Student Employees
We are currently hiring students for the
2024-2025 Academic School Year
The Dickinson College Farm employs students as student farmers. Learn more about this positions below. Applications are due April 22, 2024. Please contact Alex Smith at smithro@dickinson.edu with any questions.
For more details on student positions click here
For an application, click here
Position Details
Student farmers are the backbone of our operation on the farm. They work alongside our farm managers and post-graduate apprentices to do daily chores from weeding to building yurts. During the school year and over the summer, the farm employs students on the farm. Summer employment is full-time and during the school year, student farmers work morning or afternoon shifts. They also have the opportunity to work at events like Harvest Fest and Pizza on the Plaza. See below for more information on what it’s like to be a student farmer!
What can I hope to learn through my job on the farm?
Dickinson students can apply to work at the farm during the academic year or over the summer.
What does a student job on the farm entail? This is our favorite question to answer! …Everything. Each and every day is different. Student farmers spend their days seeding, transplanting, weeding, watering, harvesting, and washing crops. They have worked on construction projects, such as building the yurts and greenhouses, and installing solar energy systems.
Student farmers can expect to engage in work that is fun and physically engaging; from herding sheep to running produce deliveries to campus, local restaurants and Project S.H.A.R.E. and collecting compost. Student farmers are encouraged to follow their interests and manifest their ideas, whether they are related directly to agriculture, food, or even biology, art, business or physics.
Our program manages the campus composting project, dedicates a large portion of its land space to growing food for the dining hall, and is involved with many community-based projects including class visits, educational field days, workshops, and public tours. Student farmers are involved with all aspects of the farm’s projects.
What are we looking for in a student farmer?
The farm employs Dickinson students who are enthusiastic, ready for hard work and willing to try to new things. Successful applicants will have a keen interest in exploring sustainable land management first-hand.
What are the hours like for student farmers?
During the academic year, students can earn up to 15 hours of work per week. A minimum of six work hours per week is required.
Summer student farmer positions start in late May and run until classes resume in late August. Students are required to fulfill 40 hours of work per week, Monday through Friday. Our days start at 7:30am and end at 4:30pm with a one hour lunch. Students receive free on campus housing for the duration of their employment at the farm and free transportation to and from the farm for work purposes.
What do other students have to say about their experiences working on the farm?
“Not everyone gets to say ‘Oh awesome, I get to work today’ after a difficult week full of stress from assignments and deadlines. It’s an awesome feeling to be outside and work with my body to accomplish something, and even more gratifying to be a part of growing the food my peers and I will be eating. Even better is that I get to work surrounded by an amazing team of my fellow student farmworkers and wonderful volunteers. The experiences I’ve had through the farm, and the friendships I’ve made there, are definitely some of my favorite highlights of my time at Dickinson.”- Natalie Cassidy ’18, Environmental Science and Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies
“Having worked on the farm during the summer in addition to the school year, I believe the act of farming facilitates gratitude and allows for one to experience an overwhelming sense of thankfulness and fulfillment. I will truly miss the Dickinson College Farm after graduation and all the amazing and inspiring people that have greatly impacted my college career.” – Tess Zahn ’18, Environmental Science
“The farm has played such a great role in my time at Dickinson. The work is hard, but rewarding, and my shifts provide an incredible opportunity to forget what’s happening in the outside world and focus on the task at hand. Plus it’s fun to get really dirty!” – Katie Overstrum ’20, Environmental Science
Not interested in employment at the farm? That’s ok: we’d love to welcome you as a volunteer or a visitor! Or, perhaps you’re interested in working with us to organize your next student organization or department event? If so, email farm@dickinson.edu!