Milton Hershey School (MHS) is one of the world’s best pre-K through 12th grade private schools, where students from disadvantaged backgrounds are provided with a cost-free home and a top-notch education. Thanks to the generosity of Milton and Catherine Hershey in 1909, the school is fully endowed with the resources to ensure students thrive.  The school has prepared almost 12,000 graduates to lead fulfilling and productive lives and is expanding to serve more students. MHS boasts an amazing agricultural and environmental education program that is available to all students.   

MHS is seeking a part-time Program Assistant for the School’s Agricultural and Environmental Education Centers and affiliated 1200 acres of fields, meadows, pastures, gardens, and orchards.  In addition to providing all students enrolled with agricultural, horticultural and environmental experiences, students with interest in agriculture & environmental education can enrich those experiences by taking classes, participating in clubs and activities, and working in the School’s Agricultural and Environmental Education (AEE) Program.  Starting pay is in the range of $15.43 to $20.59/hour, pay is determined based on experience.  This is an on-site position located in Hershey, PA.

Responsibilities:

• Supporting the Instructional Advisors at all AEE Center to provide engaging, authentic, hands-on educational experiences which includes animal husbandry, environmental stewardship, greenhouse operations including hydroponics, outdoor gardens, and orchard areas.
• Facilitating educational and inspiring after-school clubs and other AEE activities and programs.
• Supporting operational functions that ensure the barns, fields, greenhouses, gardens, and orchards are healthy, well maintained, and annually productive with products students can plant, nurture, harvest, and sell.
• Utilizing farm equipment and greenhouse mechanical systems.
• Assist with greenhouse and outdoor garden and orchard management (cultivar selection, scheduling, crop management, harvesting) as well as care of animals, and land management.
• Assist with integrated pest management and pesticide applications.

Qualifications:

• High School diploma or GED. Degree in horticulture or agriculture recommended.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated success in ensuring healthy and productive livestock, fields, gardens, meadows and orchards. Experience with all is not required, a willingness to learn about management of all areas is required.
• Knowledge of integrated pest management systems, as well as fungicide and pesticide application. PA Pesticide Applicators license a plus. Willingness to obtain one is required.
• Demonstrated success in providing youth with engaging agricultural or horticultural educational programming.
• Experience with diverse Pre-K -12 grade students from lower income backgrounds a plus.
• Skilled in utilizing farm equipment (tractors, trucks, mowers, chain saw, pruning equipment, sprayers, plows, front end loaders).
• Proficient with Microsoft applications, Google docs, and Internet, as well as the ability to effectively incorporate various technologies into educational experiences.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate, lead, educate, and inspire.
• Ability to work an average of 29 hours/week on a flexible schedule (including weekends as needed).
• Candidates should demonstrate a high degree of integrity, as all MHS staff are considered to be role models for MHS students.
• Candidates should be willing to actively engage with students beyond the scope of their job responsibilities.