Mission: Future Harvest’s mission is to advance agriculture that sustains farmers, communities, and the environment. We provide education, networking, advocacy, and research to help build a sustainable Chesapeake foodshed, where food flows from farm and fishery to table in ways that strengthen farming and the regional food economy; protect our land, water, and air; and provide healthy, nutritious food that sustains the region’s communities.
The Technical Assistance Provider (TAP) position is an opportunity to help farmers implement Climate-smart practices to increase climate resilience and food sovereignty. In this role, you will assist interested farmers in successfully implementing Climate-smart NRCS Conservation practices from program application through to practice verification and contract completion to support the expansion of local market value for crops grown using Climate-smart practices. The technical assistance needed will vary by farm and by practice. We are currently seeking two TAPs: one to serve southern and/or eastern Virginia, and one to serve across Maryland.
TAP general roles and responsibilities
- Build trusting relationships with farmers and serve as an advocate for the Climate-smart program, and other relevant programs and opportunities
- Provide administrative and technical guidance to farmers, including the selection of applicable and project supported NRCS Conservation practices
- Securely collect farm and field level information in a timely and respectful manner from project application to contract completion
- Provide technical assistance and support Climate-smart practice implementation in adherence to NRCS conservation practice standards
- Contribute to data collection for continued monitoring and measuring of the impacts of implemented climate-smart practices on soil health and greenhouse gas mitigation
- Communicate any challenges that are faced in the field to facilitate system improvement
- Connect with farmers in a variety of methods from phone calls to in person farm visits
TAP qualifications
- Experience in environmental sciences, agriculture or a bachelor’s degree in a related field
- At least 3 years experience working on or with farms
- Ability to work collaboratively with farmers to develop Climate-resilient management strategies
- Awareness of climate resilience strategies and how Climate-smart practices play into these strategies
Other relevant skills*
- Working proficiency in English
- Familiarity with field based geographic information systems
- Familiarity with the USDA’s COMET-Planner and COMET-FarmTM carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reduction estimation tools
- Familiarity with Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Drive etc.)
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills
- Experience working with USDA/NRCS programs
- Familiarity with digital data collection
- Experience with data collection and organization
*Future Harvest encourages applications from people of all races, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and ages, as well as veterans and individuals with disabilities. We also don’t believe in a “perfect” candidate, so please consider applying even if you don’t possess all of the relevant skills listed above, but feel that this is a role that you would be excited to work in every day.
Additional Requirements:
- Reliable transportation
- Willingness to travel throughout the coverage area in VA, MD and/or DE
- High-speed internet connection
Compensation:
This is a full-time, remote position, with a starting salary range of $50,000-54,000, plus 10% healthcare stipend, $45/mo. phone/internet reimbursement stipend, Simple IRA with 3% employer match, and generous PTO and holiday leave package. \
To apply:
Please submit a resume and cover letter, including 3 references, to Lisa Garfield, lisa@futureharvest.org. Application deadline is September 20, 2024.
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