Blue Skies Landscaping - GI and General Services Crew Member

Walnut Way Conservation Corp. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit neighborhood organization founded in 2000 by Lindsay Heights residents to reclaim and redevelop the economic health and vitality of their community.

In the years since, Walnut Way and its partners have rolled out a series of successful and innovative programs and initiatives addressing the neighborhood’s most pressing economic, environmental, and health issues.

Walnut Way is located inside a renovated house situated in the residential neighborhood of Lindsay Heights. Grounded in grass-root principles, Walnut Way properties extend additional blocks and include an orchard, carryout cafe, print shop, and construction and landscaping business.

The Blue Skies Landscape Crew Member is a full-time seasonal employment opportunity with Walnut Way Conservation Corp., supporting all aspects of the Blue Skies Landscaping program, as well as urban agriculture and campus maintenance. The candidate must possess the ability to learn skills in landscape maintenance, landscape installations, horticulture, and agriculture production. The candidate must be comfortable working outdoors in all temperatures and types of weather and must possess sufficient physical fitness/strength to lift landscaping tools and materials. The candidate must also be comfortable operating equipment such as commercial lawn mowers, tillers, backpack blowers, and more. Blue Skies Crew Members should be friendly and dependable and be able to work with other staff as required, as well as have strong attention to detail and the ability to multitask. In all instances, s/he must perform m in accordance with and be committed to the Walnut Way mission.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Arrive at work daily and ready to work.
• Execute work on residential and commercial contracts for Blue Skies Landscaping, including landscape installations, landscape maintenance, and property maintenance and cleanups.
• Support all aspects of Walnut Way Campus landscape maintenance, such as litter clean up, mowing, weeding, watering, mulching, planting, minor repairs.
• As directed, assist with all tasks related to garden production, such as bed preparation, sowing, weeding, pruning, and harvesting.
• Properly operate and maintain landscaping equipment.
• Attend all required training and certifications.
• Other duties as assigned by Supervisors or Leads.
• Perform other duties to support the success of Blue Skies Landscaping and Walnut Way.
• This position does not require supervisory of other staff.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Requirements

• Experience in horticulture and landscape work, including landscape construction, landscape installations, and ground maintenance preferred.
• Experience maintaining and operating commercial landscape equipment and tools preferred.
• Commitment to work in diverse settings.
• Ability to execute scopes of work; adjust as situations warrant; think on feet.
• Ability to move through tasks in an urgent manner and manage time effectively.
• Proven ability to work with youth and adults from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to adjust to emerging priorities, motivated, and effective listener.
• Must be willing to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends.
• Have a Wisconsin driver’s license and maintain throughout employment.
• Effective oral communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with supervisory staff, other crew members, customers, and community residents.
• Residents of the Lindsay Heights neighborhoods and zip codes 53205 & 53206 will receive strong consideration.

Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work environment characteristics include working outdoors on residential and commercial properties, in the public right of way, in gardens, in all weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold, and all types of precipitation.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen. The employee is required to stand for six hours or more per workday. The employee is required to kneel, squat, bend over and use hands to work in the gardens and in landscapes. The employee must be able to use motor skills and vision to operate landscape equipment. The candidate must be able to lift 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

The ideal candidate will typically work Monday - Friday with occasional nights and weekends as needed.

Travel

Local travel to project sites is required. For normal working hours, transportation is provided via company vehicle.