The Position
The primary role of the College Farm Hand is to provide support to the Head of Agriculture. The position demands a person having the physical ability to attend to small plot crop production and disposal, machinery operation and maintenance, livestock supervision, receipt and storage of supplies including maintaining documentation, and general farm maintenance. It is expected the College Farm Hand will be sympathetic to the ethos of the College and work in the true spirit of the institution.
The position is a job-share part-time position working 30 hours per week across 6 days, every second week (midweek to midweek). There is future potential for the job to include every week rather than job share for the right candidate. The hours are flexible but must include public and school holidays. There is an opportunity for additional hours to be added if the successful candidate is interested in the College lawn mowing and maintenance of edging.
Main Responsibilities and Accountabilities
The College Farm Hand will be required to:
* Have a working with children check and will be willing to work with students in an outdoor and classroom environment as needed.
* Set up and pack up of student practical activities.
* Safely operate the school tractor and any attached implements, including power take-off implements.
* Safely operate the school side-by-side buggy.
* Use and maintenance of hand and garden tools, vegetable plot irrigation, hand weeding, spraying for pests and weeds, fertilising, pruning, occasional mowing and trimming edges of gardens.
* Watering and moving of any pots or seedlings.
* Harvest mature vegetable crops and assists in the disposal of produce.
* Maintain a compost heap, turning and watering regularly, barrowing compost to required areas and gathering materials for inclusion in the compost heap.
* Maintaining all farm equipment including shearing handpieces, gardening tools, sprayers, drenching equipment, meteorological equipment and wheelbarrows, feeders and show equipment.
* Documenting all maintenance in a farm equipment log.
* Document and manage the pickup, receipt, storage and inventory of all farm supplies, e.g. fertiliser, livestock feed, seed, chemicals, from the place of delivery to the storage area.
* General farm maintenance of the property including sheds, plumbing and fencing. Sweeping and cleaning all shed floors. Storing all feed, chemicals, fertilisers and seed in vermin proof, labelled weatherproof containers.
* Maintaining all fencing as required ensuring safe enclosures for the animals. This may include digging post holes, ramming posts, straining and tying off wire and hanging gates.
* Repairing any leaks to hoses, irrigation or taps.
* Carrying out and documenting a stocktake of equipment, stockfeed, chemicals and livestock when required.
* Maintain any benches or tables in the school Agriculture plot.
* Construction of equipment and facilities as required (includes welding).
* Storing equipment and maintaining premises in a clean and orderly fashion.
* Care of livestock and poultry, which entails the supervision of associated duties. Checking and attending to water and feed requirements of all school livestock and poultry. Cleaning feed and water containers routinely. Observation and documentation of animal behaviour and health, disposal of dead animals to the waste management centre.
* Assist with teaching activities, gathering required equipment and supplies, pack up and clean up, supervision and instruction where required.
* Maintenance of farm diary and timesheets.
* Some certification may be required including the Chemical Users Certificate.
Key Relationships Reporting to: Principal and Head of Agriculture.
The College Farm Hand will require:
* Flexibility
* A pro-active, positive attitude
* The physical ability to perform listed responsibilities
* A current drivers licence.
* A current First Aid certificate
* Working with Children Check number.