Join Our Team
It takes a great team of people to do the work of Urban Canopy (formerly Collective Resource Compost)
As our composting community grows, our workforce needs to grow too!
We’re looking for the right people whose values and work ethic match ours. While our team includes specialists in customer service, operations, sales, events, and other support functions, the majority of our people are drivers and washers who work out of our garage in Skokie.
Are you dependable and hardworking?
Are you willing to learn new things and ideas?
Do you believe in team spirit?
Do you care about the environment?
Do you take pride in your work?
Are you capable of both heavy lifting and paying attention to details?
If you’ve answered yes to those questions, The Urban Canopy (formerly Collective Resource Compost) might be the place for you.
We offer COMPETITIVE WAGES, HEALTH INSURANCE, PAID TIME OFF, a 3% RETIREMENT SAVINGS MATCH, and the opportunity to see your work contribute toward a healthier and more sustainable planet.
We always welcome applicants for Compost Service Specialists/Drivers and Container Washers.
Compost service specialist/ Driver
Overview of tasks:
Load containers (5-gallon buckets and 35-gallon wheeled totes) on and off trucks.
Empty containers at a commercial composting facility.
Drive safely following an assigned route.
Deliver excellent care and consideration to customers while swapping out compost containers.
Become an expert on what is acceptable at commercial composting facilities and remove contamination (anything that’s not compostable).
Follow instructions in a web-based app on your phone, complete assigned tasks, and record your progress.
Demonstrate excellent support and respect to co-workers.
These 10 things will help you to have a successful time with us:
Driving safely and having at least 2 years of driving experience.
Great attention to detail.
A can-do attitude, self-starter, and independent worker.
Being a positive thinker with good problem-solving skills.
Always looking for ways to make our workflow smarter, safer, and more efficient.
Reliably showing up on time and taking on extra work when needed.
Good communication with supervisors about customer and vehicle issues.
Adherence to standards of personal and community health and safety.
Excellent care and consideration to customers and coworkers.
Able to lift 50 pounds comfortably and handle wheeled totes weighing up to 250 pounds.
All driving happens in and around the city of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs; no CDL is required.
It’s demanding, all-weather work, but you will be working with fun, friendly, hard-working people, your schedule will be dynamic and flexible, and you will be doing tangible good for the environment all day long.
Starting pay $18.00 per hour.
Hours: We operate Monday through Saturday, year-round. Shifts generally start between 6am and 9am and end mid-afternoon. Most drivers are full-time (30-40 hours per week), but part-time drivers help keep our team flexible!
Send your resumé with a cover letter to the email or postal address below. Please answer these questions while applying:
Do you have a clean driving record (including speeding tickets, etc.)?
Are you able to drive safely and lift 50 pounds on a regular basis?
Would you give The Urban Canopy permission to do a background check on you?
Would you prefer to work from our Pilsen or Skokie location or are you open to working out of both locations?
Container washer
Because we pick up our customers’ full buckets and totes and leave empty ones behind, hundreds of containers come back to our garage every day dirty from food waste. We need to wash them so they’re fresh and ready to go back out the next day. The wash crew works to make this happen.
No specific experience is necessary, but it’s similar to working in a car wash, washing dishes in a restaurant, or being on a housecleaning crew. We are looking for people who aren't afraid of getting a little wet and dirty in the course of a day's work.
Hours: We operate Monday through Saturday, year-round. Shifts generally start between 6am and 9am and end mid-afternoon through 7pm. Both full-time (30-40 hours per week) and part-time (fewer than 30 hours per week) schedules may be available. The schedule can be flexible from week to week, if needed.
Because our work depends on having lots of clean containers ready to go every day, it is critical for our wash crew to be able to:
Show up reliably
Learn and follow best practices for efficiency and great results
Stay on task
Work well as a team
Demonstrate great attention to detail
Follow health and safety practices
Starts at $15.00 per hour, with the potential for more based on prior experience and success on the job.
Send your resumé (or brief work history) and a cover note to the email or postal address below. Please answer these questions while applying:
Are you able to lift 50 pounds regularly?
Would you prefer to work from our Pilsen or Skokie location or are you open to working out of both locations?
Would you give The Urban Canopy permission to do a background check on you?
Where to apply
Email:
Or mail:
The Urban Canopy
2550 S Leavitt St
Chicago, IL 60608
We’ll keep your information on file and review it whenever we need new recruits.
Thank you for your interest in The Urban Canopy!