Job Description
Farm Animal Caretaker – Plumstead Township, PA
An animal sanctuary (Down To Earth Farm) for rescued farm animals is seeking a compassionate, trustworthy, positive, experienced, hard-working, mature, and responsible individual who is willing to provide a high standard of care for the animals (pigs, sheep, goats, cattle, and chickens) residing at the sanctuary. These farm animals are our pets are we are seeking someone who has that same mentality.
While working with these animals is rewarding and very enjoyable, it is demanding work that requires comfort working in a barn/farm setting that includes all weather conditions.
Candidates must be able to get to the farm in all weather (e.g., snow). This job will require lifting 50lb bags of feed, carrying 5 gallon buckets of water (short distance—hoses on location/at the barns), and 50-60+lb bales of hay without any difficulty.
The candidate must be familiar with basic animal health care. Comfort around animals 800+ pounds is a must. The pigs and cattle are very friendly, but they are very large!
The position will include letting the animals out/in. The morning shift starts at 8:30am and the evening shift starts 6-10pm (depending on season/weather). Weekend morning shifts and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evening shifts are what we are seeking most at this time (Monday-Friday +/- Weekends (some). Most shifts are 1.5 to 2.5 hours in duration.
The duties include feeding the animals (AM and PM feeding), cleaning stalls (remove waste, place new shavings, change waters, put on/off fans or heaters and lights as needed), and keep the barn neat and organized. Must be able to notice when an animal is not acting right (e.g., limping, not eating, injured, etc.). No other person (e.g., children, friends, etc.) or persons are permitted on the property without the approval of the farm owners.
There are additional opportunities on the farm if desires such as mowing if interested. Experience with operating a farm tractor (mowing fields, moving used shavings, and moving hay bales) and zero-turn mower a major plus.
Preference will be given to someone who is local (within 20-25 miles), has reliable transportation, and flexible as far as availability.
References will be requested if you are interested. Down To Earth Farm is a drug and smoke free environment and we ask that no meat food products be consumed on the property.
Please respond with a cover letter telling us why you want this job. Please send a resume as well.
Job Type: Part-time 2 to 3 hours/shift (about 5 shifts a week); Paid by Check (independent contractor), Pay Pal, credit Card or Venmo. If truly interested in a long-term part-time job with guaranteed hours, we could probably guarantee 15-20 hours/week as there are always things that need to be done on the farm.
Job Location: Plumstead Township, PA (Doylestown, PA)
Low-stress environment. These animals are very used to people and are friendly. We will train you in terms of caring for the animals.
Requirements:
· Driver’s license
· 18 years of age or older
· Available on weekday mornings. Availability for weekend/extended weekends/evenings (schedule will be provided well in advance; ability to cover some major holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years) is a plus, but nor required for all holidays.
· Proof of Medical Insurance or a waiver can be signed.
· Candidate is responsible for his/her own coveralls/boots etc. We ask that you have a set of boots and coveralls dedicated to this farm to prevent exposure to debris from other farms. These can be stored at the farm.
Interested:
· Please e-mail: dermatologyvet@gmail.com (If we feel the candidate is a good fit, we will set-up a visit to the farm. The candidate will be trained.
Check us out: https://www.facebook.com/Down2EarthFarm/
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: $22.00 - $25.00 per hour
Schedule:
- Evening shift
- Monday to Friday
- Weekends as needed
License/Certification:
- Driver's License (Required)
Work Location: In person