Greenhouse Technician

North Central College; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 6,000 - 11,000; Part time

Job summary

North Central College in Naperville, IL seeks a part-time greenhouse operations assistant to monitor environmental conditions, verify automated plant care systems, and maintain facilities. You will support students during experiments, keep workspaces clean, and ensure data is accurately recorded.

The role requires morning and afternoon availability, physical capability for lab maintenance, and good communication with faculty and students.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of chemistry, plant biology, and greenhouse systems.
• Excellent communication and coordination with students and staff.
• Able to perform physical labor safely.
• Morning and afternoon availability.

Responsibilities

• Environmental Monitoring: Visually inspect and monitor greenhouse temperature and humidity levels via the control monitor, ensuring all data is being properly recorded by the system software.
• System Verifications: Verify that the automated watering system and pad pump system are operating as programmed.
• Pad & Sump Inspection: Visually inspect evaporative cooling pads for bowing, sagging, or dry streaks, and ensure the pads dry completely every 24 hours to prevent degradation. Check the sump water level and clear out any resting debris.
• Water Chemistry: Test and adjust water pH to remain within target parameters.
• Facility Upkeep: Sweep standing water from the floor, spray down floors to remove any nutrient build-up, and collect/discard plant debris to prevent drainage clogs.
• Academic Support: Assist students with experimental plants and thoroughly clean up facility workspaces following student use.

Skills

Greenhouse systems

Water chemistry

System monitoring

Facilities maintenance

Student support

Data logging

Safety awareness

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Job Responsibilities

Daily Operations

• Environmental Monitoring: Visually inspect and monitor greenhouse temperature and humidity levels via the control monitor, ensuring all data is being properly recorded by the system software.
• System Verifications: Verify that the automated watering system and pad pump system are operating as programmed.
• Pad & Sump Inspection: Visually inspect evaporative cooling pads for bowing, sagging, or dry streaks, and ensure the pads dry completely every 24 hours to prevent degradation. Check the sump water level and clear out any resting debris.
• Water Chemistry: Test and adjust water pH to remain within target parameters.
• Facility Upkeep: Sweep standing water from the floor, spray down floors to remove any nutrient build-up, and collect/discard plant debris to prevent drainage clogs.
• Academic Support: Assist students with experimental plants and thoroughly clean up facility workspaces following student use.

Weekly Maintenance

• Filter & Strainer Upkeep: Flush the cooling pad pump filter, wipe down the unit, and clean out the strainer (potentially twice a week) to prevent pump damage.
• Sediment Clearing: Turn off the system pump to remove, drain, and replace sediment plugs at the ends of the system.
• Sump Drainage: Drain the sump to flush out sediment every two to four weeks. In environments with high salt concentrations, perform this drainage weekly to lower salt buildup.
• Flow Rate Checks: Monitor bleed-off rates, inspect water flow rates across the spray bar, and clean any debris caught in the pump inlet.

Monthly & Quarterly Maintenance

• System-Wide Leak Audits: Inspect the entire pad pump system for leaks, perform necessary repairs, and verify that the bleed-off connection is functioning continuously.
• Component Replacement: Examine the filter strainer and replace it if worn or damaged.
• Comprehensive Water Testing: Conduct detailed pH testing on both the make-up water and the sump water.
• Quarterly Distribution Flush: Drain and thoroughly disinfect the entire water distribution system to maintain scale and algae control.

Seasonal & As-Needed Responsibilities

• Water Quality Control: Collect and dispatch water samples to external testing solutions providers for quality analysis.
• Communicate Greenhouse Needs: Communicate to Dr. Weremijewicz about maintenance needs. Contact maintenance for specialized tasks such as clearing algae from the pad pump or cleaning the soil trap under the sinks. Coordinate with housekeeping for an annual or semesterly floor power-wash and headhouse sweeping.
• Facility Remediation: Reassemble non-slip safety mats after floor cleanings, and clean sprinkler heads, doors, and windows with acid cleaner to eliminate calcium/salt build-up.
• Course Logistics: Clean used pots/glassware, set up experimental pots with appropriate soil media, and coordinate greenhouse space allocation between classes, research initiatives, and internships. This includes filling pots and sourcing/sowing seeds as requested.
• Seasonal Climate Transitions: Manage seasonal climate adjustments, including activating heating systems for fall/winter, shutting them off in the spring, and turning on the pad pump in late spring for cooling.
• Winterization & Spring Start-Up: Drain the pump and piping system at the close of the season to avoid rust or freeze damage. Follow standard operating procedures to test, restart, and replace worn parts upon spring system reactivation.

Job Qualifications

• Education and Experience: Knowledge of chemistry, plant biology, and greenhouse systems and some familiarity with or working in a greenhouse.
• Interpersonal & Coordination Skills: Excellent communication skills to effectively collaborate with students, faculty, internal departments (ITS , Maintenance, Housekeeping, College of Arts & Sciences), and/or external service consultants.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to perform physical labor, including sweeping, lifting/moving pots, reassembling floor mats, and handling specialized acid cleaning solutions safely.
• Must have availability in the morning and afternoon.

Approximate number of work hours per week 5-10

EEO Statement

North Central College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. North Central College provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need reasonable accommodation, please notify the Office of Human Resource. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case‑by‑case basis.