Application deadline:
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with a final deadline of 11 April. 

Number of positions available:
4

Location:
Work will take place at our farm and/or satellite locations in the Cully neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. May include some travel to and from select locations in the Portland Metro Area (for workshops and events only).

About us:
Rhythm Seed Farm (RSF) is a new nonprofit startup located in Northeast Portland. We are an urban seed farm dedicated to improving our communities and our environment by growing food and saving seeds. We specialize in raising rare edible and medicinal plants in the Portland Metro Area, and teaching people our techniques. For each packet of seeds we sell, we donate another to marginalized communities.

Our mission: To enhance social and environmental resilience by growing locally adapted seeds, distributing them to low-income and BIPOC communities, and empowering our members and partners to grow and save seeds of their own.

Our vision: To foster ecological resilience and a culture of abundance in our local food system, where everyone’s access to healthy, organically-produced foods is no longer defined by their income or zip code.

Our values:
— Mutual aid between people, plants and pollinators.
— Climate shock mitigation through smart landscape design.
— Creating and sharing a replicable nonprofit model that can be spread to urban areas across the United States.

Learn more about us at www.rhythmseedfarm.org/our-aims

Intern duties and responsibilities:
— Work closely with our founder and head botanist to cultivate and harvest our 2023 plants and seed crop. This includes watering, weeding, transplanting, pruning, tending the compost pile, mulching, and harvesting our crops.
— Monitor and tend to seedlings in our hoop houses.
— Assist in data collection/notetaking on the performance of different plants, pests and disease incidents, etc. throughout the growing season.
— Support, coordinate and supervise volunteers at work parties.
— Help collect and digitize plant care information from our founder to create care guides in cooperation with the Media and Communications interns.

Have an idea outside of the tasks described above? Interested in some but not all of the projects listed? Submit an application! We have multiple positions available, and when possible will divide the projects based on interests.

Benefits of the internship:
Interns will have the opportunity to make a major impact in a young volunteer-driven nonprofit organization, while learning edible landscaping/sustainable urban farming techniques that improve food security in our area while improving our urban ecosystems.

With over 70 different species & 130 varietals of plants in cultivation in any given growing season, a large proportion of which are rare edible and medicinal plants, interns will have the opportunity to gain a wealth of knowledge about a much broader range of plants than are grown in typical community garden and urban farm settings.

Students will also be learning sustainable techniques for intensive organic cultivation in urban environments. This includes companion planting to prevent pests and disease, how to plant for pollinators and beneficial insects, how to improve soil health & encourage mycorrhizal relationships, and more. 

We value diversity of experience and autonomy in our working environment. Thus, interns will have the opportunity to work across their areas of interest to gain as many hands-on experiences as they desire.

For students seeking internships for academic credit, we will work with your school or university to ensure your work will meet those requirements. A written recommendation from the intern’s direct supervisor will be provided upon successful completion of the internship. Finally, interns will receive a one-year membership to RSF at no cost.

Requirements and qualifications:
Current or former student in a relevant area of study preferred.
Interest in/passion for community mutual aid and community autonomy.
Interest in/passion for plants & gardening.
Demonstrable past experience, whether work, volunteer, or relevant course of study desired but not required.

Applicants pursuing careers in plant breeding, sustainable landscape design, urban ecosystem restoration, biology, or who simply wish to learn to grow their own food would all be great fits for this internship.

Schedule and duration:
10 hours per week from 15 April to 15 October (though we can be flexible on either duration or weekly hours for the right candidate). Weekly schedule will be set based on the availability of the successful candidates and Rhythm Seed’s directors.

Application procedure:
Submit your application by clicking the button below or at the top of the page and filling the application form. Short-listed candidates will be contacted for supplementary application materials and interviews as needed.