Please send your resume and a one-page cover letter to jobs@funga.earth with the subject line "Nursery Ops Crew Member - [Your Name]". Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only applications sent in via email (not job board) will be considered.

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This is a part-time position based in Austin, TX. Starting hourly rate is $23 per hour.

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About Funga

Funga is a public benefit corporation harnessing forest fungal networks to address the climate crisis. We combine modern DNA sequencing and machine learning technology with breakthrough research on the forest microbiome to put the right native, biodiverse communities of mycorrhizal fungi in the right place. This leads to more quality wood created more quickly, more carbon sequestered, and more resilient forests. We serve land partners seeking to implement regenerative forestry practices that improve productivity and sustainability, and corporate carbon buyers building high-quality carbon removal portfolios with strong social and biodiversity outcomes. We’re a team of passionate scientists and builders on a mission to draw down at least three gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2050.

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About the Role

Years of research and in-field trials have gone into developing this powerful technology for improving the health and performance of forestry projects, which are vital to addressing many of our current crises. We are in the middle of a climate crisis, and Funga can pull down tens-of-millions tons of additional CO2e every year. We are in a global shortage of timber and building materials, and Funga can accelerate the delivery of board-feet in a way that improves managed forest ecologies, rather than destroys them. The current extinction crisis has roots underground where sub-soil ecologies have been destroyed and homogenized. Funga aims to catalogue and restore foundational soil biodiversity. Global businesses and governments need high-quality carbon removal solutions to enable to emissions reduction and net zero goals. Funga is building a new class of sustainable, high-quality carbon removal with the potential to achieve enormous scale in the next five to ten years.

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We are hiring a part-time Nursery Operations Crew Member to support the buildout of our new inoculation program. This role is a part-time opportunity and is based in Austin, TX.

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If you are excited by starting new things, learning as you go, and being hands-on in applying your experience to the climate crisis, you will dig working with us. We encourage you to apply even if only some of the below criteria are met - just make sure to tell us why you’re excited about Funga!

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What You Will Do

• Commit to up to 15 hours a week.

• Work collaboratively with Funga Forest Inoculation Engineer to set up trials, execute trials, and collect data from trials.

• Label samples and prep them for trials.

• Mix soil slurries and inoculate loblolly pine tree seedlings.

• Ensure the growth and survival of pine seedlings.

• Properly plant, repot, water, and care for pine seedlings using hand and gardening tools.

• Inspect plants to asses quality and health; identify signs of disease or pests.

• Maintain clean work areas, grounds, and landscaping.

• Keep inventory of supplies; ensure nursery supplies are organized, stocked, and reordered as needed.

• Maintain well-documented records and logs of trials conducted, data collected, and background details and notes of trials, watering schedule, and products used.

• Handle incoming and outgoing shipments.

• Support in propagating plants from seed and oversee germination and stratification.

• Support with data analysis as needed.

• Support with processing samples for soil and root analysis and microscopy work.

• Other duties as assigned.

 

Our Ideal Candidate Will Have

• High School Diploma or AA in Science Education.

• Prior nursery or garden experience.

• Experience with plant care, horticulture, soil microbiology, soil science, farming, agriculture, or ecology.

• A thorough understanding of plants (specifically loblolly pine) and their care and growing condition needs.

• Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of walking, standing, lifting, and moving items

• Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds at a time

• Must be able to push, pull, bend, lift, stretch, and climb in order to care for plants and arrange them within the nursery

• Perform work outdoors for prolonged periods of time

• Your unique strengths - if you don't match everything we're looking for, tell us why you'd be a great fit in your cover letter!

 

We expect you to

• Bring a passion for ecology, biodiversity, and addressing climate change.

• Take ownership of all project work from end-to-end.

• Communicate, develop, and document all work with painstaking detail.

• Be reliable, accountable, effective, and efficient.

• Ability to execute repetitive work accurately and efficiently.

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