diff --git a/.changeset/dirty-clocks-poke.md b/.changeset/dirty-clocks-poke.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3eb63ee7a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/dirty-clocks-poke.md
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-tasks': patch
+---
+
+`TaskScheduleDefinition` has been updated to also accept an options object containing duration information in the form of days, hours, seconds and so on. This allows for scheduling without importing `luxon`.
+
+```diff
+-import { Duration } from 'luxon';
+// omitted other code
+
+const schedule = env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
+-  frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
+-  timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
++  frequency: { minutes: 10 },
++  timeout: { minutes: 15 },
+   // omitted other code
+});
+```
diff --git a/.changeset/fast-stingrays-guess.md b/.changeset/fast-stingrays-guess.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..044dfff856
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fast-stingrays-guess.md
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+---
+'@backstage/create-app': patch
+---
+
+Simplified the search collator scheduling by removing the need for the `luxon` dependency.
+
+For existing installations the scheduling can be simplified by removing the `luxon` dependency and using the human friendly duration object instead.
+Please note that this only applies if luxon is not used elsewhere in your installation.
+
+`packages/backend/package.json`
+
+```diff
+     "express": "^4.17.1",
+     "express-promise-router": "^4.1.0",
+-    "luxon": "^2.0.2",
+```
+
+`packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts`
+
+```diff
+ import { Router } from 'express';
+-import { Duration } from 'luxon';
+
+ // omitted other code
+
+   const schedule = env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
+-    frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
+-    timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
++    frequency: { minutes: 10 },
++    timeout: { minutes: 15 },
+     // A 3 second delay gives the backend server a chance to initialize before
+     // any collators are executed, which may attempt requests against the API.
+-    initialDelay: Duration.fromObject({ seconds: 3 }),
++    initialDelay: { seconds: 3 },
+   });
+```
diff --git a/docs/features/search/getting-started.md b/docs/features/search/getting-started.md
index 1557a29b53..66540bd096 100644
--- a/docs/features/search/getting-started.md
+++ b/docs/features/search/getting-started.md
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ import {
 import { PluginEnvironment } from '../types';
 import { DefaultCatalogCollator } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog-backend';
 import { Router } from 'express';
-import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 
 export default async function createPlugin(
   env: PluginEnvironment,
@@ -163,9 +162,9 @@ export default async function createPlugin(
   });
 
   const every10MinutesSchedule = env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-    frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
-    timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
-    initialDelay: Duration.fromObject({ seconds: 3 }),
+    frequency: { minutes: 10 },
+    timeout: { minutes: 15 },
+    initialDelay: { seconds: 3 },
   });
 
   indexBuilder.addCollator({
@@ -294,20 +293,18 @@ which are responsible for providing documents
 number of collators with the `IndexBuilder` like this:
 
 ```typescript
-import { Duration } from 'luxon';
-
 const indexBuilder = new IndexBuilder({ logger: env.logger, searchEngine });
 
 const every10MinutesSchedule = env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-  frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
-  timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
-  initialDelay: Duration.fromObject({ seconds: 3 }),
+  frequency: { minutes: 10 },
+  timeout: { minutes: 15 },
+  initialDelay: { seconds: 3 },
 });
 
 const everyHourSchedule = env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-  frequency: Duration.fromObject({ hours: 1 }),
-  timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 90 }),
-  initialDelay: Duration.fromObject({ seconds: 3 }),
+  frequency: { hours: 1 },
+  timeout: { minutes: 90 },
+  initialDelay: { seconds: 3 },
 });
 
 indexBuilder.addCollator({
@@ -332,9 +329,9 @@ a scheduled `TaskRunner` to pass into the `schedule` value, like this:
 
