Permaculture Agronomist Internship

About Siciliamia and the Permaculture Internship  Siciliamia is an internationally diverse startup based in southern Sicily. We focus on permaculture, villa rentals and gastronomy that enhance Sicily's social, economic, and ecological well-being.

Siciliamia is looking for a permaculture intern to help us monitor and develop an 18-hectare permaculture property, overlooking Ragusa, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our project is in an early stage of development and is an excellent opportunity for those interested in getting in at the ground level. We welcome anyone with a background in permaculture, ecology, botany, horticulture and/or related areas, and a commitment to ecosystem health and restoration. This is a 4-9 months internship based out of Ragusa, Sicily. Please see below for further information.

Job description 1. Establish ecosystem baseline by cataloging site flora and fauna as well as the qualities of desired plants (growth speed, seeding capacity, etc).
2. Monitor and record ecosystem changes over time through:
o Careful, periodic observations of flora and fauna health and climatic data; and

o Conducting soil health metrics, such as water infiltration and percolation tests, basal

ground cover, etc.

o Researching native plant communities; and

o Sharing your observations of the land and experiments we undertake, as well as your

ideas and suggestions based on how the site is evolving. 4. Support on-ground development of the site by:
o Helping establish critical supply sources. Work may include reaching out to, visiting suppliers for, and securing seeds, plants, composts, and other supplies and equipment as needed; collecting native seeds; and developing compost and trial nursery;

o Helping implement windbreaks, food and timber forest, and agricultural plant communities, as time permits.

o Monitoring and caring for any implementation undertaken.

5. Carry out other project duties as needed (due to the nature of the work, we cannot predict all
project needs in advance).

This internship will take place in Ragusa and the length is 4-9 months and starts August 2024 Requirements Advanced level of spoken and written English. Knowledge of Italian and Silician language is a plus.
Experience in and/or completed coursework in ecosystem restoration, permaculture, syntropic farming, agro-forestry, regenerative farming, and/or related area(s).
Love and curiosity about nature.
Proven track record and/or ability to demonstrate personal reliability and teamwork;
Consistently do what they say they will do; Proactively communicate with those impacted by their work.
Independently manage their time to complete work in a quality manner;
Ask for help when needed and look for opportunities to support the whole team to achieve goals.
Is organized, detail-oriented, and flexible.
Is able to safely do fieldwork, including lifting up to 20 kilos.
Possesses intermediate skills in using computers and office productivity software (e.g., email,Word, Powerpoint, etc.).
What We Offer and Commit to Our Intern

Housing in beautiful Ragusa Ibla for the duration of the internship.
Hands-on experience building an agro-tourism site and working with nature.
Opportunity to work with an international, English-speaking team, of which there are two:
An offsite permaculture design team (which will be the primary team you will work with); and
An onsite team involved in villa rentals and other aspects of the business (which you will interact with socially and as needed).
Professional development, including knowledge sharing / training, feedback on work, and professional guidance with our permaculture design team.
Exposure to how startups work from the inside.
Your Commitments

You are available for 4-9-months and will commit up to 40 hours weekly to the internship.
You have represented your qualifications truthfully.
You will partner with us to create the best outcome for the project and your development as we possibly can.
You will be responsible for covering your food expenses and accommodation costs.
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