Groundskeeper - Seasonal

Chicago Botanic Garden; Glencoe (IL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellness initiative

Retirement plan

Holidays and holiday pay

Garden membership

Discounts at Garden Shop/Café

Employee events

Job summary

The Chicago Botanic Garden is seeking a Groundskeeper to join the Grounds department for approximately 22 weeks this season. This entry-level role under close supervision involves general landscaping, small team work, and occasional evenings or weekends.

No prior experience required, but a willingness to perform physical outdoor work and learn basic gardening skills is essential. Responsibilities include weeding, planting, mulching, and maintaining grounds, with opportunities to participate in

Qualifications

• General knowledge of small tools used in landscape maintenance.
• Some landscape maintenance experience preferred.
• Willingness to perform physical outdoor tasks and learn.
• Interest in basic gardening skills and weed identification.
• English or Spanish communication ability.
• Driver's license preferred for vehicle operation.

Responsibilities

• Perform general landscape maintenance including weeding, mulching, planting, and edging.
• Clean-up and maintenance of tools and areas.
• Report equipment problems to Manager, Grounds.
• Support indoor projects when outdoor work isn't possible.
• Assist with public programs and other projects as needed.

Skills

Tools knowledge

Landscape basics

Bilingual English/Spanish

Driver's license

Tools

Hand tools

Lawn equipment

Job description

Title: Groundskeeper

Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Department: Grounds

Reports to: Manager, Grounds

Seasonal Full-time, approximately 22 weeks

Seasonal Full-time employees scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week are eligible for the following Benefits:

• Wellness initiative benefit, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Retirement plan
• Holidays, Holiday Thank you pay
• Garden membership - free to employees at Household Plus level
• Discounts to Garden Shop, Cafe, Garden-sponsored educational classes
• Employee events such as Orchid show, Night of 1,000 Jack-o'-Lanterns, Lightscape employee & friends preview night

Compensation Philosophy:

At the Chicago Botanic Garden, our compensation philosophy is rooted in our core values: Growth, Understanding, Resilience, and Trust through Transparency. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and appreciated.

Our objective is to create compensation and growth opportunities for our employees that are highly competitive, internally equitable and transparent. The foundation of our efforts is a straightforward approach that can be easily communicated by managers with defined pay ranges for all positions. When posting job openings, we share the minimum salary up to the budgeted amount.

The starting salary for new staff members is determined by considering the salary range assigned to the position and by reviewing the candidate's qualifications for the job as compared with job responsibilities. Prior work experience should be considered in determining the salary offer, provided that it is relevant to the job. Additional factors such as secondary language proficiency or advanced degrees that enhance performance may also be considered. A candidate's salary may exceed the minimum amount based on factors such as experience, additional skills (e.g., secondary language proficiency), or pertinent degrees that enhance the individual's contribution to the role but are not required. Opportunities for increased compensation are provided through referral bonuses, shift differentials, Thank You Pay, promotions, and periodic pay increases based on the Garden's overall performance and financial budgets.

Our total compensation and benefits package is people centric. We prioritize employee wellness across three pillars: physical, mental, and financial. Our goal is to offer innovative total rewards that support continuous professional growth, personal development, and provide the flexibility needed to balance personal and professional commitments.

Position Overview:

Under close supervision from a full-time lead, the Groundskeeper, seasonal is an entry-level position that:

• Performs general landscaping and grounds maintenance, consisting primarily of manual labor.
• Works primarily with a small crew, but alone at times.
• Assists with special projects including public programs and other support.
• Works occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays, as requested.
• Works in different Display Gardens and Grounds areas during the season as assigned.

While no prior experience is required, a willingness to do physical work in the field and learn basic landscaping techniques and follow instructions closely is essential.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be responsible for the following:

• Working under close supervision and following direct instructions to learn and complete general landscape maintenance which includes weeding, watering, mulching, planting and transplanting, raking, digging, and edging.
• General clean-up and maintenance, such as picking up trash and landscape waste, removing refuse, tidying up tool and equipment storage areas, cleaning paths, and maintaining tools.
• Reporting any tool or equipment problems to Manager, Grounds.
• Assisting with indoors with projects such as shop organization and greenhouse work when weather prohibits outdoor work, and as assigned.
• Assisting with support for public programs and other projects as needed.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• General knowledge of small tools used in landscape maintenance preferred.
• Some landscape maintenance experience is preferred.
• Willingness to do physical work in the field and learn basic landscaping techniques.
• Interest in learning basic gardening skills, as evidenced by participation in training sessions or asking questions about plant care.
• Interest in learning to identify basic weeds through training and guidance from experienced staff/supervisor.
• Ability to communicate at a basic level, for instructions and reporting in English or Spanish.
• A current/valid driver's license to operate motor vehicles including golf cart, and insurable by the Garden is preferred but not required.

Physical Demands:

Must be able to lift, push, pull and carry items up to 50 pounds. Must be able and willing to work outdoors in all types of weather. Must be comfortable working on slopes and step ladders.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call [phone] to contact our Title IX Coordinator should you have questions or concerns. Please do not call this number to inquire about job postings or the status of your application, or with solicitations from companies or third-party recruiters.