 ```typescript {3}
 const every10MinutesSchedule = env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-  frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
-  timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
-  initialDelay: Duration.fromObject({ seconds: 3 }),
+  frequency: { minutes: 10 },
+  timeout: { minutes: 15 },
+  initialDelay: { seconds: 3 },
 });
 
 indexBuilder.addCollator({
diff --git a/docs/features/software-catalog/external-integrations.md b/docs/features/software-catalog/external-integrations.md
index a344f478d7..d6353d1185 100644
--- a/docs/features/software-catalog/external-integrations.md
+++ b/docs/features/software-catalog/external-integrations.md
@@ -231,7 +231,6 @@ You should now be able to add this class to your backend in
 `packages/backend/src/plugins/catalog.ts`:
 
 ```diff
-+import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 +import { FrobsProvider } from '../path/to/class';
 
  export default async function createPlugin(
@@ -248,8 +247,8 @@ You should now be able to add this class to your backend in
 +  await env.scheduler.scheduleTask({
 +    id: 'run_frobs_refresh',
 +    fn: async () => { await frobs.run(); },
-+    frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 30 }),
-+    timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
++    frequency: { minutes: 30 },
++    timeout: { minutes: 10 },
 +  });
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/integrations/aws-s3/discovery.md b/docs/integrations/aws-s3/discovery.md
index 316b5c5014..5091b4057b 100644
--- a/docs/integrations/aws-s3/discovery.md
+++ b/docs/integrations/aws-s3/discovery.md
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ builder.addEntityProvider(
   ...AwsS3EntityProvider.fromConfig(env.config, {
     logger: env.logger,
     schedule: env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-      frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 30 }),
-      timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 3 }),
+      frequency: { minutes: 30 },
+      timeout: { minutes: 3 },
     }),
   }),
 );
diff --git a/docs/integrations/gerrit/discovery.md b/docs/integrations/gerrit/discovery.md
index 5cd1f6204b..b801f7b77a 100644
--- a/docs/integrations/gerrit/discovery.md
+++ b/docs/integrations/gerrit/discovery.md
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ builder.addEntityProvider(
   ...GerritEntityProvider.fromConfig(env.config, {
     logger: env.logger,
     schedule: env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-      frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 30 }),
-      timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 3 }),
+      frequency: { minutes: 30 },
+      timeout: { minutes: 3 },
     }),
   }),
 );
diff --git a/docs/integrations/ldap/org.md b/docs/integrations/ldap/org.md
index 355bd04227..e7028f34f1 100644
--- a/docs/integrations/ldap/org.md
+++ b/docs/integrations/ldap/org.md
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ schedule it:
 +      target: 'ldaps://ds.example.net',
 +      logger: env.logger,
 +      schedule: env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-+        frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 60 }),
-+        timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
++        frequency: { minutes: 60 },
++        timeout: { minutes: 15 },
 +      }),
 +    }),
 +  );
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/README.md b/packages/backend-tasks/README.md
index d170c323c8..b3c304eb34 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/README.md
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/README.md
@@ -15,14 +15,13 @@ then make use of its facilities as necessary:
 
 ```typescript
 import { TaskScheduler } from '@backstage/backend-tasks';
-import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 
 const scheduler = TaskScheduler.fromConfig(rootConfig).forPlugin('my-plugin');
 
 await scheduler.scheduleTask({
   id: 'refresh_things',
   frequency: { cron: '*/5 * * * *' }, // every 5 minutes, also supports Duration
-  timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
+  timeout: { minutes: 15 },
   fn: async () => {
     await entityProvider.run();
   },
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/api-report.md b/packages/backend-tasks/api-report.md
index 0c82387cc8..c0802fa46c 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/api-report.md
@@ -9,6 +9,18 @@ import { DatabaseManager } from '@backstage/backend-common';
 import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 
+// @public
+export type HumanDuration = {
+  years?: number;
+  months?: number;
+  weeks?: number;
+  days?: number;
+  hours?: number;
+  minutes?: number;
+  seconds?: number;
+  milliseconds?: number;
+};
+
 // @public
 export interface PluginTaskScheduler {
   createScheduledTaskRunner(schedule: TaskScheduleDefinition): TaskRunner;
@@ -41,10 +53,11 @@ export interface TaskScheduleDefinition {
     | {
         cron: string;
       }
-    | Duration;
-  initialDelay?: Duration;
+    | Duration
+    | HumanDuration;
+  initialDelay?: Duration | HumanDuration;
   scope?: 'global' | 'local';
-  timeout: Duration;
+  timeout: Duration | HumanDuration;
 }
 
