Lakota Teaching Garden Steward TEMP

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How to Apply Please submit the following as one document to Preciouse Trujillo at email protected

Letter expressing background and experience that makes you a good candidate for the position as well as why you are interested in serving five hours a week as a Lakota Teaching Garden Steward

Job Summary

NOTE: This position is located in Pine Ridge, SD, and only available for applicants living in the Pine Ridge, SD area.

Position Summary

The Lakota Teaching Garden Steward is responsible for sustaining the daily life, health, and continuity of the Lakota teaching garden, ensuring that this land-based healing and food sovereignty space remains alive, cared for, and available to the community. The primary responsibility of this role is the physical stewardship and seasonal maintenance of the garden.

Depending on interest and availability, the Steward may also provide optional support to community programs that use the garden for healing, cultural, and youth wellness activities. However, the core purpose of this position is to keep the garden thriving, so that programming can occur now and in the future.

Why This Role Matters

The Teaching Garden Steward protects the long-term sustainability of a community-owned healing space that supports Indigenous wellness, food sovereignty, and violence prevention. By keeping the garden alive, this role preserves a living infrastructure that strengthens community resilience and makes future programming possible.

Responsibilities

Primary Responsibilities

Core Role: Garden Stewardship & Sustainability

• Maintain daily and seasonal garden operations, planting, watering, weeding, fertilizing, composting, mulching, and harvesting
• Seed saving and winterization
• Support traditional and Indigenous growing practices
• Monitor garden health and address issues related to soil, pests, and plant vitality
• Maintain cleanliness, safety, and accessibility of the garden space
• Track basic garden supplies and coordinate seasonal planning

Optional: As-Available Position Duties

• Dependent on interest, availability, and program scheduling
• Assist with preparation of the garden for group gatherings, meals, or cultural activities
• Support Elders, instructors, or staff during land-based or wellness programming
• Help youth and families engage with gardening and harvesting
• Support basic documentation and communication with program staff

Participation in programming is welcomed but not required.

Desired Qualifications

• Strong connection to Indigenous community and/or Tribal Nation
• Experience with gardening, farming, or land stewardship
• Reliable self-directed and comfortable working outdoors
• Respect for Lakota cultural values and land-based practices
• Desire to support community healing and food sovereignty

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time and for any reason throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

• Pay is $18 per hour
• Hours will vary and may include evenings, weekends, early mornings, in addition to normal business hours, up to five hours a week (May to October)
• Candidates must be currently eligible to work in the United States, as we are currently unable to sponsor visas for this job opening.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.