Facilities Assistant (Maintenance) - Windy City Harvest

Title: WCH Facilities Assistant

Exemption Status: Non-exempt

Department: Windy City Harvest

Reports to: Facilities Manager

Year-Round, Full-time

Year-Round Full-time employees of the Chicago Botanic Garden are eligible for the following Benefits:

• 2025 Chicago Botanic Garden Benefit Guide - Year-Round Full-time

Compensation Philosophy:

At the Chicago Botanic Garden, our compensation philosophy is rooted in our core values: Growth, Understanding, Resilience, and Trust through Transparency. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and appreciated.

Our objective is to create compensation and growth opportunities for our employees that are highly competitive, internally equitable and transparent. The foundation of our efforts is a straightforward approach that can be easily communicated by managers with defined pay ranges for all positions. When posting job openings, we share the minimum salary up to the budgeted amount.

The starting salary for new staff members is determined by considering the salary range assigned to the position and by reviewing the candidate’s qualifications for the job as compared with job responsibilities. Prior work experience should be considered in determining the salary offer, provided that it is relevant to the job. Additional factors such as secondary language proficiency or advanced degrees that enhance performance may also be considered. A candidate’s salary may exceed the minimum amount based on factors such as experience, additional skills (e.g., secondary language proficiency), or pertinent degrees that enhance the individual’s contribution to the role but are not required. Opportunities for increased compensation are provided through referral bonuses, shift differentials, Thank You Pay, promotions, and periodic pay increases based on the Garden's overall performance and financial budgets.

Our total compensation and benefits package is people centric. We prioritize employee wellness across three pillars: physical, mental, and financial. Our goal is to offer innovative total rewards that support continuous professional growth, personal development, and provide the flexibility needed to balance personal and professional commitments.

Position Overview:

The facilities assistant will play a vital role in greenhouse and site maintenance at Windy City Harvest. This position involves managing production schedules for both greenhouses and landscaping, supporting sustainable vegetable production, and ensuring proper care of plants, tools, and farm equipment. Additionally, the assistant will collaborate with staff to support daily farm operations while maintaining the farm’s infrastructure. This role requires attention to detail, teamwork, and a commitment to maintaining a sustainable and well-functioning farm environment.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be responsible for the following:  

Greenhouse & Site Maintenance 

• Develop and implement greenhouse and landscaping production schedules. 
• Assist staff in growing plants through plant starts, transplanting, thinning, repotting, spacing, weeding, pruning, watering, and fertilizing.
• Landscape maintenance, aesthetics, and upkeep of the site.
• Site cleanup, plant materials, and trash pickup in and around the Farm on Ogden. 
• Support the site Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan for the Farm on Ogden. 
• Implement crop plans for sustainable vegetable production, including seed starting and plant propagation.
• Complete all logs and records on greenhouse and harvest. 
• Assist in the distribution of produce deliveries as needed. 
• Support program participants by guiding them through daily tasks and providing productive feedback.
• Work alongside staff and volunteers. 

Facilities 

• Oversee site maintenance, including the use of tools and machinery at the Farm on Ogden Campus.
• Manage snow removal around the building, parking lot, and alley at the Ogden & Drake location.
• Assist the facilities manager with on-site and off-site builds, construction, and maintenance projects.
• Ensure the irrigation system is functioning properly and irrigates during weekends and holidays as necessary.
• Operate and maintain landscaping equipment, ensuring proper upkeep and up-to-date inventory and safety logs.
• Transport plant and plant materials. 
• Keep storage and site areas clean and organized.
• Operate Chicago Botanic Garden vehicles in a safe and efficient manner.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• At least two years of experience in greenhouse and landscape management
• Solid knowledge of landscape tools and equipment
• Ability to perform physical tasks in all types of weather conditions
• At least one year of experience with farm protocols, integrated pest management (IPM), planning and projecting harvest availability, and ensuring food safety standards
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, along with excellent time management abilities
• A valid driver's license and a clean driving record

Physical Demands: 

Staff must be able to work in all weather conditions. The role involves frequent lifting, standing, walking, and bending. Daily tasks will include operating small farm machinery and post-harvest handling equipment. Staff are required to lift, push, and pull items weighing up to 50 pounds. This position also involves completing daily written paperwork and using office equipment.

Why Apply? 
Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today. Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.