 // @public
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskSchedulerImpl.test.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskSchedulerImpl.test.ts
index 1204431434..16550b2d7d 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskSchedulerImpl.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskSchedulerImpl.test.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ import { ConflictError, NotFoundError } from '@backstage/errors';
 import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 import { AbortSignal } from 'node-abort-controller';
 import { migrateBackendTasks } from '../database/migrateBackendTasks';
-import { PluginTaskSchedulerImpl } from './PluginTaskSchedulerImpl';
+import {
+  parseDuration,
+  PluginTaskSchedulerImpl,
+} from './PluginTaskSchedulerImpl';
 
 jest.useFakeTimers();
 
@@ -177,8 +180,8 @@ describe('PluginTaskManagerImpl', () => {
       const promise = new Promise(resolve => fn.mockImplementation(resolve));
       await manager.scheduleTask({
         id: 'task1',
-        timeout: Duration.fromMillis(5000),
-        frequency: Duration.fromMillis(5000),
+        timeout: { milliseconds: 5000 },
+        frequency: { milliseconds: 5000 },
         fn,
         scope: 'local',
       });
@@ -294,4 +297,12 @@ describe('PluginTaskManagerImpl', () => {
       60_000,
     );
   });
+
+  describe('parseDuration', () => {
+    it('should parse durations', () => {
+      expect(parseDuration({ milliseconds: 5000 })).toEqual('PT5S');
+      expect(parseDuration(Duration.fromMillis(5000))).toEqual('PT5S');
+      expect(parseDuration({ cron: '1 * * * *' })).toEqual('1 * * * *');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskSchedulerImpl.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskSchedulerImpl.ts
index 6db8b9f4f5..e43d0c1be6 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskSchedulerImpl.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskSchedulerImpl.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 import { Knex } from 'knex';
+import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 import { LocalTaskWorker } from './LocalTaskWorker';
 import { TaskWorker } from './TaskWorker';
@@ -61,12 +62,10 @@ export class PluginTaskSchedulerImpl implements PluginTaskScheduler {
       await worker.start(
         {
           version: 2,
-          cadence:
-            'cron' in task.frequency
-              ? task.frequency.cron
-              : task.frequency.toISO(),
-          initialDelayDuration: task.initialDelay?.toISO(),
-          timeoutAfterDuration: task.timeout.toISO(),
+          cadence: parseDuration(task.frequency),
+          initialDelayDuration:
+            task.initialDelay && parseDuration(task.initialDelay),
+          timeoutAfterDuration: parseDuration(task.timeout),
         },
         {
           signal: task.signal,
@@ -78,12 +77,10 @@ export class PluginTaskSchedulerImpl implements PluginTaskScheduler {
       worker.start(
         {
           version: 2,
-          cadence:
-            'cron' in task.frequency
-              ? task.frequency.cron
-              : task.frequency.toISO(),
-          initialDelayDuration: task.initialDelay?.toISO(),
-          timeoutAfterDuration: task.timeout.toISO(),
+          cadence: parseDuration(task.frequency),
+          initialDelayDuration:
+            task.initialDelay && parseDuration(task.initialDelay),
+          timeoutAfterDuration: parseDuration(task.timeout),
         },
         {
           signal: task.signal,
@@ -102,3 +99,17 @@ export class PluginTaskSchedulerImpl implements PluginTaskScheduler {
     };
   }
 }
+
+export function parseDuration(
+  frequency: TaskScheduleDefinition['frequency'],
+): string {
+  if ('cron' in frequency) {
+    return frequency.cron;
+  }
+
+  if (Duration.isDuration(frequency)) {
+    return frequency.toISO();
+  }
+
+  return Duration.fromObject(frequency).toISO();
+}
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/index.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/index.ts
index f6695a8d73..990d6332fc 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/index.ts
@@ -21,4 +21,5 @@ export type {
   TaskInvocationDefinition,
   TaskRunner,
   TaskScheduleDefinition,
+  HumanDuration,
 } from './types';
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/types.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/types.ts
index f9ada1dd17..86c0c5c462 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/types.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/types.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,21 @@ import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 import { AbortSignal } from 'node-abort-controller';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 
+/**
+ * Human friendly durations object
+ * @public
+ */
+export type HumanDuration = {
+  years?: number;
+  months?: number;
+  weeks?: number;
+  days?: number;
+  hours?: number;
+  minutes?: number;
+  seconds?: number;
+  milliseconds?: number;
+};
+
 /**
  * A function that can be called as a scheduled task.
  *
@@ -74,14 +89,15 @@ export interface TaskScheduleDefinition {
          */
         cron: string;
       }
-    | Duration;
+    | Duration
+    | HumanDuration;
 
