Journeyman Carpenter--Historic Restoration Woodworker

Position Overview

We are looking for a journeyman Carpenter (Historic Restoration Woodworker) with 2-5 years experience, a genuine appreciation for historic architectural restoration and a desire for growth to join our company. The right person will have woodworking competency (as described below) and be eager to develop your potential in a restoration context. You have skills and experience with both hand and machine tools and take satisfaction in doing precise and beautiful, detail-oriented work. You have an artisanal orientation, meaning your approach integrates structural soundness and functional ease with aesthetic richness. Experience in restoration work is a plus, but we will train you. Strong communication skills and work ethic (defined as honesty and industriousness), as well as a commitment to respectful collegial relations, are essential

Key Responsibilities

• Assess, repair, and restore historic wood windows including sash, frames, sills, muntins, and glazing components.
• Repair and restore historic wood doors, thresholds, casing, and associated hardware.
• Fabricate replacement components to match existing profiles using both machine and hand tools.
• Repair and restore other interior architectural elements, including built-in cabinets, fireplace surrounds, staircases, wood trim, wall paneling, pocket doors and other interior elements.
• Understand and have the capacity to make scarf repairs, replacement pieces, re-build wood joints (including mortise-and-tenon joints) and both repair and replace wood veneer.
• Apply appropriate wood consolidates, fillers, adhesives, bleaches, and finishes in a workmanlike manner.
• Maintain consistency, quality, and economy while doing repetitive procedures over an extended period.
• Prep. and apply painted, stained, and clear finishes.
• Transport tools and materials to and from job sites; maintain a clean and organized work environment
• Communicate clearly and respectfully with the owner, co-workers, and with clients on site.
• Handle and store tools and equipment with care.
• Develop an understanding of and have a willingness to follow personal protection procedures and wear protective equipment when working with toxic chemicals and other hazardous materials (such as lead paint).
• Maintain a commitment to building your own skills in and understanding of preservation and restoration architecture, recognizing that increased productivity enhances self-worth and results in increased compensation.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 2–5 years of experience in carpentry, woodworking, furniture restoration, or a closely related trade in which the above-stated responsibilities can be fulfilled and the following skills and abilities have been acquired.
• Safe, and efficient facility with hand tools: chisels, hand planes, mallets, hand saws, cabinet scrapers, marking tools, and the like. Ability to sharpen and maintain hand tools.
• Safe, and efficient facility with shop machinery: table saw, miter saw, router (freehand and table), planer and jointer, belt sander, scroll saw, and band saw.
• Ability to combine router bits and use table saw to reproduce short runs of vintage profiles.
• Ability to take accurate measurements and work to reasonable tolerances.
• Skills that will enable you to restore and reproduce parts of stairwells and other interior elements--built-in cabinets, wood fireplace surrounds, pocket doors, and similar elements.
• Basic understanding of wood species, grain behavior, and joinery.
• Reliability, punctuality, and ability to work both independently and in coordination with other crafts persons.
• Rather than mindless engagement in tasks, the ability and initiative to think creatively about ways to restore elements in period context.
• An attitude and ability to integrate structural soundness and functional ease with aesthetic richness. For instance, you understand that a well-restored window is not just operational but beautiful, and that these qualities are inseparable.
• Independent means of transportation and the ability to sustain reliable daily commute to both the shop in the South Shore neighborhood and to job sites across the metro area is essential and non-negotiable — please assess this honestly before applying.
• Provide and maintain own hand tools. (Some specialty tools will be provided.)
• Ability to work discreetly onsite, understanding you are privileged to be invited into client's homes.

Strongly Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with historic window or door restoration.
• Experience working in preservation and restoration contexts.
• Formal trade training, apprenticeship, or vocational education in woodworking and/or wood finishing, including use of spray equipment
• Enthusiasm and initiative to help grow with the business by embracing new challenges.

What We Offer

• Competitive hourly wage commensurate with experience.
• A small, focused community of crafts persons where your work is visible and valued.
• Six paid holidays (after 6 months).
• Sick leave in keeping with Chicago ordinance.
• Opportunity to develop skills in historic restoration (with partial financial support for some training courses).
• Room for increased responsibility and compensation as your skills and our project scope expand.
• Involvement in projects from beginning to end, resulting in satisfaction at a job well done, oftentimes on one-of-a-kind elements.
• Direct work with appreciative clientele.

Pay: $25.00 - $35.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Application Question(s):

• In addition to submitting a resume, submit either a cover letter or a 5-minute voice recording, and a portfolio.

For the cover letter or recording: Tell us why this position interests you and how your skills and qualifications correspond with the ones required for this position as described in the job description. The portfolio does not have to be formal. But photos should be accompanied by descriptions of what you accomplished in the project and what skills were employed.
Important! Your application will only receive consideration if you send all three parts--the resume, your cover letter or recording, and your portfolio.

Send materials to View email address on jobs.institutedata.com. Subject Heading: Carpenter Indeed

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Required)

Experience:

• Carpentry: 2 years (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

Location:

• Chicago, IL 60649 (Required)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Chicago, IL 60649 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Chicago, IL 60649: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person