POSITION SUMMARY

Learning Gardens brings year-round, field and school-based garden science learning to NYC school children and community members. Our gardens are outdoor classrooms that provide vibrant green space in some of New York City’s most densely populated neighborhoods. We operate four gardens in three boroughs. Using our four community gardens, CPF presents engaging interdisciplinary lessons to expand student learning around urban ecology, horticulture, soil science, and sustainable urban food systems. Students in 2nd – 8th grade and their teachers receive resource materials, curricula, and tools to enhance their understanding of ecosystem services and address the unique challenges of growing food in an urban environment. High School interns are trained in garden instruction and horticultural techniques throughout the spring and then work alongside Learning Gardens staff throughout the summer.

The Seasonal Garden Coordinator and Instructor will be responsible for the day-to-day field operations in our main Learning Gardens located in Brownsville, South Jamaica, and the South Bronx. This includes garden maintenance, repairs, coordinating volunteer events, and overseeing the community gardener program. He/she will also implement instruction in the gardens at one site. The ideal candidate will be an excellent time manager, able to multitask, very well-organized, and an effective communicator.

This is a seasonal, nearly 9-month position reporting to the Associate Director of Environmental Education/Learning Gardens. The coordinator will supervise up to 2 college employees and up to 15 high school interns during the summertime.

Compensation: $25.00 per hour

Urban Gardening

• Oversee maintenance and operations of three Learning Gardens under the supervision of CPF’s Associate Director of Environmental Education with regular visits to ensure proper care of gardens and plants.
• Work with the Learning Gardens team to implement seasonal horticultural and maintenance plans for the gardens, including volunteer group projects
• Collaborate with the Learning Gardens team to perform garden maintenance tasks such as equipment inventory, site security, composting, seed starting, and greenhouse operations as it relates to the appropriate garden site.
• Collaborate with front-line educators that use the garden for programming during the school day and after-school hours in garden programmatic and safety needs.

Lead Educator/Facilitation

• Facilitate lessons using garden science and food justice centered curriculum for our High School Spring Apprenticeship for our Bronx Learning Gardens sites (March - June)
• Implement summer program curriculum including direct instruction of basic horticulture and garden ecology lessons to groups of elementary and middle school youth (July - August)
• Oversee summer programming and garden maintenance at the designated site including supervising and mentoring high school interns.
• Oversee and coordinate high school interns hands-on experiences in the garden: planting, weeding, tending and harvesting (September - November)

Community Engagement

• Assist involvement in and commitment to intergenerational volunteering and additional community stakeholders in our main Learning Gardens sites: Grove Hill, CPF Liberty, and Abib Newborn
• Co-facilitate seasonal meetings/workshops with 20-30 community gardeners with open communication to establish norms and ensure compliance with the NYC Parks GreenThumb by-laws.
• Assist to coordinate with NYC Green Thumb when necessary (soil and wood chip orders, garden by-laws, etc.)

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 2 years of garden/farming experience, including some carpentry and building experience
• At least 2-3 years outdoor educational experience, preferably with high school students
• Extensive knowledge in horticulture skills including, but not limited to: plant science, companion planting, maintenance, IPM, composting, aquaponics, beekeeping, etc.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Organized, attention to detail, and good time management skills
• Strong proficiency in Google Drive and Office applications (docs, sheets, slides)
• A strong interest in teaching culturally relevant gardening lessons and promoting sustainable eating
• Must have a valid driver’s license with willingness to travel throughout NYC alone
• Ability to lift 40 lbs and perform strenuous outdoor tasks and work in all weather conditions
• Open availability to work occasional weekends and evenings
• Experience working with and supporting English Language Learners
• Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination
• Preferred Associate’s or BA/BS degree in related fields, such as Plant Science, Horticulture, Environmental Education, Botany, Soil Science, etc.

DESIRED QUALITIES

• Committed to working towards equity and access to healthy food and environment for all New Yorkers
• Familiar with and able to grow cultural crops that reflect Brownsville, Brooklyn; South Bronx, Jamaica, Queens, and East New York, Brooklyn communities
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is essential
• Demonstrated success working with diverse students, especially youth from low-income communities
• Adaptability and cultural competency needed to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class and religion

ABOUT CITY PARKS FOUNDATION

At City Parks Foundation (CPF), we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming New York City parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through arts, environmental education, sports, and community building programs for all New Yorkers. Our ethos is simple: we believe thriving parks mean thriving communities.

Community engagement includes Partnerships for Parks, a public-private program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks, which supports and champions a growing network of community leaders who care and advocate for the transformation of our neighborhood parks and the Parks and Open Space Partners-NYC coalition of conservancies and alliances. We also administer the NYC Green Fund, a regranting program for parks and open space nonprofits and grassroots organizations.

We produce SummerStage, the iconic free, outdoor performing arts festival in NYC, presenting world-class artists from across the globe and our own neighborhoods on our mainstage in Central Park and in local parks in all five boroughs, and our Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre and roving PuppetMobile present marionette puppet theater throughout New York City.

We connect youngsters to nature in the urban environment through progressive, experiential teaching. Using parks as classrooms, we provide learning experiences and hands-on activities in urban forests, coastal areas, and gardens.

Free golf, tennis, track & field, soccer, and fitness programs bring high-quality instruction and equipment into areas where few organized athletic opportunities exist. We offer leveled training, year-round scholarship coaching, and special pro events.

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