Indoor Farming Technician

Impact Justice advances safety, justice, and opportunity through boundary-breaking work that honors and empowers people and is changing expectations about what we can accomplish together. We imagine, build, and scale innovations, leverage research and other knowledge to connect the desire for change with informed action, and work to shift the narrative so that decision-makers and the public understand what’s at stake and what’s possible.

About Growing Justice

Growing Justice is a growing program within Impact Justice. It was inspired by Impact Justice’s 2020 series Eating Behind Bars, which documents the unhealthy, degrading quality of food in prisons nationwide. Growing Justice has partnered with AmplifiedAg, an agriculture technology company, to establish a vertical farm at the Impact Justice headquarters office in Oakland, CA. In addition to the Oakland site, Impact Justice operates container farms on the grounds of Camille Graham Correctional Center (Columbia, South Carolina), and Central California Women's Facility (Chowchilla, California). Each site aims to produce thousands of pounds of nutrient-rich leafy greens each year. The Growing Justice training program in Oakland engages paid trainees in classroom education and hands-on learning opportunities to help operate and manage the vertical farm.

Program Overview

Growing Justice is a hands-on training program that prepares participants for entry-level roles in vertical farming and other aspects of agriculture and horticulture. No prior experience is required - only curiosity, reliability, and a willingness to learn. The program runs for 100 hours total, split into approximately 6 hours per week over 20 weeks. Participants who successfully complete the program will receive a Food Safety Certification and a Certificate of Completion recognizing their achievement and readiness for work in the agricultural technology sector. Additionally, participants will be supported by job placement in the agriculture and food sector upon successful completion of the program.

Who You Are

This is a new project and a new position. Ideally, you are interested in agriculture, food production, and/or food justice. You have a vision of what food justice can and should look like for those that experience incarceration, or have been impacted by the justice system. You will also have an interest in pursuing careers in climate-smart agriculture, food systems, ag tech, and related fields. This program aims to engage formerly-incarcerated individuals, or someone who has a family member or loved one who is or has been incarcerated, or otherwise has direct experience with the criminal legal or juvenile legal systems.

What You Will Do

• Commit to attending training 6 hours a week, approximately 3 hours a day, from 9:00am-12:00pm on Mondays, and Tuesdays OR Thursdays.
• Attendance includes participation in paid weekly classroom instruction, on-the-job training in the vertical farm, and individual project work.
• Grow leafy greens: seeding, transplanting, and harvesting in the hydroponic farm.
• Post-harvest quality control: cleaning, weighing, packing the leafy greens
• Monitor and maintain environmental factors for optimal plant growth (temperature, humidity, air movement, lighting)
• Monitor and maintain plant nutrition and water quality
• Maintain a food safe environment: cleaning and sanitizing tools, equipment, plant production system, floors, walls, and mechanical equipment
• Organize storage and inventory of supplies
• Report observations, including plant abnormalities and technical system issues, to Site Supervisor
• Perform all tasks while upholding high safety and food safety standards
• May include other duties as assigned
• Work in a team setting to achieve tasks collaboratively, efficiently, safely, and respectfully.

Required Qualifications

• A commitment to contributing to a more humane, responsive, and restorative system of justice in our nation
• Ability to work with diverse communities and individuals- across, race, ethnicity, sexual preference, ability, age, gender identity, class, criminal legal experience etc.
• Collaborative nature and track record of teamwork
• Critical thinking skills, resourcefulness, and ability to problem-solve
• General education degree (GED) required.
• Language Skills: English proficiency is required. Individuals should have the ability to read, write and comprehend simple instructions. The individual should have the ability to communicate with other individuals within the organization.
• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide basic functions.
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out written or oral instructions.
• Ability to follow detailed instructions.

That said, we know there are great candidates who may not think they fit into what we’ve described above or who have important skills we haven’t thought of. If that is you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself! And if you’re a formerly incarcerated individual or someone who has a family member or loved one who is or has been incarcerated, or otherwise have direct experience with the criminal legal or juvenile legal systems, we will be particularly excited to hear from you.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a trainee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. This job will take place indoors, in a traditional office setting. However, since part of this job includes indoor farm operations, there is a high likelihood of trainees getting wet in the farm; this is necessary for growing plants hydroponically and maintaining a food safe environment. The trainees are occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This position is required to wear PPE 100% of the time spent in the farm. This may include: gloves, jackets or other clothing covers, boots or slip resistant shoes, eye protection, face masks. This position requires measuring and handling chemical cleaners and plant nutrients which may require wearing additional specific PPE. The classroom instruction will be conducted in a traditional office setting.

The candidate should be located near Oakland, CA or willing to relocate and be able to work on-site. Due to the hands-on nature of the role, we are not considering remote staff for this position.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the trainee is required to stand, perform repetitive hand tasks (gripping, pinching, pulling), and reach with hands and arms. The trainee frequently is required to walk and talk or hear. The trainee is required to bend, sit, stoop, kneel, or crouch. The trainee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a temporary, part-time, hourly position. The position will be paid $22/hr. This is a 20-week program. The benefits that come with working at Impact Justice include wellness time, access to a commuter Flex Spending Account, and financial planning support. Trainees will also receive food safety certification (ServSafe), and certificate of completion from Impact Justice.

The application deadline is April 24, 2026. The anticipated start date for the position is late June, 2026. We plan on making decisions on a rolling basis, so the earlier you apply the better.

Hiring Process

Elements of the Impact Justice hiring process will include the electronic application and a phone or video interview. Candidates are welcome to ask for alternative arrangements in the process if needed (for example, conducting an interview via phone rather than Zoom). Impact Justice will do our best to accommodate reasonable requests. Please communicate any alternative arrangements requested via the hiring email listed above.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Impact Justice provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race/ethnicity, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, criminal history, or disability.

The benefits that come with working at Impact Justice include wellness time, access to a commuter Flex Spending Account, and financial planning support. Trainees will also receive food safety certification (ServSafe), and certificate of completion from Impact Justice.