Maintenance Technician Position
Bartram’s Garden seeks a Maintenance Technician to join the Landscape and Facilities team that maintains this 50-acre Southwest Philadelphia asset as a dynamic civic common and river garden. Responsibilities include custodial duties, site safety and security, routine building maintenance and monitoring, emergency repairs, cyclic maintenance and site-specific trades work. Reporting to the Director of Facilities and Capital Projects, the Maintenance Technician personally accomplishes daily maintenance, operations and repair work, and works with the Landscape and Facilities team on larger projects.
Duties and Responsibilities
Facility maintenance and upkeep:
Performs general facility maintenance including but not limited to general building maintenance and upkeep (for modern and historic infrastructure alike), fences, handrails, pathways, site storage, etc.
Preventive maintenance and repair of geothermal and traditional HVAC systems, refrigerators, walk-in coolers sitewide.
Coordinate work performed by contractors, to include building maintenance, advanced repairs and preservation work. Offers technical assistance where applicable. This may require occasional schedule flexibility with earlier mornings or later afternoons.
Ensure workshop is kept safe, organized, accessible and that time/access is scheduled for teams needing its use. Build and implement tool tracking procedures/systems for all staff
Manage and ensure supplies for maintenance and upkeep, projects are stocked and accessible (lumber, hardware, shop consumables, paints, solvents, adhesives, batteries, etc.)
Responds to site issues such as vandalism, graffiti, emergency infrastructure issues ensuring safe and timely repairs and/or restoration
Monitors and maintains site utilities: electrical, plumbing
Vehicle fleet:
Maintain Bartram’s fleet of on and off-road vehicles including preventive maintenance, emergency repairs, cleaning & upkeep (trucks, van, golf carts, mini truck)
Collaborates with Horticulture team to maintain tractor and/or any additional heavy machinery and its associated attachments/implements
Maintains vehicle reservation and scheduling calendars
Keeps fuel supplies topped-up and available for use (gasoline cans, diesel fuel, propane cylinders)
Site safety and security:
Maintains alarm and fire detection systems, electrical, plumbing and building monitoring systems. Responds to building system failures and security alerts and ensure proper response is undertaken to restore proper operations
Maintains security camera system operation and upkeep
Ensure first aid kits, AEDs, fire extinguishers, vehicle emergency kits and any other safety/first aid supplies are stocked and up to date
Work tracking & reporting and all other duties:
Utilize MaintainX work management software to plan and log all work as well as up/downtime for assets, vendors, parts, etc.
Update and maintain standard operating procedures, cyclic maintenance plans, applicable safety/compliance documentation: MSDS, instruction manuals, maintenance manuals with Director of Facilities and Capital Projects
Plan longer-term infrastructure improvements and maintenance with Director of Facilities and Capital Projects
Planning and running volunteer/staff work sessions to accomplish body of work as necessary and appropriate
Participate in snow removal and other weather response in conjunction with appropriate teams including but not limited to Horticulture and CES
Support ongoing programs and special events as assigned/required
Qualifications:
3 years of experience in trade or facility maintenance required; public garden and/or historic site setting preferred
A valid PA driver’s license is required
Experience with historic sites and building trades (plumbing, domestic electrical, carpentry) preferred
Experience in operation of machinery, small power equipment and power tools (Utility cart, Bobcat, mowers, chipper, etc.)
Experience working with the public. Volunteer coordination experience is a plus
Must be able to lift 50 lbs. and be able to perform physical tasks both indoor & outdoor and in all weather conditions
Ability to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, and religion
Openness to personal growth and new experiences
Personal or professional familiarity with Southwest Philadelphia is preferred
Physical Requirements:
The Maintenance Technician position is a physically demanding position that is conducted outdoors, often in difficult weather conditions, and in an office setting.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly be required to move and operate vehicles and power equipment and to work in immediate proximity to the public in a safe and friendly manner. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Kneeling, squatting, standing, and walking for extended periods of time, in all weathers and temperatures, and on uneven ground will be required.
The administrative components of this position require the ability to sit/stand at a desk, work on a computer, and use a monitor for extended periods of time.
Schedule and Compensation :
This is a full-time, year-round position. Our site is open daily, and the Maintenance Technician will be required to work one weekend day Sunday-Thursday schedule preferred—as well as occasional holidays, weekends, early mornings and late nights throughout the year.
Additionally, all full-time staff support annual site-wide weekend and evening events including Southwest Spring Fest (April); Juneteenth (June); Twilight in the Garden (October); Indigenous People’s Day (October); Harvest Fest (October); and Handmade Holidays (December).
Starting salary is between $44,000–$48,000 annually, depending on experience. Benefits include healthcare and dental coverage, short and long-term disability coverage, and paid holidays, vacation, and sick time.
About Bartram’s Garden
Bartram’s Garden is a 50-acre public park and National Historic Landmark in Southwest Philadelphia, situated on Lenape territory on the banks of the Tidal Schuylkill River. Welcoming more than 125,000 visitors annually, it is a venue for art, and access to the tidal river and wetlands, an outdoor classroom, and a living laboratory. Bartram’s Garden attempts to hold the colonial legacy of the land with a commitment to learn and share the whole truth about the plants of Southwest Philadelphia and the people who grow them. The site encompasses the Bartram family’s 18th-century house and farm buildings, the country’s oldest surviving botanic garden, a reclaimed meadow, tidal wetlands, the Sankofa Community Farm, recreational trails, and the riverfront with an accessible public boat dock and community boathouse.
The Garden is operated and maintained by the non-profit John Bartram Association in cooperation with the City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department. The mission of the John Bartram Association is to co-create equitable relationships among people and nature through immersive, community-centered experiences that activate the Bartram legacy, Garden, and House, on land and on the Schuylkill River, in Southwest Philadelphia.
Bartram’s Garden has been working to build its local Southwest-focused programs and activities and strengthen its community partnerships with nearby families, schools, and neighborhood groups. Thanks to plans for significant upcoming site investments, including major construction projects and expanded partnerships, the Garden is in the midst of transformation, with unprecedented opportunities for growth and renewal.
Application Information:
To apply please send your resume along with a brief note describing your interest in the position to jobs@bartramsgarden.org. Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. No phone calls please.
Deadline for applications – December 17, 2025
The John Bartram Association is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $45,000.00 - $48,000.00 per year
Benefits:
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: In person
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