Carpenters - Craftsworker

The Craftsworker Carpenter role is far more than traditional carpentry. It blends skilled craftsmanship, creative problem-solving, and innovative construction to bring unique ideas to life. This position requires strong mathematical aptitude, attention to detail, and the ability to think outside the box when designing and building one-of-a-kind solutions. Experience in custom woodworking, set design, or specialty fabrication is a plus.

No two days are the same. Projects are driven by work orders, departmental requests, routine maintenance, and capital improvements. One day may involve repairing roofs, fences, doors, windows, or ADA access systems; the next could mean constructing safety barriers for animal exhibits, restoring wood structures, or maintaining specialized enclosure equipment.

The Craftsworker Carpenter, contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago (“BZC”) by performing, with direct guidance, skilled and semi-skilled craftsworker duties throughout the park, providing a safe environment for guests, staff, and the animal collection. Ensure a functional and well-maintained environment that supports BZC’s mission and identified operating goals, including providing an exceptional guest experience.

The Craftsworker Carpenter is a full-time, hourly, union position grade U440 with a pay rate of $34.00 per hour
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Benefits Overview Full-time Union

1.* Perform skilled crafts duties throughout the park with guidance, ensuring services provided meet section standards, client’s specifications, applicable codes, standards, and program goals and is aesthetically pleasing to guests. This includes routine crafts tasks, as well as those associated with preventive maintenance, special repairs, capital construction, special events, emergency/safety, unanticipated capital projects, and overhead. Works cooperatively with managers, peers and clients.

Establish and maintain productive working relationship with clients.

2.* Participate in the execution of routine maintenance and repair projects.

• As assigned, perform routine inspections of exhibits and facilities. Advise manager of needed repairs and clients requests.
• Advise Lead Craftsworker (“Lead”) of resource needs. Evaluate schedule and communicate pertinent information to all affected parties.
• Ensure project takes place with the least amount of encroachment upon guests and animal collection.
• Ensure work performed meets standards and specifications and complies with established quality standards.

3.* Provide Lead with resource needs for budget development. Ensure allocated resources are properly utilized. Provide Lead with information relating to needed repairs and improvements in facilities and exhibits.

4.* Perform duties associated with the section’s overhead operating program. Complete daily labor allocation sheets with guidance. Attend and participate in meetings as assigned.

5.* Perform tasks associated with the section’s special events operating program. This includes performing craftsworker-type duties and communicating pertinent information to Managers and other concerned parties.

6.* Carry out craftsworker tasks associated with the section’s functional programs as assigned.

• Routinely inspect functional, structural, and aesthetic systems in exhibits and facilities and perform minor repairs and maintenance as assigned.
• Become familiar with exhibits and facilities section operating program standards.
• Perform crafts work to specified quality standards.
• Advise manager of material needs.

7.* Carry out tasks associated with the section’s standard operating procedures, which includes equipment and shop maintenance, safety, inventory and purchasing, facility surveys, and utility locations.

8.* Participate in the…