Seasonal Opportunities
Aquaponic Production Assistant (Chicago, IL)
Requisition Number: 824
Overview: Windy City Harvest is looking for a seasonal Aquaponics and Vertical Farming (AVF) Assistant to work with our team of dedicated agricultural job trainers. This is a unique opportunity to build and operate a production-scale aquaponics system that includes a vertical farming component. The position offers an exceptional opportunity for someone interested in increasing their depth of experience in… Read more
Aquatic Plant Harvester Operator
Requisition Number: 809
Overview: The Chicago Botanic Garden is looking for a mechanically adept seasonal candidate who has the ability and desire to perform strenuous outdoor work in a variety of inclement weather conditions (e.g. rain, heat, cold) to operate our aquatic plant harvester in summer 2021, and ideally in subsequent years. Located 25 miles north of downtown Chicago, the Garden’s 385-acre campus includes 60 acres… Read more
Aquatic Plant Maintenance (A-F)
Requisition Number: 810
Overview: Over the past 20 years, one half-million native aquatic and shoreline plants have been added along 4.5 miles of the Garden’s lakeshore. These shoreline plantings have been effective in stabilizing eroding shoreline soils and enhancing aquatic habitat, and they now serve as a research site for scientific study. Most recently, the award-winning North Lake Shoreline Restoration Project added 120,… Read more
Ecological Restoration Technician
Requisition Number: 823
Overview: Assist in the management of two of the Garden’s natural areas: a 15-acre prairie reconstruction (exhibits six different types of prairie communities found in northeastern Illinois) and a mile-long urban river reach with an adjoining 22 acres of developing wetlands, prairie, and savanna. This position involves physically demanding work for extended periods of time. Typical work responsibilities… Read more
Farm Production Crew Leader A-C (Chicago, IL)
Requisition Number: 822
Overview: Join a team of dedicated, mission-driven, urban farmers to oversee a crew in the Windy City Harvest Corps job-training program. WCHC is looking for three farm production crew leaders who are self-motivated with high energy for day-to-day manual labor and prepared for hard work. Experience working with adults returning to or entering the workforce is necessary. The ideal candidate for these… Read more
Field Technician (Susanville, CA)
Requisition Number: 814
Overview: The Technician is a contract-funded position for five months, from approximately June 1 to October 29, stationed at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Eagle Lake Field Office in Susanville, California. The position will be part of a team of two (one Lead Botanist and one Technician) conducting native seed collections as part of the national Seeds of Success Program. The Technician position… Read more
Lead Botanist (Susanville, CA)
Requisition Number: 813
Overview: The Lead Botanist is a contract-funded position for five months, from approximately June 1 to October 29, stationed at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Eagle Lake Field Office in Susanville, California. The person in this position will supervise a field team and plan and conduct native seed collections as part of the national Seeds of Success (SOS) Program. The Lead Botanist position offers… Read more
Plants of Concern Research Assistant – Forest Preserves of Cook County
Requisition Number: 827
Overview: This eight-month, 35-hour-per-week position involves monitoring rare plants in the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) through the Plants of Concern (POC) program, a widely recognized community science program. The position is based at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Duties include collecting field-monitoring data, helping recruit and train volunteer monitors, entering/analyzing monitoring data… Read more
Plants of Concern Research Assistant – Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
Requisition Number: 828
Overview: As part of a cooperative program with Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Plants of Concern is recruiting for a seasonal research assistant. This seven-month, 35-hour-per-week position involves a suite of studies on rare plants at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, including those restricted to the unique dolomite prairie habitat. The Midewin program is part of a broader Plants of Concern… Read more
Postdoctoral ResearcherRequisition Number: 820
Overview: The postdoctoral researcher hired for this short-term position will contribute to ongoing efforts to reconstruct phylogenies of Onagraceae at multiple taxonomic levels. Data collection has already been completed, and DNA sequence data (target enrichment for over 300 nuclear genes) is available for over 600 taxa. Phylogenomic analyses are underway; the postdoc hired will assist in implementing… Read more
Windy City Harvest Grower (A-C) – Waukegan, IL & Chicago, IL
Requisition Number: 816
Overview: Windy City Harvest is committed to a continuum of job training. We value an innovative, entrepreneurial, and practical approach to sustainable agriculture and education. We hold high shared standards for all staff and participants to foster personal and professional growth. This is a hands-on farming position, providing farm production to all Windy City Harvest farm sites and providing guidance… Read more
Year-Round Opportunities
Chief Development OfficerRequisition Number: 803Overview: The Chicago Botanic Garden seeks candidates for the role of Chief Development Officer. This individual leads and guides the development and implementation of the Garden’s comprehensive fundraising efforts (including major donors, corporate and foundation relations, annual fund, membership, and capital and endowment campaigns), assures alliance with mission and strategy, cultivates a culture of… Read more
Managing Ecologist, WoodlandsRequisition Number: 821
Overview: The woodland ecologist is responsible for leading ecological restoration, management, and related research activities in the Garden’s woodland habitats, including the McDonald Woods, the Garden’s 100-acre remnant oak woodland. Work with the Garden’s team of ecologists to collaboratively manage natural areas across the Garden. Working with staff in the Garden’s Negaunee Institute for… Read more
Postdoctoral Researcher (Amsonia)Requisition Number: 819Overview: We seek to hire a postdoctoral researcher to help in leading a project assessing pollination, reproductive biology, population genetics/genomics, and phylogenomics. The ideal applicant is a motivated, independent researcher with strong analytic and communication skills, a commitment to learning new skills, and shares our interests in applying these skills to questions related to conservation of… Read more
Youth Farm Coordinator, Farm on Ogden (A-B)Requisition Number: 812Overview: For almost 20 years, the Windy City Harvest Youth Farm has served as a vital youth-development program for high school students in and around the city of Chicago. This summer employment opportunity exposes youth to various issues around local food systems and nurtures leadership and community engagement through paid employment on an urban farm. The Program Coordinator plays a pivotal role in… Read more
Paid Internship
Plant Evaluation InternRequisition Number: 817Overview: The Chicago Botanic Garden is currently offering a 38-week Plant Evaluation internship. The intern will work in the Plant Evaluation Program on a variety of projects, including the evaluation of herbaceous and woody plants, the photographic documentation of evaluation plants, and managing social media for the evaluation trials. The Plant Evaluation internship provides an opportunity to observe a… Read more
Veteran Interns (Veteran Internship Program)Requisition Number: 808Overview: Work under supervision in Garden Department while participating in the Veteran Internship Program to create a plan for transitioning to the civilian workforce. This is a seasonal Veteran Internship with an anticipated dates of May to August 2021, working approximately 30 hours a week.
Source: 3rd Ward E-Mews, March 11, 2021