Statewide Agroecologist - Ipswich MA

Join The Trustees as an Agroecologist!

The Opportunity.

The Trustees operate 5 production farms with over 1,500 CSA members, 4 farm stores and a Mobile Market program. We raise 100% grass-fed and pastured livestock and grow certified organic mixed vegetables, flowers and herbs. In addition to these public farms, The Trustees owns over 3,500 acres in farmland across the state of Massachusetts. The Trustees is focused on modeling regenerative agricultural practices for profitable agroecosystems that are diverse, resilient and productive.

Trustees Farm properties are open to the public through robust engagement programing such as summer camps, school trips, adult workshops and on-site culinary experiences featuring our vegetables, herbs, eggs, meats and dairy products.

We are seeking a qualified and experienced agroecologist to build capacity on our agriculture team which includes field crop production and grassland management for livestock grazing, haymaking and native biodiversity. This position reports to our Director of Agriculture, working collaboratively with and supporting both the Agriculture team and our Coast and Natural Resources team, deepening understanding and fluency of agroecological approaches and practices while incorporating into annual and daily operational work.

The agroecologist is responsible for research design, data collection and analysis as related to production agriculture, farmland management and conservation ecology. This position will work closely with our field crop and livestock managers to provide recommendations for implementing agroecological approaches to farming that balance profits, wildlife habitats, soil health, water quality, and carbon capture as well as measuring tradeoffs in conservation of native species and agricultural production.

Essential Functions:

  • Agroecological research design and implementation
  • Conduct data collection in all aspects of agroecological research including:
    • Soil samples
    • Livestock growth rates
    • Grass height and stocking rates, movement
    • Feed quality
    • Vegetation diversity and abundance including invasive species
    • Grassland bird point counts
    • Water sampling
  • Map, enter into database, and analyze all data collected
  • Conduct analysis of data
  • Present results of research in written and oral formats
  • Work regularly and collaboratively with production farmers, side-by-side to understand operations, limitations and potential for incorporating new practices or asking particular questions through research
  • Make recommendations and assist in implementing agroecological practices
  • Application of agroecological and regenerative agricultural practices
  • Support Soil Health Management Plans across farms by building fluency with agroecological approaches that support production
  • Provide leadership and technical workshopping with agriculture and ecology teams
  • Quantity tradeoffs and identify opportunities for symbiosis in ag production and conservation ecology
  • Identify practices and principles for increasing carbon sequestration and storage on agricultural land
  • Work collaboratively with partners to support and promote agroecology in the region
  • Other tasks and duties as assigned, such as assisting with development of educational program content