NOTE: This application is for a full-time, residential (live on campus), seasonal staff position. The residential season runs from early May through late October 2025.

The Omega Seasonal Team Experience

Omega's seasonal team experience offers the unique opportunity for individuals to contribute professional skills and compassionate customer service while thriving in a vibrant learning-oriented environment.

Contribute Meaningful Work - Join a team of people who are passionate about contributing to a meaningful cause.
Learn and Grow - Enjoy access to specially designed Holistic Education Program classes, trainings, and events.
Immerse in Nature - Explore Omega's beautiful 250-acre campus and amenities.

Seasonal Staff Commitment

We seek individuals who are professional and committed to providing exemplary work in support of our mission, who can live in community harmoniously, and who model our values - Holism, Community, Sustainability, Service, and Integrity. Seasonal Staff members represent Omega as excellent stewards of professional and compassionate service. The work and customer service that they provide are an integral part of their time here. Every interaction staff have with fellow team members, participants, teachers, and colleagues are at the heart of creating the Omega experience.

Summary

Central tasks for this OCSL position include work with Omega's gardens, landscaping and lagoon greenhouse area, as well as Eco-Machine care, and permaculture project preparation and maintenance. May also help lead staff and participant OCSL educational offerings during the season and be available to support OCSL participants around campus.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• General care of the garden, flower beds and potted plants including: bed prep, weeding, planting, transplanting, harvesting, watering, etc.
• General landscaping and care of the 250-acre campus including: raking, mulching, sheet mulching, digging, pruning, compost care, etc.
• Upkeep of OCSL permaculture projects such as maintaining and harvesting from the mushroom yard, perennial plant holding bed, rain gardens, small food forest, and various other projects.
• Ensuring a safe landscape for participants including: path and trail maintenance, poison ivy removal, etc.
• Coordinate with Omega's Gardener and other departments on tasks that need assistance.
• Help with student groups that come to visit and volunteer in the garden at Omega.
• Lead OCSL participants in monthly educational tours in a fun and dynamic manner after 6 hours paid study time. Possibly lead other OCSL educational offerings for participants and staff.
• Availability to include weekend days in the weekly work schedule, and occasional paid brief watering on off-days.
• Assist with end of season shut down including clearing beds, raking, storing equipment, etc.
• Other duties as assigned by the OCSL Garden Manager.

Supervisory Responsibility

N/A

Work Details
• This position functions outdoors, on the Omega campus.
• This is a full time position.

Physical Requirements
• Ability to constantly work in outdoor weather conditions.
• Ability to frequently move items that weigh 60 pounds for various needs.
• Ability to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Ability to traverse a hilly campus in diverse weather conditions.
• Ability to position self to perform diverse job tasks as necessary.
• Ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand, and ability to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Ability to observe details at close range.
• Ability to exercise appropriate awareness and self-care in outdoor work settings (wearing appropriate gear and clothing for the work and weather, awareness of poisonous plants, etc).

Job Related Risks
• The Omega campus has a high instance of poison ivy.
• Living in the Hudson Valley comes with a high risk of contracting Lyme's Disease which is transmitted through tick bites, therefore, requiring special attention to preventative measures.
• The Hudson Valley climate promotes mold growth and requires diligence in keeping housing mold-free.

Required Experience/Qualities
• At least 1 year of farming, gardening and/or landscaping experience.
• Proven ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions for up to 8 hours per day.
• Knowledge of chemical-free plant care, plant identification, seeding, transplanting, bed preparation.
• Knowledge of or interest in permaculture principles as applied to a growing environment.
• Excitement towards working in a garden primarily geared towards education and creating a beautifully aesthetic, healing space for retreat participants.
• Ability to be responsible, on time, and demonstrate strong communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to work independently without supervision and as a member of the team completing a task together.
• Interested in their own personal and professional growth and supporting the growth and safety of the other members of the team and campus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Alignment with Omega's mission, goals, and core values.

Preferred Experience/Qualities
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Experience working in a live/work environment.
• Availability and interest in working the shoulder seasons, assisting with bed prep in early spring and leaf cleanup in the fall.
• Desire and ability to be the point person and lead one or two projects on campus independently.

Compensation

Seasonal staff work full-time between early-May through late-October. Seasonal staff receive a compensation package that includes:

Wage
Indoor housing
Three delicious meals per day in our mostly vegetarian Dining Hall
Access to Omega's team member benefits

*This compensation package is at minimum equivalent to the New York State minimum wage.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

Before submitting your application, please read our Frequently Asked Questions.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Omega complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable New York State or local laws. Consistent with those requirements, Omega will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability if such accommodation would allow the individual to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.

Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Inc. ("Omega") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, New York State, and local laws. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. As a community of learners, we are committed to putting our organizational aspirations into practice, as outlined in our Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) Statement.

Omega strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of actual or perceived race; color; creed; age; religion; national origin; citizenship status; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions); gender (including gender identity); sexual orientation; disability; marital status; partnership status; familial status; status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sex offenses; genetic predisposition; veteran's status; military status; or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinances. All Omega employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment

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OCSL Garden/Permaculture Assistant