Passionate about small-scale, sustainable vegetable farming? Want to make a difference? Join the OCS team as Lead Gardener. This is a 10-month flexible position with a generous benefits package including health insurance. Salary range: $45,000-$48,000
This position is responsible for all aspects of the OCS gardens:
• Maximizing fruit and vegetable production for the OCS pantry using best practices
• Extending and tending native landscaping
• Promote organic gardening and nutrition, especially among low- and no-income populations
• Supervise hands-on community engagement and experience with residents, including students
• Conducting workshops that encourage home gardeners
• Furthering Oberlin Community Services' mission
• Other tasks and responsibilities as directed
If you love working outdoors, this is the perfect job! The Lead Gardener is a crucial member of our team, working to help Lorain County residents meet their basic needs. By maximizing the output of the garden, we can provide lots of fresh, nutritious food as well as educational opportunities!
The lead gardener reports to the OCS executive director and works closely with the food programs coordinator. The role is both hands-on and supervisory. You will recruit and manage garden interns and volunteers, meet regularly with other community gardeners to share knowledge and resources, serve as OCS’ liaison with the city of Oberlin’s sustainability coordinator, and forge other valuable relationships to increase the use of gardening, especially in southern Lorain County.
OCS has active, positive working relationships with Oberlin College and Lorain County Community College. This allows us to partner in innovative ways — garden outreach is a perfect medium for local college students, particularly in the sustainable agriculture, environmental studies, and new “food studies” programs.
Required Skills:
• Dedication to OCS mission and vision
• Love and knowledge of gardening
• Love and knowledge of plants and their life cycles
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Ability to complete physically demanding tasks
• Must be reliable, on time, and able to work unsupervised
• Ability to work with, engage and manage diverse populations and people of all ages
To Apply:
Email resume and cover letter to Executive Director Margie Flood: margie@oberlincommunityservices.org
Statement of Inclusion and Accessibility
Oberlin Community Services firmly commits to a policy of equal opportunity and inclusion in all of its activities and operations. Oberlin Community Services does not discriminate on any basis including, but not limited to, race, sex, gender identity or expression, color, class, national origin, dis/ability, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sexual orientation, marital status, health status, age, military status, religion, or belief.
Oberlin Community Services welcomes a broad spectrum of employees, volunteers, and constituents and is committed to cultivating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment. Everyone is invited to use Oberlin Community Services as a resource—including people who are LGBTQ, immigrants, youth, homeless, and/or formerly incarcerated.
Oberlin Community Services is committed to working in collaboration with people, agencies, and organizations in Oberlin and southern Lorain County to build a socially just society free from all forms of oppression.