Pay: $15.50 per hour

Job description:

April 1 - November 20, 2026

The Ecology School seeks to transform how people think about science, food, the environment, and themselves through joyful, hands-on learning for all ages.

Located at River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine, The Ecology School provides a variety of ecology programming for children and adults including food systems and farm-based education on our 313 acre campus.

We are seeking two individuals with a passion for agriculture, education, and the environment to join us as farm assistants for the 2026 growing season. The assistants will work closely with our farm manager to grow a wide array of vegetables in our one-acre no-till field, install and maintain permaculture and pollinator garden spaces to our upper campus area including a food forest, and to support our AgroEcology for Resilient Communities (ARC) project in its many aims. The Full-Season farm assistants will also work closely with our Student Farm Apprentices, our education team, and volunteers that may join in the summer.

Job Description

Farm Assistants will work with all aspects of The Ecology School’s farming operations for the bulk of the growing season. A large portion of this will involve our greenhouse and production field, with an emphasis on balancing production and education. While tasks will change season to season, day to day tasks will include seeding, transplanting, watering, weeding, harvesting, washing, processing, and transporting crops for our campus kitchen and community partners. Farm Assistants will also be responsible for greenhouse care on some evenings and weekends.

As we are in the early stages of building up our permaculture campus, farm assistants will also have the opportunity to be involved in planting perennial crops including flowers, herbs, berries and fruit and nut trees, and other exciting projects in our food forest.

The Full Season Farm Apprentice will also be involved in sharing the farm with visitors and program participants by leading farm tours when needed and assisting in food systems lessons with student groups.

Farm Apprentices will receive training and practice in:

Greenhouse Plant Care, including seeding, soil blocking, potting up, watering, hardening off, and more
No-till growing techniques including cover cropping, mulching, weeding, pest and disease management
Operating farm equipment, including a BCS walking tractor
Building and maintaining critical systems and infrastructure
Self driven learning opportunities, including educational visits to local farms and food organizations
Other farm tasks as needed, including mowing, compost management, and more
The Farm Apprentice will work closely with other departments as needed, including delivering farm education and assisting our facilities and kitchen staff as needed.
Skills Desired

We are looking for applicants who are excited about farming with us at The Ecology School and all that comes with it! Our ideal candidate is excited about the prospect of spending their days performing hard physical farm labor, has good attention to detail and pace, is self motivated, and is resourceful, passionate, and curious about agriculture and environmental issues.

Experience or interest in vegetable production
Some amount of garden and/or outdoor physical labor experience is preferred, though not required.
The ability to work hard under pressure and time constraints, and in all sorts of weather with a positive attitude.
Farm tasks are ever evolving and shifting, so flexibility and the ability to roll with changes is essential.
A willingness to take on responsibility for aspects of farm production and management
Must be able to lift and carry 50 lbs, and must be willing to learn to use farm equipment & machinery
Applicants who are available to work for the duration of the position will be given preference
Compensation

The Farm Apprentice position is a 40 hour per week, non-exempt position. Pay is $15.50/ hour. Lunch is available when programming is on site. The position is seasonal and will run from April to mid November. Since River Bend Farm operates 7 days a week, weekend work may be required, and work hours may shift to accommodate weather conditions and other unexpected circumstances.

To apply, please fill out the application found on our website. Please reach out to Marguerite Wiser, Farm Manager, farm@theecologyschool.org with any questions. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

The Ecology School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type with regards to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Work Location: In person

The Ecology School @ River Bend Farm

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