-up/breakdown each afternoon.
• Assist with scheduling, management, and training of individual garden volunteers, and co-lead weekly corporate volunteer events in the Teaching Garden, (activities include bed building, watering, weeding, garden maintenance, and painting)
• Coordinate weekly produce donations (seasonally) with our donation partner.
• Assist with shutting down the farm for winter.

Secondary Duties

• Manage public weekend hours on Sunday (set up, clean up, engage the public, garden maintenance, manage the farmstand, support in hosting activities and workshops).
• Lead regular hands-on garden-based lessons for visiting K-12 NYC public school students, campers, and senior citizens.
• Lead garden tours for visiting groups
• Partner with other GrowNYC educational initiatives on programming and outreach.

Required Qualifications:

• Small farm production experience, preferably at an organic or chemical free vegetable farm.
• Experience teaching youth and/or adults in a farm, garden, or other non-formal education setting.
• Interest and familiarity with issues relating to sustainable agriculture, local food, and environmental education.
• Team player who can also self-motivate and work independently.
• Strong organizational and written/verbal communication skills.
• Experience supervising staff and/or volunteers.
• Experience working with diverse communities.
• Willingness to work outdoors in extreme conditions (heat, cold, rain).

Ideal Qualifications

• Ability to work weekends on an occasional basis.
• Passionate about farming and local agriculture.
• Passionate about environmental and/or garden education.
• Fluency in a language other than English.
• Experience with hydroponics or aquaponics (preferred).

Physical Requirements

This position requires the ability to stand and walk for up to 8 hours in all types of weather conditions (sometimes extreme) and lift heavy/bulky equipment and supplies, up to 50 lbs.

Schedule

This position is full-time (35-40 hours), 9am-4pm Tuesday through Thursday, and 10am-5pm on Sundays through the end of October. The schedule shifts to 9am-4pm Monday through Friday in November. The position begins as soon as possible and ends November 24th.

Compensation

The position is non-exempt full-time and hourly. It pays $25 per hour and includes only statutory benefits.

Location

Primarily on site at GrowNYC’s Teaching Garden on Governors Island. Some work may be completed in our Office (100 Gold Street) or remotely from home.

Application deadline is September 4th, 2026

Contact

GrowNYC

P.O. Box 2327

New York, NY 10272

212-788-7900

For additional information, please see our website: grownyc.org

**Upon tender of offer, GrowNYC expects that the candidate will be available to start the role within a maximum of 21 days.**

GrowNYC is an Affimative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and hires without regard to race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or physical disability.