Senior Hydroponic Farmer-Educator: Martin Luther King, Jr. Educational Campus

Senior Hydroponic Farmer-Educator

Position Type: Full-Time, Salaried

Salary Range: $66,500 - $70,000.

• 18 PTO days
• medical, dental, and vision coverage
• a professional development stipend
• a 403(b) retirement plan with a match

Schedule: This is a school-based role, and the schedule may depend on the school's schedule. Typical hours are 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

Location: Martin Luther King, Jr. Educational Campus (Manhattan). Periodic travel may be required for meetings and events.

Reports To: Senior Farm Operations Manager

Teens for Food Justice (TFFJ) is building a food-secure future through school-based hydroponic farming, training students to grow produce for their food-insecure communities while equipping them with tools to advocate for food systems change.

Work with us to build an equitable, sustainable, healthy food system throughout New York City through school-based, youth-led hydroponic farming. As TFFJ's Senior Farmer-Educator, you play a critical role in empowering and educating the next generation to work and advocate for major systems change in bringing healthy, affordable food to their communities. Farmer-Educators trained by TFFJ master the newest hydroponic technologies for growing food sustainably, as they in turn train students in these skills.

This role maintains TFFJ's showcase farm in Manhattan, near our central offices, on a campus that engages five co-located high schools. We’re looking for a dynamic multitasker who can run farm and class operations while also bridging communications between campus administrators and our team. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, proactive, and possess strong organizational and communication skills.

• Tending to hydroponic crops by seeding, transplanting, harvesting, and cleaning hydroponic systems (post-harvest), including pruning and trellising vine crops.
• Deploying various Integrated Pest Management (IPM) treatments and Plant Protection Products (PPP) as needed.
• Using the Farm Management Dashboard to submit accurate records, report issues, request supplies, and follow task-specific instructions while supporting on-site farm and classroom activities.
• Supporting core food distribution tasks, including harvesting, weighing, labeling, packing, and coordinating handoff of produce to ensure accurate orders, food safety compliance, and successful receipt by customers.
• Managing inventory of farm supplies by regularly assessing stock, requesting supplies as needed, receiving supplies from designated areas, and providing proof of receipt on the Farm Management Dashboard.
• Observing and enforcing food and farm safety protocols for all students, staff, and visitors.
• Maintaining high standards of cleanliness on the farm and ensuring that the farm is safe, clean, and presentable at all times.
• Periodically leading farm tours and chaperoning trips related to the farm and its after school program.
• Support the growth/success of other Farmer-Educators by strengthening training resources, contributing to PDs, sharing best practices, and serving as a peer mentor.

• Leading and working with students daily to operate a production-scale hydroponic farm in a public school.
• Co-teaching daily school day classes and weekly after school program sessions that utilize the farm and engage students in lessons and activities including (but not limited to) hands-on farm tasks, experiments and research, group discussions, cooking demonstrations, and gallery walks.
• Regularly collaborating with partner teachers to review and prepare lesson materials prior to our school-day and after school programming. This includes printing out materials and setting up activities in advance of class meeting times.
• Managing student farm assistant interns in helping with farm operations tasks (e.g., tracking attendance, providing them with farm tasks, tracking hours, and communicating with partner staff).
• Brainstorming ways for students to take ownership of, and connect with, the school day and after school content presented.
• Distributing and collecting class rosters, media consent, and other TFFJ-related permission forms from all…