JOB VACANCY

61st Street Farmers Market Assistant

The 61st Street Farmers Market Assistant supports the Farmers Market Manager in ensuring the smooth and successful operation of the 61st Street Farmers Market. This role involves hands-on assistance during market days, as well as administrative and outreach responsibilities throughout the week. The Market Assistant plays a key role in facilitating vendor support, customer experience, and programming activities.

Position Title: 61st Street Farmers Market Assistant

Compensation: $19/hour

Schedule: Fridays (1pm - 5pm), Saturdays (7:30 AM – 3:30 PM), up to 8 additional hours during the week (schedule TBD).

Reports to: 61st Street Farmers Market Senior Program Manager

Key Responsibilities

Market Day Operations

Lead volunteers during Market setup and breakdown. Assist with any last-minute setup needs.
Manage market day logistics with volunteers and nonprofit partners for at-market education programs such as Sprout Station, Market School, and cooking demonstrations.
Assist with the general operation of the Market, including Market infrastructure (tents, barricades, signage, and other equipment) and welcoming and directing vendors to their assigned spaces.
Support the Link/EBT and Credit/Debit redemption system, assisting the Market Cashier as needed.
Help educate and enforce Market rules and regulations with vendors and customers.
Monitor vendors to ensure health and safety compliance (as they relate to public safety and fire codes).
Ensure vendor booths are safely set up with appropriate equipment (e.g., canopy weights, tables).
Greet customers, manage entry flow, and provide directional support.
Liaise with businesses housed at the Experimental Station (e.g., Build Coffee) to maintain smooth customer traffic flow.
Answer customer questions and provide general information.
Check in with vendors to address any issues as needed.
Provide assistance directing customers and vendors in response to weather-related needs.
Assist with garden programming at Jackson Park Terrace as needed.
Serve as acting Market Manager on a scheduled, as-needed basis.

Administrative & Weekday Responsibilities

Book and arrange logistics for chefs, organizations, etc. who will be providing at-market educational content (chef demos, Market School, Sprout Station).
Help manage the Market’s email and voicemail; respond to vendor and customer inquiries.
Track Market expenses against budget in electronic spreadsheets.
Document and maintain clear, organized Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the 61st Street Farmers Market and Hoop House operations to support staff training, volunteer coordination, and efficient Market execution.
Manage Market volunteer inquiries and assist with garden volunteer inquiries.
Collect and compile reports electronically, including survey responses, records of educational activities, and other relevant data metrics.
Craft clear training materials for volunteers to follow on market days.
Assist with weekly follow-up with Market partners to ensure expectations are clear for participation (market school, chef demos, sprout station, etc).
Assist with gathering necessary information for and editing the weekly Market update email.
Manage educational administration tasks, including collecting and organizing student and survey data, and maintaining regular communication with parents and teachers regarding youth program activities.
Record Market sales, transactions, and grant data in Google Sheets, JotForm, and other databases as directed.
Manage the vendor reimbursement process, including accurate counting, reporting, and data preparation for manager review.
Conduct outreach activities, including distributing flyers and representing the Market at community events.
Assist with preparations for the market day on Friday afternoons.
Use the “Manage My Market” database for vendor billing and application processing.
Support occasional cooking, gardening classes, and farm work as needed.
Other tasks and responsibilities as directed by the Senior Program Manager.

Preferred Qualifications

A demonstrated commitment to healthy food access and food literacy programming.
Strong time management, organizational, and multitasking abilities.
Physically capable of setting up and taking down tents, weights, and other Market infrastructure.
Proficiency with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and MacOS—or the ability to quickly learn.
Excellent communication (both written and verbal), customer service, and de-escalation skills.
Experience working with K-8 youth is preferred.
Gardening or farming experience is a plus.
Dependable, trustworthy, hard working, detail-oriented, and proactive.
Comfortable working independently and collaboratively.
A reliable and enthusiastic ambassador of Experimental Station’s mission.

This position offers the opportunity to make a direct impact on community health and food access while gaining hands-on experience in market operations, program coordination, and nonprofit administration.

This is a part-time hourly employee position, working up to 20 hours per week with earned paid time off and sick leave. The anticipated start date is July 14, 2025. The starting salary is $19/hour, commensurate with experience.

Final candidates are subject to a background check.

We welcome people with a wide range of skills and experience to apply, and will reach out to those with the greatest potential to successfully fulfill this role. To apply, visit experimentalstation.org/jobs.

It is the policy of Experimental Station to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Note: Candidate Identified

We are posting this position as part of our standard hiring process, but please note that a strong internal or external candidate has already been identified for this role. While all applications will be reviewed, this candidate is currently being considered for hire.

All positions are currently filled. Thank you for your interest in joining our team.

Please check back later for future opportunities.

The Experimental Station fosters a dynamic ecology of innovative educational and cultural programs, small businesses, and community initiatives. Since 2006, we have addressed local needs by building our programming and fostering, hosting, and sponsoring many other initiatives. Current programs include Blackstone Bicycle Works, Link Up Illinois, 61st Street Farmers Market, small business incubation, and public arts and cultural events.