Vacant job

Job Responsibilities:

We now need to complement the workforce with someone who wants to contribute to the development of the cultural reserve Stensjö by. This is a unique opportunity to participate in the development work and work towards the cultural historical vision, together with colleagues on site and with the support of management councils and external expertise. Throughout the changing seasons, you will help to recreate the experience of traditional small-scale farming in the Småland forest region.

The position involves primary responsibility for agriculture and animal husbandry in a landscape characterized by natural grazing, meadows, small fields, and large forest areas. All cultivation is organic. You should be prepared to take on supervisory responsibilities.

The permanent staff on the farm consists of four people with different areas of responsibility (agriculture, forestry, gardening, landscape), one of whom is responsible for the site with overall responsibility for the property. During the growing season, the workforce is supplemented with one to two seasonal workers. Animal supervision on weekends rotates among the staff so that work is done according to a schedule every third to fourth weekend. Common ongoing tasks consist of all tasks within an organic farm with a focus on cultural historical landscape care.

An important task is to continuously document the work being done. Knowledge dissemination about the uniqueness of Stensjö by to visitors and groups is also part of the job. Participation in management councils and ongoing contacts with the County Administrative Board regarding issues related to the cultural reserve is included, as well as administrative work and contacts with authorities related to the tasks, such as EU and other applications, reporting, and registration. Programs used at Stensjö include Dataväxt, Växa Sverige, CDB, Elitlamm, etc.

About Stensjö by

Stensjö by encompasses 576 hectares, of which 14 hectares are arable land, 81 hectares are pasture, 417 hectares are forest, and 44 hectares are wasteland. The large contiguous areas of natural grazing land are characteristic of Stensjö by. A typical feature is the kilometer-long stone fences that enclose fields, pastures, and paths. Small fields, meadows, grazing areas, and outfields with forest grazing characterize the landscape. The village's great significance lies in the fact that the houses and properties form a unit that is original. The residential houses and farm buildings, totaling about 50, are clustered in a hamlet, which was common in many parts of Småland before the land consolidation was carried out in the 19th century.

In the village, there are about fifteen cows and one bull of the red cow breed, as well as about 30 Helsingland sheep, some pigs, and chickens. During the summer months, rented cows graze in the forest pastures. The field cultivation consists of forage, potatoes, and cultural crops, mainly older cereal varieties but also flax. The land has been farmed organically since the Academy of Letters took over the property in the 1960s.

Since 2020, Stensjö by has been a cultural reserve. The management plan aims to show Stensjö as it was at the turn of the century in 1900. The types of land that existed at that time should be well represented in the form of pastures, fodder fields, gardens, old-fashioned fields with cereal crops, natural meadows, and forest pastures. A long-term effort is underway where the management plan is guiding with the goal of restoring an older land use. Stensjö by is to be developed into a knowledge and development center for historical landscape farming. The management plan can be found on the website under the tab Management Plan and Documents.

As support in the work, there is a management council that meets at Stensjö twice a year. The management council consists of 5–7 people with experience in practical landscape and garden care and building preservation, as well as representatives from relevant research areas. Administrative support such as finance, communication, etc., is available at the Academy of Letters' office in Stockholm.

Qualifications

Requirements for the position

• You must have documented, solid experience in crop production and animal husbandry
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with others
• Good communication skills in spoken and written Swedish
• Experience in administration and authority contacts regarding farm support, animal husbandry, EU applications, etc.
• Driver's license B

Meritorious

• Education in agriculture and animal husbandry
• Education/experience in organic farming with crop rotation
• Experience in leadership
• Education/experience in:
• Landscape care with a cultural historical focus, scything
• Working with horses
• Forestry with methods that avoid clear-cutting
• Machine maintenance
• Building preservation/property maintenance with a heritage focus
• Experience in museum activities and outreach, public activities
• Basic interest and knowledge of small-scale farming; nature, history, and culture, and preferably more specifically about Småland conditions
• Driver's license BE
• Chainsaw license A and B
• Hunting license

Personal qualities

We place great emphasis on personal suitability. You can work independently and intensely when required, but also be a good colleague and collaborator with Stensjö's best interests in mind in all internal and external contexts. You have a strong sense of responsibility and can flexibly switch between different tasks.

Employment and other information about the job

The position is a permanent full-time employment that begins with a six-month probationary period. The work involves scheduled working hours where work on evenings, weekends, and holidays is included. The Academy applies individual salary setting. The workplace is Stensjö by, 10 km north of Oskarshamn. Accommodation in Stensjö by is available.

The Academy of Letters' office is located in Stockholm. Support functions such as finance, administration, communication, IT support, archives, etc., are available there. The property manager, who is the immediate supervisor, has their main workplace in Stockholm but is present at Stensjö by several times a year. In between, meetings and contact occur via Teams and phone.

Collaboration and meetings with colleagues at other cultural properties occur regularly, including during joint property meetings twice a year.

The members of the Academy of Letters have a great interest in cultural properties, and many regularly visit Stensjö by. There is guest accommodation for them at each cultural property, which allows for overnight stays.