Permaculture Farm Hand

Permaculture Farm Hand

Reports to: Permaculture Program Manager

Role Type: Seasonal April 1st - October 31st

Typical Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8am – 4pm

Rate of Pay: $15.00/hour

Benefits: Health, dental, vision, life insurance, PTO, and 401(k) retirement plan

Location: Namchak Retreat Ranch, Hot Springs, Montana

How to Apply: Please send your resume and a cover letter, which includes why you would like to work at Namchak, to Opportunities@namchak.org.

Role Description

The Permaculture Farm Hand will play a significant support role in the overall farming operation of the Namchak Retreat Ranch. The main goal of this position is to focus on assisting with the general upkeep of the food forest permaculture sites and annual growing beds, in addition to completing general labor tasks. We are looking for a highly self-motivated individual willing to be flexible in weekly tasks.

Duties of the Permaculture Farm Hand

Assist in all aspects of the permaculture program

Support the Permaculture Program Coordinator in the implementation of food forest systems

General weeding and weed control monitoring

Assist in animal husbandry program

Install annual vegetable beds

Perform pest management tasks

Compost tea and fertilizer application

General cleaning of animal stalls

Compost collection

Fence maintenance

Watering new plantings

Installation of permaculture designs

Pruning

Mulching

Native and non-native plant propagation

Harvesting

Seed collection

Assist in landscape implementation as new buildings are constructed

General manual labor within permaculture sites

Snow removal

Trash and Mircro trash cleanup

Assist in general maintenance and construction with other Departments when needed

Necessary Skills

Technical Skills - tries to continuously build knowledge and skills.

Problem Solving - Identifies and deals with problems in a timely manner.

Oral Communication - Listens and gets clarification when needed.

Interpersonal Skills - Remains open to others ideas and represents the organization positively within the community.

Values

Diversity – Shows respect for cultural differences.

Professionalism – Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well to the pressure of the position.

Teamwork – Open to others views and ideas; Gives and welcomes feedback from fellow co-workers; Contributes to building a positive team environment.

Ethics – Treats people with respect; Works with integrity; Keeps commitments; Upholds the organization's values.

Quality – Completes work in a timely manner; Works quickly on tasks.

Safety and Security – Observes safety and security procedures, Uses equipment properly.

Dependability – Follows instructions, quickly responds to management direction; Commits to long hours of work when necessary; Takes responsibility for actions; Keeps commitments.

Attendance/Punctuality – Is consistently at work and on time.

Required Qualifications

● Willingness to train in permaculture principles and practices

Previous experience in organic farming or regenerative agriculture

● History of being able to work well on a team

Experience using groundskeeping tools, chainsaws, weed whips, mowers, leaf blowers

● Able to lift 50–100 lbs.

● High school diploma or equivalent

If Interested

Please send your resume and a cover letter, which includes why you would like to work at Namchak, to Opportunities@namchak.org.

We are reviewing applications as they are received.

We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the qualifications. Experience and career paths are unique to each applicant. We encourage you to explore how your previous experience may fit our qualifications differently.

Equal opportunity is a fundamental principle and core value at Namchak, where employment is based on personal capabilities, competencies, and qualifications. We are committed to ensuring that job applicants and staff are not discriminated against regardless of race, creed, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sex, or sexual orientation/gender expression.

About Namchak

The Namchak Foundation promotes the growth, study, and practices of the Namchak lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. We offer a variety of learning programs, including in-person teaching, small group learning, online courses, and residential retreats at the Namchak Retreat Ranch (NRR) in Montana. In coming years, we will offer everything from introductory retreats to Dzogchen, the most profound practice in our tradition—and from weekend retreats to the traditional three-year retreat.

The Namchak Retreat Ranch is located on 8,900 acres near Hot Springs, Montana, on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Our retreat ranch exists to provide a sustainable and sacred environment where teachers and students can come together for learning, meditation, and practice.

The Namchak Retreat Ranch, which consists of new and future construction, includes several facilities ranging from administrative barns, student dormitories, a dharma-focused public park, retreat facilities for dedicated students to partake in a traditional three-year retreat, and others. The buildings are clustered to minimize visual impact, allowing most of the property to remain as open space.

The Namchak staff community can be characterized as friendly, hard-working, and highly collaborative. Our core values include compassion, kindness, integrity, inclusiveness, collaboration and teamwork, responsibility, accountability, professionalism, and stewardship.

Namchak’s offices are located in Missoula, Montana, home to the University of Montana. Missoula has been listed as one of the greatest places to live in the United States, featuring excellent public and private schools, family-friendly amenities, an attractive cost of living, and a superior quality of life. Nestled in the Northern Rockies of Montana, between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, Missoula is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream, yet it also comes with an abundance of restaurants, cafes, coffee houses, art galleries, bookstores, and breweries to fit all budgets and tastes. It is a place of small-town values and urban amenities.