Staff Vacancies

Join the team

Sunseed is run by voluntary staff members. Coordinators' contracts last for a year, while assistants come for 3 or 6 months (both can be extended). You will find the upcoming vacancies and the general work conditions below.

If you are interested in a certain position, please do apply as eventually it will be open.

Now recruiting:

Ecosystem Restoration Coordinator

Work in the Ecosystem Restoration Department department is very varied and challenging. Historically, the project has focused on the study of both native and exotic plants adapted to semi arid environments. Nowadays, the department´s objectives are focused on environmental education, conservation and regeneration of local vegetal communities through sustainable and respectful methods. We look for techniques that allow and encourage the development of local vegetation and of long-term increases in biodiversity and stability.

The department’s priority is to educate and teach visitors and volunteers about the semi-arid environment, its plants and processes, give environmental education, explain the geography and ecology of the surroundings and teach low-tech methods in Eco system restoration.

Technological limitations means that adaptability and originality are necessary factors when designing experiments and projects of action. The department has basic facilities which include a library of past records, a seed bank and a digital herbarium in development.

Core responsibilities:

Implement and monitor a management plan for land restoration while fighting erosion, drought and restoring vegetal cover of the land.
Maintain a low-tech tree nursery, ensuring the appropriate production of trees and shrubs for use in the drylands development.
Incorporating volunteers into the work and methodology and development of their own projects to satisfactory completion.
Writing and supervising the production of reports, documenting larger projects, preparing projects proposals, producing literature.
Maintain tools, instruct on their proper use and apply safety rules

Other responsibilities:

Maintain and build walls, paths, steps, fences and boundary markers.
Use low impact, sustainable methods of composting, safe wastewater management and erosion control.
Vegetation management including planting, pruning and harvesting.
Keeping clear records of the boundaries of our various parcels of land, of their geology, hydrology and plant cover, and of how they are changing over time.
Communicating our aims to a wide audience, online, in the village and elsewhere.

Requirements:

Experience and knowledge of drylands management, land resoration, water management and/or any related areas.
Tolerance of hard physical work in hot conditions.
Ability to lead and motivate volunteers, who range from those with a wealth of experience to those with little or none.
Ability to work in co-operation with other departments.

The Administration Coordinator is responsible for oversight on the legal requirements, the finances and recruitment procedures of the project. The Administration Coordinator cooperates at the same time with other members of the Office Team to enhance inclusive decision-making, take care of people’s well-being and general project management.

Core Responsibilities

Devise and keep up to date a system of financial control, monthly reporting of expenses and income to staff and trustees.
Predict income and examine expenditure to identify areas where more resources are required.
Induct new staff, making sure everyone has the necessary information about how Sunseed works and their role in it.
Supervise bookings, arrivals, volunteer experiences and general requests together with the Office Assistant.
Manage legal documents including insurances, taxes, deeds, local facilities, contracts and agreements, etc.

Shared Responsibilities

Liaise with the rest of the Office Team to manage the office, ensure the production of written reports and the high level of learning for all at Sunseed.
Have an overview of the operation of the project and departmental activities to inform staff in order to enhance collective decision making and short-term and long-term planning.
Monitor project well-being, and look to ways to enhance the Sunseed experience, supervising and supporting smooth running of the project, monitoring social sustainability and leading conflict resolution when necessary.
Supply regular reports to the Board of Trustees both in written form and verbally at Trustee meetings.
Represent Sunseed in the village and outside of Sunseed.
Collating all suggestions from the Sunseed community to inform the Annual Strategy.
Oversee Health and Safety and risk assessments with other coordinators.

Requirements

Commitment to promoting low-impact living
Excellent organisational abilities and financial acumen
Good communication skills (including the ability to work as part of a closely integrated team), confidence, sensitivity, patience and open-mindedness to work with all members of the group
Ability to set targets, identify priorities and monitor progress
Be highly flexible – willing to work ‘out of hours’ when needs must
Ability to delegate and supervise volunteers
Ability to live in a basic communal environment with limited resources and the desire to live and work closely with community members
Ability to document and evaluate work

Desirable Skills

Previous knowledge of NGO administration
An understanding of organisational structures, particularly non-hierarchical organisations and those in the third sector
Good spoken Spanish and English (and/or other European Language)
Experience of Health and Safety issues

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Upcoming vacancies:

Education Coordinator (Mar ’20)

The Education Coordinator is responsible for developing the overall educational aspect of Sunseed Desert Technology for volunteers and staff, as well as connecting to networks, potential funding sources, other organisations and educational institutions and individuals on a local, national and international level. This position involves close collaboration within the Office Team and all other Coordinators to ensure that Sunseed’s development as an educational center of experiential/informal learning, through the delivery of successful educational experiences, both internally and externally, is met. The work is diverse and wide-ranging, depending on the skills and knowledge of the successful candidate.

