Urban Farm Support

About Durham College :

Durham College (DC) is leading the way as a post-secondary institution, offering an innovative and transformative student experience and hands-on learning opportunities.

With this focus top of mind for our students and our employees, DC is proud to be one of the fastest-growing colleges in the province and annually ranked as one of the GTA’s Top 100 employers.

The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs across multiple disciplines, including culinary management, farming and horticulture, business, IT, construction and trades, science and technology, health care, engineering, social and community services, justice, media, art and design.

With a focus on experiential learning, DC graduates are known for having the skills and knowledge employers need. More than 104,000 alumni represent the college, both locally and around the world.

Serving the Durham Region community for over 50 years, with campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, the college offers over 12,500 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 145 full-time post-secondary programs including four honours bachelor degrees and nine apprenticeship programs.

Led by over 1,860 full- and part-time staff, DC has an estimated annual economic impact of more than $913 million on Durham Region.

This position will work with the Barrett Centre Farm Manager and be part of a dynamic team that maintains the market gardens, grounds and horticulture production systems at the Barrett Centre Ajax Urban Farm.

These positions play an integral role in our farm maintenance, new garden and project development, food production, processing and distribution, value add, marketing, and sales for the Urban Farm.

As part of this team each successful candidate could find themselves in anyone of the following roles.

DUTIES :

Work with the Farm Manager maintaining operating procedures and processes for farm.

Assist with the any new farm construction involving ancillary structure construction, production space, logistical space and more.

Maintain the farm and property with regards to weeds, aesthetic property maintenance, preparation and planting of crops, harvesting of crops and post-harvest requirements.

Give feedback with relation to farm operations to further refine urban farming operations and provide relevant resources to successive farm operations.

Interact with community professionally creating positive relationships.

Act as farmers market support both onsite with farmgate sales as well as offsite at external markets.

QUALIFICATIONS :

• A minimum of a two-year diploma / degree in a horticulture or agriculture specific discipline.
• A minimum of two years of horticulture experience, specifically with tree management, annual and perennial gardens and field crop production, and agriculture experience with multiple production systems (such as hydroponics, field production, controlled environment, greenhouse production).
• Experience working effectively in all types of weather is required, as is training and a demonstrated ability to work with heavy machinery and power tools (skid steers, tractors, line trimmers, saws, drills, etc.).

Working at Heights certification is an asset.

Must possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be adaptable and flexible with demonstrated innovative problem-solving skills.

The ability to work professionally and effectively with people at all levels in and outside of the college, consistently acting with tact, integrity, diplomacy and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

Strong organizational and time-management skills in planning, executing and completing tasks, and be competent in the use of spreadsheets for planning and data collection.

Must be self-directed and motivated, yet able to work well as part of a bigger team and support student workers.

Flexible work hours to include evenings and weekends.

Required Skills

Payband : E; Starting Rate : $ 27.81; Four Year Rate : $32.24

Full-time Support Staff Position Opportunity : Initiatives & Opportunities Position (Appendix K, see collective agreement), May 2024 to October 2024

Required Experience

Please apply below by submitting your cover letter and resume to the online portal. Job Competition closes on April 24, 2024.

Competition number SS24-38.

Payband : E; Starting Rate : $ 27.81; Four Year Rate : $32.24

Full-time Support Staff Position Opportunity : Initiatives & Opportunities Position (Appendix K, see collective agreement), May 2024 to October 2024