   /**
    * The maximum amount of time that a single task invocation can take, before
    * it's considered timed out and gets "released" such that a new invocation
    * is permitted to take place (possibly, then, on a different worker).
    */
-  timeout: Duration;
+  timeout: Duration | HumanDuration;
 
   /**
    * The amount of time that should pass before the first invocation happens.
@@ -100,7 +116,7 @@ export interface TaskScheduleDefinition {
    * work; its main intended use is for individual machines to get a chance to
    * reach some equilibrium at startup before triggering heavy batch workloads.
    */
-  initialDelay?: Duration;
+  initialDelay?: Duration | HumanDuration;
 
   /**
    * Sets the scope of concurrency control / locking to apply for invocations of
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts b/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts
index fc91d98cfe..a0ea83ab61 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import {
 } from '@backstage/plugin-search-backend-node';
 import { DefaultTechDocsCollatorFactory } from '@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend';
 import { Router } from 'express';
-import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 import { PluginEnvironment } from '../types';
 
 async function createSearchEngine(
@@ -57,11 +56,11 @@ export default async function createPlugin(
   });
 
   const schedule = env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-    frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
-    timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
+    frequency: { minutes: 10 },
+    timeout: { minutes: 15 },
     // A 3 second delay gives the backend server a chance to initialize before
     // any collators are executed, which may attempt requests against the API.
-    initialDelay: Duration.fromObject({ seconds: 3 }),
+    initialDelay: { seconds: 3 },
   });
 
   // Collators are responsible for gathering documents known to plugins. This
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/package.json.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/package.json.hbs
index c162dd880e..3bd070ee9b 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/package.json.hbs
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
     "dockerode": "^3.3.1",
     "express": "^4.17.1",
     "express-promise-router": "^4.1.0",
-    "luxon": "^2.0.2",
     "pg": "^8.3.0",
     "winston": "^3.2.1"
   },
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts.hbs
index 27c42fca31..e9469dcc1f 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts.hbs
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts.hbs
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import { PluginEnvironment } from '../types';
 import { DefaultCatalogCollatorFactory } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog-backend';
 import { DefaultTechDocsCollatorFactory } from '@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend';
 import { Router } from 'express';
-import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 
 export default async function createPlugin(
   env: PluginEnvironment,
@@ -23,11 +22,11 @@ export default async function createPlugin(
   });
 
   const schedule = env.scheduler.createScheduledTaskRunner({
-    frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
-    timeout: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 15 }),
+    frequency: { minutes: 10 },
+    timeout: { minutes: 15 },
     // A 3 second delay gives the backend server a chance to initialize before
     // any collators are executed, which may attempt requests against the API.
-    initialDelay: Duration.fromObject({ seconds: 3 }),
+    initialDelay: { seconds: 3 },
   });
 
   // Collators are responsible for gathering documents known to plugins. This