Barrington Greenway Initiative Conservation Corps Assistant Crew Manager

Summary: Friends of the Forest Preserves (FOTFP) seeks an Assistant Crew Manager who will help lead our BGI Conservation Corps Crew, based out of Citizens for Conservation, 459 W State Rte 22, North Barrington, IL 60010.  Conservation Corps members work year-round to remove invasive species and restore native habitats throughout the forest preserves in Cook County. Participants gain valuable skills and certifications that could lead to a long-term career in natural land management or other environmental jobs. We are seeking an Assistant Crew Manager to provide strong leadership in achieving the goals of the program. 

Responsibilities:

• Assist with the management and supervision of a 5-person crew to work on outdoor conservation projects in the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
• Assist with the development and training of crew members in ecological restoration and local ecology concepts. 
• Lead project work when the crew manager is unavailable. This may include leading multiple Conservation Corps crews. 
• Perform independent field work in the forest preserves including scouting project sites, checking on previously completed projects, performing equipment maintenance, and other tasks as assigned. 
• Document crew member work activities and performance through compiling weekly work log data, timesheets, taking and uploading photos and instagram posts, and assisting with writing bi-monthly work progress reports. 
• Any other assistance the crew manager assigns. 

Required qualifications:

• 21 years or older with a clean driving record 
• Experience working with field crews 
• Current Illinois Herbicide Applicator license or ability to secure one within 45 days of hire (training provided)
• Current Basic First Aid and Adult CPR certifications (training provided)
• Strong commitment to creating a culture of safety, teamwork, and learning
• Knowledge of native and invasive plant species in the Chicago Region 
• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills 
• Ability to lift and move heavy objects (50 lbs.) and work outside in inclement weather and extreme temperatures 
• Comfortable driving a heavy-duty pickup truck (training provided)
• Flexibility for schedule changes due to trainings, burn season, and weather

Beneficial qualifications:

• Minimum 150 hours of recorded chainsaw operation
• Minimum 570 hours of recorded herbicide application 
• Experience teaching in a classroom and/or field setting 
• Experience using Google Docs, Sheets, and Gmail
• Great problem solving/troubleshooting skills

Benefits:

• Health and dental insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, and $100,000 of life insurance
• 403b retirement account with 3% match starting at 1 year of employment
• 3 weeks of vacation
• 2 weeks of sick time
• 11 paid holidays plus 2 additional paid days of winter break
  
  
  

To apply: Submit cover letter, resume, and two references via the Friends’ website at https://fotfp.org/who-we-are/jobs/. Incomplete applications may not be considered. Please NO calls, faxes, office visits, or emails.