Careers

The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) Farm and Garden at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) maintains more than thirty acres of land for organic crop production, research, education, and outreach. This land and associated facilities serve as the primary classroom for the residential Apprenticeship Programs and Short Courses. Additionally, UC Santa Cruz undergraduates enrolled in agroecology courses and internships have a range of learning opportunities at the Farm and Garden. The Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden Board organizes a public workshop series and CASFS hosts some public lectures, tours, and events. CASFS also serves as a public demonstration site open daily for use by university students, K-12 students, and the general public.

Position Summary

Under the general direction of the CASFS Director, the Apprenticeship and Short Course Coordinator is responsible for directing the practical education and training programs at CASFS, coordinating the overall delivery of the Apprenticeship and Short Courses that provide training in the foundations of organic gardening and farming with an agroecological lens. The incumbent is responsible for managing complex public educational programs of diverse scope, serving diverse audiences, with key roles in curriculum development, course logistics and outreach. The incumbent will provide leadership in the design, development, implementation, coordination, assessment, and continuous improvement of practical training programs and services. Course design and curriculum delivery will be informed by organic and agroecological methods and be guided by principles of equity and justice in the food system. In collaboration with CASFS staff, the incumbent uses skills and experience to address programmatic and pedagogical design issues, to facilitate the delivery of effective and empowering course content. Extensive knowledge of organic agriculture, food systems change and curriculum design is required.

50% - Curriculum development, course design, program evaluation, and course refinement

• Provides leadership in coordinating, delivering, evaluating and refining curriculum of the Apprenticeship and Short Courses.
• Provides leadership in designing, implementing, and refining new course offerings based on market demands and interests of existing and emerging audiences.
• Chairs the Apprenticeship Committee, and guides the pedagogical and curricular direction of the residential apprenticeship in the context of food system change, provides guidance to the team of educators to vision, plan and deliver programs.
• Facilitates and oversees equity integration in all aspects of applied curriculum for Apprenticeship and short courses at CASFS, applies the lens of critical pedagogy to inform program content and modes of delivery.
• Actively participates in long-range strategic planning for public educational programs at CASFS.
• Conducts strategic marketing plans and target audience assessments. Surveys the landscape of comparable agricultural programs, to inform the evolution of CASFS programs.
• Recruits, selects, orients, evaluates and oversees guest instructors and program advisors.
• Develops and refines evaluation tools of courses and curriculum  by program participants to inform program refinements.
• Develops and refines evaluation tools of program participants to provide feedback and motivate continued learning.

25% - Coordination of Course Logistics, Systems and Budgets

• Manages daily logistics of programs, including the registration process, course fee payments to CASFS and UCSC Extension, and onboarding of new participants.
• Coordinates annual calendar of CASFS practical training programs, schedules staff and outside instructors, schedules facilities for instruction, creates course syllabi, and manages all materials and resources necessary for instruction.
• Structures and implements accountability practices in the work/learning environment, and clearly articulates program expectations and UCSC Student Code of Conduct required of all participants.
• In consultation with the Assistant Director of Finance, Planning, and General Operations, develops, prepares and reconciles the budget for practical training programs. Assists with fundraising for scholarships and projects related to Apprenticeship and Short Courses.
• Maintains consistent contact/integration with learner audiences through regular check-ins and site visits to support.
• Assists with integration of Apprenticeship and short courses with undergraduate educational programming.

25% - Outreach, Recruitment, Selection and Retention

• Identifies and recruits potential program participants and new program audiences.
• Manages recruitment and selection process of program participants. Plans for appropriate use of scholarship funding and recruitment of scholarship candidates.
• In collaboration with CASFS staff, develops and implements interview and reference checking protocols for program applicants.
• Provides career guidance and ongoing professional support to program participants and alumni.
• Travels to partner organizations and farm sites to build relationships and bring CASFS programming to audiences not previously served.
• Travels to conferences and professional gatherings to promote and expand the reach of CASFS programs.

• Bachelor’s degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Extensive experience with curriculum development and design, especially in an agricultural context.
• Significant experience developing and managing applied educational programs, especially in the delivery of gardening and farming based curriculum.
• Prior experience and analytical skills to conduct program analyses and develop recommendations for program improvements. 
• Organizational skills to coordinate multiple programs and learner audiences simultaneously.
• Leadership skills and experience coordinating a diverse range of staff and student life experiences.
• Ability and desire to work with diverse audiences and colleagues. 
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills in order to lead meetings with professional colleagues, and to develop, teach, and lead workshops and conduct public presentations with student audiences.
• Skills and experience using business software in the organization and completion of work assignments (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google suite, and similar programs.

• Demonstrated experience in developing curriculum that centers building equity and justice in the food system.
• Knowledge of agroecology, both the ecological aspects of land management and the social dimensions as a movement for change.
• Bilingual, with fluency in Spanish preferred. 
• Continuing education and certification in fields relevant to job duties.
• Thorough knowledge of relevant educational programs and trends.

• Selected candidate will be required to pass a pre-employment criminal history background check. 
• Per the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), this position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter. The selected candidate will be required to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect as defined by CANRA and will be required to sign a Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse prior to commencing employment. CANRA Penal Codes, and related definitions, requirements, and responsibilities may be obtained here.