🌎 Native Landscape Worker @ SymbiOp Landscaping, Worker-owned

Portland OR

Description

SymbiOp Landscaping is seeking a Pacific Northwest native plant enthusiast to join our worker-owned cooperative as a landscape worker. No formal landscaping experience required. This will be a part-time position initially at around 16-32 hours per week, and will likely become full-time in the Fall. You will be a part of a landscape crew doing various landscape installation and maintenance projects, under the guidance of our landscape leads and designers. This position will be paid at $17-23 per hour depending on experience. We offer health insurance, paid time off, and retirement account after 90 days. There will be opportunities to be promoted to lead positions in the future. We are looking to fill this position in the next 4-12 weeks. SymbiOp became a worker cooperative at the beginning of 2020 and has been growing steadily ever since. Our mission is to create landscapes that are good for the people and the planet. We specialize in regenerative ecological landscapes that reverse climate change, restore habitats/wildlife, produce food, and are low maintenance. Ultimately, we want to transform all urban and rural landscapes into food forests and/or native landscapes. We also have a native plant store (SymbiOp Garden Shop) that’s mostly separate from the landscaping business. JOB REQUIREMENTS: • Ability to identify common native plants and weeds in the Pacific Northwest. • Ability to take care of common Pacific Northwest native plants for all of their lifespans. • Knowledge of proper pruning techniques. • Ability to lift 50 lbs regularly and safely. And sometimes 75 lbs, but rarely. • Comfortable driving a loaded pickup truck. • Ability to respond to work text/email/call from your leads within 2 business days. • Ability to designate 2-3 days open for work per week (Mon-Thur) for part-time, and 4-5 days per week (Mon-Fri) for full-time. • Ability to work an 8 hour shift per day on average starting at around 7:30am-8:30am. • Ability to notify your coordinator when your schedule changes at least a week before, ideally 2 weeks. • Don’t plan vacations during our busy seasons (Springs and Falls). • Willingness to do labor in the heat, cold, rain, and other uncomfortable weather conditions. (We call off work before the weather conditions get to dangerous levels.) • Attention to details. Client centric. Eager to learn new things. • Enjoy plant and ecology related work and don’t see a career change in the next 3+ years • We don’t care if you don't have a degree. • You must attend mandatory all staff meetings on the 1st Tuesday of the month. (All regular meetings and training sessions are paid at $15 per hour for everyone.) • Proof of vaccination against COVID. Before applying, please also read about our company ownership and culture here: HOW TO APPLY: Send us an email with the subject “Native Landscape Worker for Hire”. Please tell us why you want to work with us, when you can start, how many hours you can work per week, days and times that you definitely cannot work, and any upcoming vacation in the next 12 months. Please also attach your resume and at least 2 relevant professional references. Let us know if you have any of the below additional skills (not required for this position). Based on your email, we may schedule a phone and/or an in-person interview with you in 2-4 weeks. Thank you for your time! Not required for the job, but you will get extra points for these: • Some gardening or landscaping experience • Knowledge of plants that can be used in food forests in the Pacific Northwest. • Knowledge of regenerative / ecological / indigenous / permaculture practices. • Experience in carpentry, i.e. building fences, arbors, garden beds, etc. • Experience in large tree pruning and removal (taller than 20ft). • Fluency in Spanish • Skills in cooperative participation such as group decision process, conflict resolution, facilitation, non-violent communication, etc. • Experience founding and operating a new business from the ground up. • Past experience that reflects a commitment to values similar to SymbiOp’s. License #9913