Urban Farmer

Our Farm 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.

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.

• Install Our Farm’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 Our Farm’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

• 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

• Direct experience with vertical hydroponic systems, NFT, DWC, or container farm operations
• Familiarity with smart controllers (e.g., AC Infinity, ESP
  32-based systems)…