Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator

 
 

JOB TITLE: SITE CARPENTER + FACILITIES COORDINATOR

LOCATION: Sweet Water Foundation, 5749 S. Perry Avenue Chicago, IL 60621

Overview

The Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator is a full-time position on Sweet Water Foundation’s (SWF) Core Team. The Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator will support the overall maintenance of SWF buildings and equipment, support SWF’s daily/monthly/annual work-shop flows and related programming, and participate in SWF’s practice of Regenerative Neighborhood Development through activities related to farm and garden operations, educational, carpentry, and civic arts-related programming and events at The Commonwealth. 

  

Organization Background

Sweet Water Foundation is a nonprofit, community-rooted organization that practices Regenerative Neighborhood Development (RND). RND is a creative and regenerative social justice method that creates safe and inspiring spaces and curates healthy, intergenerational communities that transform the ecology of so-called ”blighted” neighborhoods. This practice blends agroecology, art, carpentry, design, and education to transform vacant spaces and abandoned buildings into sustainable community assets that produce engaged youth, art, locally-grown food, & affordable housing. 

As part of its practice, SWF also delivers a wide-ranging portfolio of education and outreach programming via The Communiversity. The Communiversity is a neighborhood development and urban ecology academy that shares SWF’s practice of Regenerative Neighborhood Development via workshops, courses, residencies, fellowships, and train-the-trainer programs delivered to youth, local residents, organizations, and institutions across Chicago and beyond. 


Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator Job Description

The Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator position encompasses a range of Urban Ecology activities aligned with SWF’s practice of Regenerative Neighborhood Development. 

Responsibilities

  • Provide leadership, day-to-day oversight of training, and guidance for operational usage of tools in the workshop and production-related spaces/facilities across The Commonwealth 

  • Monitor and reinforce safety protocols related to daily shop usage and equipment maintenance in the workshop and production-related spaces/facilities across The Commonwealth to maintain a safe work environment

  • Support the ongoing coordination and implementation of technical and instructional wood shop-related programming during day-to-day operations and events across The Commonwealth

  • Co-develop and monitor programmatic initiatives for workshops, demonstrations, tutorials, community outreach, research collaborations, and civic engagement across spaces and facilities across The Commonwealth

  • Support ongoing documentation of instruction, programming, production, and evolution of production-related spaces/facilities across The Commonwealth 

  • Oversee management of equipment maintenance, repair, inventory, and ordering of shop-related tools and supplies across The Commonwealth

  • Create and update an ongoing log of production schedules, oversee production processes and quality control of production and installations for programming, events, or shows

  • Support the ongoing development of carpentry and production-related budget programming, events, or shows and initiate purchasing requests for tools, maintenance materials, and project-specific materials 

  • Properly schedule and balance workload to achieve schedules and meet budget

  • Perform routine inspections and support maintenance of structures and buildings across The Commonwealth

  • Lead the fabrication of exhibitions, design-build installations, and other onsite build projects with the highest level of craftsmanship and maintain them in good working order

  • Lift or carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds, and otherwise move and position objects weighing thousands of pounds

Qualifications

  • Minimum of 3 years experience with related portfolio

  • Previous experience coordinating teams is required, experience in a Supervisor role is a plus

  • Excellent organizational and time management skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

  • Ability to problem solve in collaboration with a team to offer practical solutions

  • Attention to detail and managing multiple projects while staying within budget and setting timelines

  • Ability to read and create procedural documents (ex., safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and basic operation manuals) and write supportive correspondence

  • Ability to personally lift and carry exhibit objects and properties weighing up to 50 pounds, and ability to otherwise move and position objects weighing thousands of pounds

  • Ability to use basic computer software (MS Office Suite and/or Google Docs/Sheets/Slides) is desired, experience with Adobe Suites programs and/or 3D modeling a plus

  • Valid Illinois Driver's License to operate a company vehicle and/or rental vehicles as needed 

 

Daily Praxis at Sweet Water Foundation

In addition to the roles and responsibilities highlighted above, the Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator will also engage in the daily praxis of Regenerative Neighborhood Development as a member of the SWF Core Team.  Daily activities will include a wide range of Urban Ecology activities including farming, gardening, carpentry, woodworking, architecture, art, and design. The Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator will begin to understand SWF and its surrounding community and explore the fundamentals of urban ecology through daily routines and hands-on tasks such as harvesting, transplanting, weeding, and watering. Through these routines, the Coordinator will also develop tacit knowledge of the spaces and life forms at The Commonwealth; building relationships with each other and the SWF community. As part of this practice, the Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator will be expected to: 

  • Perform basic agriculture, carpentry, and site maintenance tasks including weeding, watering, planting, harvesting moving soil, deconstruction of reclaimed wood/pallets, etc.;

  • Support Sweet Water Communiversity educational programming, including SWF’s Urban Ecology Apprenticeship Program (teens/young adults) and/or Seeding The Future (K-8 students, educators, and families); 

  • Work collaboratively in a team setting; 

  • Write weekly reflections; and

  • Follow safe work practices to ensure proper and safe use and care for all tools.

It is important to note that the nature of much of Sweet Water Foundation's practice requires full body movement, use of farm tools and equipment, moderate lifting, and working outdoors in all types of weather amidst common allergens like dust, pollen, and bees.    


How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a brief email outlining their interest in the position in lieu of a formal cover letter. The email should tell us about yourself including previous work experience, schooling, carpentry experience, other applicable experience (e.g. farm & garden experience), and why you are interested in the Site Carpenter & Facilities Coordinator position.

Candidates should also feel free to contact the SWF team with any questions regarding the position and/or application process.

Please send resumes and inquiries to info@sweetwaterfoundation.com.