Responsibilities:

Support the successful completion of the European Voluntary Service programme
Facilitation of paperwork and other aspects of internship programs e.g. Erasmus+
Researching educational strategies, activities and programmes
Networking with local education institutions and projects
Making and maintaining relationships with Universities, student associations and other educational groups, etc.
Represent Sunseed in public events, such as talks and conferences
Organize educational activities such as courses, workshops, open days, external visits, school visits, group visits, guided tours, seminars
Develop and oversee a working mentoring system for volunteers and staff at Sunseed
Encourage the development of monitoring and evaluation of activities and learning processes
Encourage the participation of staff members in courses and seminars for their further skill development

Other responsibilities:

Maintaining and improving signs around the project
Conducting tours and giving information to visitors
Organising activities for volunteers within the education department
Monitoring and recording internships and feedback forms
Maintaining files of important contact information on different organisations/networks, materials etc. and ensuring they are properly archived
Writing blogs and articles related to the educational activity at Sunseed
Researching and writing grant applications to funding sources
Organising fundraising events
Ensuring that all interns and long term volunteers receive Sunseed certificates

Requirements:

Commitment to promoting low-impact living and environmental education.
Confident in public speaking, workshop delivery and facilitation with young people.
Initiative and creativity to explore new opportunities, networks and ideas.
Excellent communication skills, including ability to work as part of a closely-integrated team; patience and open mindedness to work with all members of the Sunseed community in a non-hierarchical organisational method
Excellent spoken English and Spanish

Sustainable Living Coordinator (Apr ’20)

The Sustainable Living department coordinates the smooth running of Sunseed’s low-impact lifestyle. The department ensures that all visitors contribute to it through shared cooking and household duties. The department is central to educating all volunteers in everyday low-impact, sustainable living and bringing awareness to the no chemical policy. The Sustainable Living Coordinator implements the Sunseed Food Policy to ensure an ethical, healthy, vegetarian diet. It is a very broad role involving many different tasks and getting to the core of community life, keeping the focus on the importance of an integrated and environmentally-aware lifestyle.

Core responsibilities:

Household

Overseeing the smooth running of Sunseed’s low-impact household
Orientating the volunteers on their arrival and educating them in low-impact living
Organizing the accommodation and the communal area
Supervising hygiene, health and safety, cleanliness, tidiness
Publishing and updating rotas, notices and routines
Implementing and encouraging no-chemical policy
Making organic soap and toothpaste

Food Management

Overseeing the implementation of the Sunseed Food Policy
Promoting solar and energy-efficient cooking
Overseeing the SL assistant in the smooth running of the kitchen and food storage
Preserving excess produce from the gardens
Foraging wild plants and promote their use
Processing olives and almonds
Baking bread

Other responsibilities:

Organizing Sunseed’s presence at local markets and festivals
Documenting and evaluating work undertaken

Organic Gardens Coordinator (May ’20)

Specific techniques in horticulture are required to work the terrace system, irrigated by an irrigation channel that dates back to the Moorish era. The project currently cares for twelve gardens which produce a wide range of food crops such as tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, garlic, broad beans etc as well as herbs and fruit.

The role of the gardens are:

To provide food for the project
Education and research
To improve environmental integration by maximizing the cycling of our waste materials.
Our gardens are run strictly according to organic principles. Careful soil management is especially important because of the type of soil (alkaline) and the effects of flood irrigation. Our soil is maintained using compost made on site and manures. No artificial chemicals are used, neither to increase fertility nor combat pests.
Working in the gardens is always popular with volunteers (therefore the Gardens Coordinator needs to be able to work and communicate effectively with a wide range of people).

Core Responsibilities

Running a department, advising and working with other departments in a busy project
Planning and monitoring a departmental budget
Assisting and supervising volunteers
Documenting work done
Monitoring crop yield
Planning work to fit in the projects general activities
Tool safety, instructing on proper tool use, ensuring unsafe tools are not used
Liaising with staff and trustees as required, including regular written reports
Liaising with other organic growers and organisations
Planning and production of vegetables and fruit on irrigated terraces
Using a mixture of methods such as crop rotation, companion planting, inter-cropping
Planning sowing and transplanting times
Preparing beds and some tree care
Greenhouse Management
Propagating plants under cover etc
Soil Management
starting and maintaining compost heaps
crop selection
mulching
proper irrigation techniques
Nutrient Cycling
managing humanure
storing and using urine
preparing liquid feeds from local plants
Pest Control
using organic methods for prevention and treatment
Innovation and Research
Trialling and developing effective gardening techniques to meet local conditions
co-operating with other departments to trial research projects
supervising innovative volunteer projects
Education and Documentation
Running and contributing to Sunseed courses
Conducting tours of the department
Overseeing volunteers projects
Maintaining up to date information
Production of written materials in the form of reports, leaflets, web pages, articles etc
Supervision of placement students and working visitors
Incorporating volunteers into the work and methodology and development of their own projects to satisfactory completion
Administration
Writing and supervising the production of reports, documenting larger projects, preparing projects proposals, producing literature
Inter-departmental co-operation
Work as a team to ensure the smooth running of Sunseed

