Urban Farmer

Monday; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 44,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Mileage reimbursement

Tools provided

Job summary

OurFarm DC in Washington, DC is seeking a Technical Urban Farmer to keep our growing infrastructure running across partner sites. This hands-on, mobile role includes installing hydroponic systems and raised beds, performing routine maintenance, and supporting our Covenant House container farm.

The position is part-time with potential to move to full-time as we scale. You will travel between DC and Prince George’s County, operate independently, and contribute to our food justice mission.

Qualifications

• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to travel between sites in DC and Prince George’s County (personal vehicle preferred; mileage reimbursed)
• Hands-on experience in hydroponic systems, commercial or community gardening, irrigation installation, greenhouse operations, or comparable technical trades
• Comfort with basic plumbing, low-voltage electrical, and common hand and power tools
• Able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs, work on ladders, and perform outdoor work in varying weather
• Strong self-management: reliably executing a route of site visits without daily supervision
• Clear written communication for site reports and partner interactions

Responsibilities

• Install OurFarm’s hydroponic Grow Wall system at new partner sites, including assembly, plumbing, electrical hookup, lighting, and initial system commissioning
• Build and install outdoor raised bed gardens at partner sites, including site prep, bed construction, soil filling, and planting
• Design and install drip irrigation systems for outdoor beds, including timer setup, line routing, emitter placement, and pressure testing
• Orient partner site staff on basic system operation following installation
• Perform scheduled maintenance visits to indoor hydroponic and outdoor raised bed installations across the partner network
• Monitor and adjust water quality, nutrient levels, pH, and EC for hydroponic systems; flush and refill reservoirs as needed
• Inspect and service pumps, timers, lights, sensors, and plumbing; replace worn components and troubleshoot system issues
• Maintain outdoor beds through the growing season: irrigation checks, weeding, pest and disease scouting, pruning, and season transitions
• Document each site visit (work performed, system readings, issues flagged, parts used) in OurFarm’s maintenance tracking system
• Provide technical maintenance for the hydroponic container farm at Covenant House Greater Washington, including HVAC, lighting, fertigation, and control systems
• Diagnose and repair system faults; coordinate with vendors or specialized contractors when issues exceed scope
• Track consumables and supplies, and flag reorders to the Executive Director in advance of stockouts

Skills

Driver's license

Hydroponics experience

Irrigation installation

Greenhouse operations

Self-management

Site reporting

Job description

OurFarm DC is a Washington, DC-based 501c3 nonprofit organization that is nurturing a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient local food system. We partner with communities, especially those in food-insecure areas, to bring productive gardens to their spaces and provide engaging and educational programming for their people. We also produce healthy food products and distribute them through our local nonprofit partners.

Position Overview

We’re hiring a Technical Urban Farmer to keep our growing infrastructure running smoothly across our partner network. This is a hands-on, mobile role: you’ll install our proprietary hydroponic systems and outdoor raised beds at new sites, perform routine maintenance on existing installations, and provide technical care for our Covenant House container farm. You’ll spend most of your time on-site at partner locations rather than at a single home base, so reliable transportation and comfort working independently are essential.

This role is ideal for someone with practical experience in hydroponics, gardening, irrigation, or light construction who is excited about food justice and wants meaningful part-time work with a mission-driven team. This is a part-time position, with the possibility of transitioning to full-time as we scale.

Key Responsibilities

1. Installations

• Install OurFarm’s hydroponic Grow Wall system at new partner sites, including assembly, plumbing, electrical hookup, lighting, and initial system commissioning
• Build and install outdoor raised bed gardens at partner sites, including site prep, bed construction, soil filling, and planting
• Design and install drip irrigation systems for outdoor beds, including timer setup, line routing, emitter placement, and pressure testing
• Orient partner site staff on basic system operation following installation

2. Routine Maintenance

• Perform scheduled maintenance visits to indoor hydroponic and outdoor raised bed installations across the partner network
• Monitor and adjust water quality, nutrient levels, pH, and EC for hydroponic systems; flush and refill reservoirs as needed
• Inspect and service pumps, timers, lights, sensors, and plumbing; replace worn components and troubleshoot system issues
• Maintain outdoor beds through the growing season: irrigation checks, weeding, pest and disease scouting, pruning, and season transitions
• Document each site visit (work performed, system readings, issues flagged, parts used) in OurFarm’s maintenance tracking system

3. Container Farm Support

• Provide technical maintenance for the hydroponic container farm at Covenant House Greater Washington, including HVAC, lighting, fertigation, and control systems
• Diagnose and repair system faults; coordinate with vendors or specialized contractors when issues exceed scope
• Track consumables and supplies, and flag reorders to the Executive Director in advance of stockouts

Qualifications

• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to travel between sites in DC and Prince George’s County (personal vehicle preferred; mileage reimbursed)
• Hands-on experience in at least one of: hydroponic systems, commercial or community gardening, irrigation installation, greenhouse operations, or comparable technical trades
• Comfort with basic plumbing, low-voltage electrical, and common hand and power tools
• Able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs, work on ladders, and perform physical work outdoors in varying weather
• Strong self-management: reliably executing a route of site visits without daily supervision
• Clear written communication for site reports and partner interactions

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with vertical hydroponic systems, NFT, DWC, or container farm operations
• Familiarity with smart controllers (e.g., AC Infinity, ESP32-based systems) and basic troubleshooting of sensors and automation
• Knowledge of integrated pest management and Zone 7 seasonal growing
• Experience working in schools, shelters, or other community-serving environments
• Familiarity with food justice, urban agriculture, or workforce development work in the DMV

Schedule & Logistics

• 10–15 hours per week, with flexible scheduling within partner-site operating hours
• Sites span DC and Prince George’s County; expect 2–3 site visits per workday
• Mileage reimbursed at the federal standard rate; tools and consumables provided by OurFarm
• Background check required given work in schools and shelters serving youth

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OurFarm is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is clear: there shall be no discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, or sexual orientation.

We are an inclusive organization and actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential. We welcome all applications from a wide range of candidates. Selection for roles will be based on individual merit alone.