DEP Rain Garden Crew Member

The Doe Fund Inc • New York, NY

34d • Onsite

About The Position

The Doe Fund is a leading New York City non-profit organization operating the Ready, Willing & Able (RWA) program, which cleans over 115 miles of streets daily. With an $80 million budget, 500+ staff, and 46,000 donors, The Doe Fund is recognized for its work-based model addressing homelessness and criminal recidivism, empowering individuals to overcome homelessness, welfare dependency, substance abuse, and incarceration through innovative work and housing programs. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is responsible for protecting public health and the environment by managing the city’s water supply, wastewater treatment, stormwater, and climate resilience infrastructure, leading efforts to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and build sustainable infrastructure. The Doe Fund and DEP have partnered to establish a program that trains and employs New Yorkers to maintain rain gardens and green infrastructure, which helps reduce flooding and protect neighborhood streets. This initiative provides participants with paid, hands-on experience in environmental maintenance and public works. The Rain Garden Crew Member is responsible for the day-to-day delivery of rain garden maintenance and stewardship services under the New York City Department of Environmental Protection contract. This role involves safely and reliably performing hands-on field work, adhering to schedules and quality standards, documenting completed tasks, and reporting any site issues to the field supervisor. This is a temporary, seasonal position expected to conclude in November 2026.

Requirements

• Willingness to learn
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather and perform physical work (standing, walking, bending, lifting up to 50 lbs.) throughout the day.
• Comfortable using a smartphone to take photos and complete simple logs as required.
• Ability to communicate respectfully with crew members, supervisors, and the public.
• Valid driver’s license (required if operating program vehicles)

Nice To Haves

• Prior outdoor work experience in landscaping, parks maintenance, sanitation, construction, or related work
• Valid driver’s license (preferred)

Responsibilities

• Perform routine maintenance (planting, weeding, watering, sweeping, debris removal, sediment, landscaping, and snow removal) activities at rain gardens across assigned routes, following daily work plans and quality standards.
• Follow required safety procedures, wear required protective equipment, and use tools and equipment safely at all times.
• Use and care for tools, supplies, and equipment; help keep vehicles, tools, and materials organized and ready for daily work.
• Complete required documentation as assigned, including logging work performed and capturing time-stamped before/after photos using mobile tools.
• Observe site conditions and promptly report damage, safety hazards, vandalism, missing or damaged plants, and unusual conditions to the supervisor.
• Participate in community events, engage and interact with the public in a professional manner.
• Participate in training, coaching, and progress check-ins as part of the workforce development program expectations (if applicable).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees