Location: Main Campus-Berkeley
Payroll title: Field Researcher 3 (5189U)
Timeline: Posted on November 16, 2021. The first review date for this job is January 5, 2022
The Agroecology and Wellness Coordinator serves as a liaison between food-producing campus gardens and farms, Berkeley Student Farms, Berkeley Food Institute, Basic Needs Center, and supporting campus departments. The scope of their work is focused on four primary areas: project management and coordination, fieldwork, mentorship, and administration. Project management and coordination will include supporting student and department-led programs and campaigns around agroecology and wellness. Fieldwork will include supporting student-led garden and farm management, ongoing maintenance, and on-the-ground material support for growing spaces. Coordination will include facilitating communications between partnering entities, food distribution to the campus food pantry, and acting as liaison to campus administration (grounds, facilities, etc.). Mentorship will include attending student meetings, holding trainings during the academic year, and providing assistance to students engaged in new farming initiatives. Agroecology is a framework for creating ecologically-based and socially-just food systems through research, farming practices, political action, and social change. Wellness attends to the physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs of individuals to create a thriving community where all people feel a sense of belonging and wellbeing.
The Agroecology and Wellness Coordinator will work with Berkeley Student Farms. Watch their video feature for the Berkeley Light the Way Campaign below to meet some of the student farmers and their work.
Responsibilities
- Project Management and Campus, Farm, and Basic Needs Coordination.
- Assists with assessing and monitoring policies and procedures for Berkeley Student Farms.
- Evaluates and investigates opportunities for improvement, working closely with all project partners to coordinate campus food production and distribution efforts designed to increase food security among students and staff and support the continuity of student leadership and internship opportunities across all campus gardens.
- To those ends, attend regular Berkeley Student Farms meetings, host regular office hours, and maintain direct communication by email, phone or in-person with participants in BSF as well as “Land as Wellness” project partners while respecting each organization’s governance structure.
- Provide best practices for food delivery, group calendaring, attendance tracking, harvesting, COVID safety compliance, and other necessary information.
- Serve as a professional staff liaison to campus colleagues involved in farms and gardens.
- Documents activities and follows up in accordance with relevant policies and regulations with Facilities, Grounds, etc.
- Provides research and writing support to grant proposals, meeting summaries and reports.
- Holds check-in meetings to ensure student groups and departments are logging their expenses for the financial reporting requirements of the “Land as Wellness” project.
- Communicates expense progress with grant reporters (Berkeley Student Farms members and Berkeley Food Institute staff).
- Ensures that campus farms and gardens meet university environmental health and safety standards.
- Contacts agencies and research partners as needed to coordinate planning.
- Seeks out community connections and partnerships that create experiential, land-based learning opportunities for students.
- Participates in training activities on research methods and measurement (approximately three trainings per semester) to student gardeners in seeding and greenhouse management, transplanting, irrigation construction and maintenance, harvesting, pruning, fertilization, and on-farm construction.
- Ensure that materials (tools, seeds, etc.) are well kept and available to all students participating in BSF.
- This may require as needed procurement of supplies with local vendors.
Required Qualifications
- Thorough knowledge of safety, legal, cultural and regulatory requirements relative to field research responsibility.
- Thorough knowledge of the agroecology or food sovereignty research discipline, principles, concepts, analysis and/or operations.
- Thorough knowledge of or ability to quickly learn local customs and operations at Berkeley Student Farms.
- Experience managing farm and garden operations, including knowledge of crop planning, seeding, transplanting, irrigation, harvesting, pruning, plant care, soil management, etc.
- Ability to source critical farm and garden infrastructure, supplies, and materials.
- Proven ability to develop and maintain strategic relationships and partnerships.
- Excellent communicator, effective facilitator, and good problem solver.
- Cultural competency and humility to work across languages, cultures, styles, and opinions in a diverse public university context and produce results.
- Proven ability to work independently and with a team, and to meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
- Strong attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
- Proficient in basic office management software (Google Suite, Email, Word, Excel).
- Driving is required, a valid driver’s license and DMV check for driving record is required.
Education/Training:
Bachelor’s degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
Preferred Qualifications
- Proven ability to work in ambiguous conditions and take relevant responsible action as required.
- Experience working with Indigenous plants, land preparation, and stewardship.
- Knowledge about agriculture, wellness and food justice organizations within the Bay Area and beyond.
- Experience with community building and conflict resolution.
Education/Training:
Master’s degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
Licenses:
Food Handler Card
Salary & Benefits
This is an exempt, monthly paid position. Annual salary is commensurate with experience within the range of $56,800 – $59,000.
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University visit:
https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html
Other Information
This is a 12-month, full-time (40 hours per week), Contract (temporary) appointment. There will be an opportunity to renew the contract at the end of the 1-year contract appointment.
Conviction History Background
This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant see:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_files/employers/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf
For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see:
http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct
