Culinary Gardener

2555 Main Street, Deer Park CA

Description

POSITION SUMMARY The Greystone Culinary Gardener is responsible for all aspects of The CIA Student Farm grounds and crops including greenhouse propagation, bed prep, irrigation, cultivation, harvest, and maintenance of the grounds. This position supports educational programming related to the farm, specifically the 12-week Farm to Table (F2T) program. The Culinary Gardener is responsible for the annual department budget, containing costs and maximizing revenues from the seasonal crops grown. ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES Develops crop plans including needs for the F2T program and the Gatehouse restaurant chef. Purchases seeds, propagates seedlings at Copia greenhouse, prepares beds for planting and transplants seedlings. Irrigates, fertilizes and weeds all planted areas. Maintains all growing plants, gardens and beds to a professional aesthetic including labels for all edible plants, shrubs and trees. Maintains, repairs and extends the irrigation systems and timers whenever necessary. Maintains ground covers, augmenting as needed. Is responsible for safeguarding and maintaining farm equipment, tools and supplies. Harvests, weighs, labels and delivers edible product whenever ripe so that it can be sold and not go to waste. Communicates regularly with CIA team, checks email daily, uses time-clock at the main building. Is responsible for meeting or exceeding departmental financial revenue targets. Maintains clean and tidy work environment in the greenhouse, fields, and storage areas. Plants and maintains seasonal colorful annuals to enhance the appearance of the display garden aesthetic. Maintains a “farm-stand” in the Greystone main building during season. Conducts tours for students, staff, faculty and public when necessary. Provides educational support to CIA Farm to Table Program students. Publishes a weekly memo, advising chef instructors, teaching kitchen and purchasing department on availability of farm products. Any and all other duties as assigned. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Education: High School Diploma or GED required. Experience: Minimum two (2) years of experience on produce-growing farms. Licenses / Certifications: Valid Driver’s License. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Minimum three (3) years of experience working on farms. Experience working on student farms desired. Experience working two-wheel tractors (BCS equipment). Experience working a front-end loader. Master Gardener Certification desired. Experience as an educator. Associates or Bachelor’s degree. CIA graduate preferred. Familiarity with tenants of organic food production. REQUIRED SKILLS Effective written and verbal communication with team members. Ability to prioritize tasks. Excellent interpersonal communication skills. Professional interaction with other team members at all times. Ability to work independently and efficiently. WORKING CONDITIONS Must possess own transportation and be able to work and travel at all CIA CA locations (Copia in Napa and Greystone in St. Helena) as necessary based on business needs. Must be available to work overtime on nights and weekends as required by business needs. Ability to frequently lift and carry 30 lbs. and occasionally lift and carry 50 lbs. with assistance. Ability to stand for extended periods of time, bend over, crouch and kneel regularly. Ability to work outdoors in varied and extreme temperatures & rain for extended periods of time. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION At The Culinary Institute of America, it is important to us that we support our employees with a substantial and meaningful package of benefits. We believe in supporting our employees with benefits to assist with work life balance. Benefits are offered based on the position type and status. Benefits offered may include: Medical and prescription drug plan Dental plan, Vision plan Insurance: Life, Home, Auto, even Pet! Short- and long-term disability plans Generous paid time off programs, including paid holidays Retirement savings plan 403(b) with company contribution Employee assistance program And more!