Sweet Briar College is a liberal arts college for women of consequence, located in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains approximately 12 miles north of Lynchburg and 54 miles south of Charlottesville. Founded in 1901, the College boasts a modern core curriculum focused on women’s leadership in the 21st century and undergraduate programs in the arts, sciences and humanities, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching. It is one of only two women’s colleges in the United States with an ABET-accredited engineering degree. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Sweet Briar College is committed to enhancing our community and encourages applications from qualified individuals with varied backgrounds, experiences and ideas who would increase the diversity of the College.
Job Summary/Objective: This job provides skilled tasks needed to care for the horses housed at the Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center with additional work to maintain the facilities under the guidelines of the Equine Studies Program.
Position Type/Expected Work Hours: Part-Time, flexible schedule to include weekends. Shifts may vary during the year due to the time of year and horse care needs. They may vary between the stable hours of 6:00 am to 9:00PM. Program activities may require changes to a schedule.
Competency: Excellent horsemanship/livestock skills. Applicants must be able to listen and follow directions and communicate effectively with co-workers and supervisors.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Assists with supervising student workers.
Essential Responsibilities (Other duties may be assigned):
- Care for horses to protect their health
- Feeding and watering horses,
- Basic equine first aid
- Bring in and turnout horses
- Cleans and beds stalls as needed
- Keep facility neat and clean at all times
- Maintains records and charts
- Laundry
- Blanketing Horses
Required Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must have previous experience with horses and/or livestock and be able to perform each essential duties satisfactorily with training. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- High school diploma/GED and experience handling horses or livestock.
- Must demonstrate competency in verbal and written English skills including grammar.
- Must be competent in general math.
- Horse Handling skills
- Grooming experience
- Must possess a strong work ethic, be reliable and take pride in the quality of the work they produce;
- Knowledge of safety practices, precautions and occupational hazards associated with farm work.
- Must possess excellent attention to details; must be a team player and interact collegially with co-workers and other constituencies.
- Must be a self-starter who can meet deadlines with limited supervision, handle multiple tasks effectively and remain flexible in a fast-moving setting.
- Reliable transportation
Preferred Qualifications:
- Driver’s license: ability to get and maintain Decision Driving Certificate through Sweet Briar College.
Work Environment: This position is at an Equine Facility with a combination of indoor and outdoor work. Employees must work in all temperatures and weather conditions with exposure to animals, hay and dust.
Physical Demands: Must be able to spend prolonged periods of time working in a dusty environment; able to reach, lift and carry at least 50 pounds on a regular basis; must be able to hear and make self-heard by co-workers and other constituencies; must be able to see to process work that the position is responsible for completing; must be able to work under deadlines and with constant interruptions. Must be able to reach and retrieve objects 5’6” high. Fitness and coordination must allow the applicant to walk, bend, lift and stand for several hours daily as well as safely control horses of all sizes, ages, and behavior types.
Other duties- This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.
The hourly range for this position is $15.00-$15.50 per hour. This is commensurate with education and experience and will be determined in accordance with institutional guidelines.
Skills Required
- Previous experience handling horses or livestock
- High school diploma or GED
- Competency in verbal and written English (including grammar)
- Competent in general math
- Horse handling skills (able to safely control horses of all sizes and behaviors)
- Grooming experience
- Knowledge of safety practices, precautions and occupational hazards associated with farm work
- Strong work ethic, reliability, and pride in quality of work
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to work collegially as a team player
- Self-starter able to meet deadlines, handle multiple tasks, and remain flexible with limited supervision
- Reliable transportation
- Ability to lift and carry at least 50 pounds regularly and perform physical tasks (walk, bend, stand for hours)
- Ability to reach and retrieve objects up to 5'6" high and work in dusty/outdoor conditions
- Driver's license / ability to obtain and maintain Decision Driving Certificate through Sweet Briar College
What We Do
Sweet Briar College is a private liberal arts and sciences college for women located in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Its mission is to prepare women (and men at the graduate level) to be productive, responsible members of a world community, focusing on personal and professional achievement through a customized educational program that combines the liberal arts and career preparation.