Requirements

Experience and knowledge of all aspects of organic growing
Tolerance of hard physical work in hot conditions
Ability to lead and motivate volunteers, who range from those with a wealth of experience to those with little or none
Ability to work in co-operation with other departments

Required skills:

Commitment to Sunseed’s vision, mission and goals
Commitment to environmental stewardship and social change
Willingness to share knowledge and ideas and encourage learning, teaching and community integration
Ability to give short talks and guided tours
Ability to be flexible, co-operative and welcoming to all visitors
Ability to provide mentoring for visitors and supervise their projects
Good communication skills, good spoken and written English

Desirable skills:

Some knowledge of Spanish and willingness to improve language skills
If over 25, a full driving license valid for driving in Spain
Non-violent communication, sociocracy and facilitation knowledge

Benefits

Vegeterian food

Locally sourced mostly organic food included

Paid holidays

12 days of paid bank holidays per year

Amenities

Internet, cosmetics, detergents, library, etc. provided

Scenic landscape

Unique location within a natural reserve with a natural pool

Coordinator

€ 210

Monthly

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Contract of 12-24 months
Accommodation: basic single room
2 paid days off a month
150€ travel assistance at the end of each contract year

All staff are responsible for their own insurance and up-to-date tetanus jabs.

Assistant

€ 15 / 30*

Monthly

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Contract of 3-6 months
Accommodation: basic shared room
40€ travel assistance at the end
2 days paid holidays per month

*15€/month for the first 3 months, 30€/month afterwards.

Committing to Sunseed

Living at Sunseed as a community member means more than simply doing your job well. You will be expected to put your environment first and personal needs second.

You will be expected to take part fully in community life, relevant meetings and to assist in duties that are outside of your post like sharing communal duties such as cooking and cleaning, as well as setting a good example in areas such as enthusiasm, safe practices, punctuality and socialising.

All staff participate in the planning and implementation of tasks in their department and contribute to the overall longer-term strategic development of the project.

All staff are responsible for supervising volunteers and implementing the Health and Safety guidelines in all activities. This is of the utmost importance for staff involved in supervising unskilled volunteers in potentially hazardous situations.

All staff are expected to follow and oversee Sunseed’s mission and policies (vegetarian, no-chemical, no-drug), procedures (grievance) and agreements (communal).

Do you think you would fit in with the Sunseed team?

APPLY NOW

Staff Vacancies

Join the team

Sunseed is run by voluntary staff members. Coordinators' contracts last for a year, while assistants come for 3 or 6 months (both can be extended). You will find the upcoming vacancies and the general work conditions below.

If you are interested in a certain position, please do apply as eventually it will be open.

Now recruiting:

Ecosystem Restoration Coordinator

The department’s priority is to educate and teach visitors and volunteers about the semi-arid environment, its plants and processes, give environmental education, explain the geography and ecology of the surroundings and teach low-tech methods in Eco system restoration.

Technological limitations means that adaptability and originality are necessary factors when designing experiments and projects of action. The department has basic facilities which include a library of past records, a seed bank and a digital herbarium in development.

Core responsibilities:

Other responsibilities:

Requirements:

Communication Coordinator

Key tasks

Requirements

Desirable skills

Administration Coordinator

Upcoming vacancies:

Education Coordinator (Mar ’20)

Responsibilities:

Other responsibilities:

Sustainable Living Coordinator (Apr ’20)

Core responsibilities:

Other responsibilities:

Organic Gardens Coordinator (May ’20)

The role of the gardens are:

Core Responsibilities

Requirements

Experience and knowledge of all aspects of organic growingTolerance of hard physical work in hot conditionsAbility to lead and motivate volunteers, who range from those with a wealth of experience to those with little or noneAbility to work in co-operation with other departments

Required skills:

Desirable skills:

Benefits

Vegeterian food

Paid holidays

Amenities

Scenic landscape

Coordinator

Assistant

Committing to Sunseed

Do you think you would fit in with the Sunseed team?

Experience and knowledge of all aspects of organic growing
Tolerance of hard physical work in hot conditions
Ability to lead and motivate volunteers, who range from those with a wealth of experience to those with little or none
Ability to work in co-operation with other departments