15-Apr-2024

2671BR

Temporary/Seasonal

Job Function and Responsibilities

By working for as a Seasonal Groundskeeper you will gain valuable work experience to last a lifetime. You will make a meaningful difference by supporting a that takes PRIDE in everything we do. Every job at Brookfield Zoo Chicago is important to creating a safe, clean, family-friendly environment for our guests.

Brookfield Zoo Chicago offers all employees free admission and for their immediate family, free admission to other Chicago cultural institutions, employee discounts, employee events, training and development opportunities, 401k retirement savings plan, bi-weekly pay checks, direct deposit, not to mention the chance to work outdoors and see animals every day! Free on-site parking is available for employees and Brookfield Zoo Chicago is also accessible by .

The starting pay for Seasonal Groundskeepers is $15.00 per hour. This position offers, daytime hours with a set schedule up to 40 hours per week, free uniforms including outdoor weather gear and PPE (employees provide their own steel-toed footwear), and the potential to return for multiple seasons.

This position works entirely outdoors in all weather conditions, heat/humidity/rain/snow/cold. Groundskeepers can sometimes walk the equivalent of several miles per day. You will definitely get your 10,000 steps! Brookfield Zoo is set on over 216 acres with multiple parking lots, many walkways and roadways, lawns, flower beds, trees, and shrubs to be maintained. Did you know that Brookfield Zoo Chicago is also classified as an arboretum!

While strolling through Brookfield Zoo Chicago gives an opportunity to gazing at the vast collection of animals, the Zoo also offers a park-like setting to enjoy in every season from a winter wonderland twinkling with 1 million (mostly LED) holiday lights for Chicago's largest winter light festival to the vast array of colorful summer gardens and plants visited by nature's birds, butterflies and bees. The Zoo welcomes over 2 million guests annually to these beautifully landscaped grounds. Our grounds team is also responsible for 7 working greenhouses, a compost facility that processes 300 cubic yards of yard waste, caring for 110 different species of trees and woody plants, tending to the wetland exhibit in Swan Lake and Hamill Family Play Zoo's sensory garden.

As a seasonal groundskeeper, you will assist in creating Brookfield Zoo Chicago's beautiful picture perfect setting in every season by performing a variety of standard grounds duties and functions that include general park clean up, horticultural tasks, and grounds maintenance tasks. Your strong focus on safety will be utilized while you operate a variety of equipment such as lawn mowers, blowers, small tractors, hand tools and other equipment as required. Your friendly demeanor and pleasant smile will contribute to creating an extraordinary guest experience as Groundskeepers work in public areas and may interact with guests using their customer service skills to provide general information on park schedules and activities.

Position Requirements and Specifications

This is a temporary (seasonal) position. The union hourly wage for this position is $15.00 per hour.

The requirements for this position include:

• High School diploma or equivalent combination of training/experience preferred.
• Previous groundskeeping or horticultural experience desirable.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills required.
• Minimum 16 years of age.
• Spanish fluency a plus, but not required.
• Must be reliable and able and willing to work non-standard hours such as weekends and holidays.
• Seasonal Groundskeepers must supply their own steel-toed work boots, which must be worn at all times when working.

Additional Information

Schedule Details

The timeframe for this position is typically April - December. The work schedule for this position typically consists of 40 hours per week. Seasonal Groundskeepers are assigned to work an early shift schedule or a late shift schedule. The early shift is typically from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The late shift is typically from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the spring/fall and from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the summer. For special events the late shift is typically 12:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Scheduled days off for all shifts are typically Friday/Saturday or Sunday/Monday. Scheduled shifts are assigned based on the needs of the operation.

Job Location

Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo

Zip Code

60513

Department

Grounds

Group

Plant & Facilities

Union Status

Union

Work Shift

Any 5 out of 7 days/week