North Brooklyn Parks Alliance. “NBK Parks Calls On Community To Reimagine BQE.” [press release] February 10, 2023.
Volunteers are the backbone of NBK Parks. From fun events like waterfront concerts and the opening McCarren Park Pool to crises like the Covid-19 pandemic, our volunteers have led the way—ensuring our local parks and green spaces are well-cared for and welcoming spaces for all! Register now for upcoming volunteer opportunities>>
OPERATIONS MANAGER (1 Open Position)
- Posted 03/14/23, applications due 03/31/23, start date 4/15/23
- Full-time, permanent, salaried position ($65k/year + benefits)
- Hybrid WFH and office (86 Kent Ave)
- This role oversees all Operations Crew Members and operations equipment to ensure public green spaces under NBK Parks’ care are well cared for. Must have computer and administrative skills as well as be able to perform manual labor outdoors in all weather conditions. NY State driver’s license is required.
- Reports to Deputy Director
- Learn More
Grounds Crew Member (4 Open Positions)
- Posted 03/14/23, applications due 03/31/23, start date 4/15/23
- Part-time, seasonal, hourly ($20/hour ~ April–December, 30 hours/week, schedule may include evenings and/or weekends)
- Work takes place either onsite at Under the K Bridge Park OR in public green spaces NBK Parks cares for in Community Board 1 (Greenpoint & Williamsburg)
- Works with team at Under the K or with mobile team to maintain public green spaces to the highest standards of cleanliness. Must have experience with operations equipment as well as computer skills. Able to perform manual labor outdoors in all weather conditions. NY State driver’s license is required.
- Reports to Operations Manager
- Learn More
McGolrick Park Gardener (1 Open Position)
- Posted 03/14/23, applications due 03/31/23, start date 4/15/23
- Part-time, hourly ($22.50/hour ~ 30 hours/week)
- Work takes place onsite at McGolrick Park
- Maintains plant life at McGolrick Park. Develops and executes planting plans in coordination with NYC Parks and Friends of McGolrick Park. Must be able to perform manual labor outdoors in all weather conditions. Able to use horticultural tools and electric equipment. Has an NY State driver’s license.
- Reports to NBK Parks Director of Horticulture & Stewardship
- Learn More
FINANCE & OFFICE MANAGER (1 Open Position)
- Posted 02/02/23, applications due 03/31/23
- Full-time, permanent, salaried position ($65k/year + benefits)
- Hybrid WFH and office (86 Kent Ave)
- This role supports the implementation and maintenance of financial policies, strategies, and practices and will have a particular focus on maintaining financial records, coordinating office logistics in accordance with organizational objectives, and reconciling all accounts
- Reports to Executive Director
- Learn More
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LEAD GARDENER (1 Open Position)
- Posted 02/02/23, applications due 03/31/23
- Full-time, permanent, salaried position ($45k–$55k/year + benefits)
- Role primarily dedicated to Under the K Bridge Park (duties may occasionally extend to other North Brooklyn green spaces)
- Must be able to execute and maintain planting plans, horticulture experience required
- Manages Seasonal Gardeners, works with Ops & Grounds Crew Members, and supports volunteer stewardship programs
- Reports to Director of Horticulture & Stewardship
- Learn More
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SEASONAL GARDENER (5 Open Positions)
- Posted 02/02/23, applications due 03/31/23
- Part-time, seasonal, hourly ($20/hr ~ April–December ~ 4 hrs/day, 4 days/wk OR 6hrs/day, 5 days/wk)
- Role dedicated to Under the K Bridge Park
- Must be able to add to and maintain plantings at the park, gardening experience required
- Reports to the Lead Gardener
- Learn More
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MOBILE GARDENER (2 Open Positions)
- Posted 02/02/23, applications due 03/31/23
- Part-time hourly seasonal position ($20/hr ~ April–December ~ 4 hrs/day, 4 days/wk OR 6hrs/day, 5 days/wk)
- Role dedicated to gardens, landscaped areas, and other public green spaces in Brooklyn’s Community Board 1 (Williamsburg/Greenpoint)
- Must be able to add to plantings and care for existing plants, gardening experience required
- Reports to Director of Horticulture & Stewardship
- Learn More
Konstancja Maleszyńska (she/her) joined North Brooklyn Parks Alliance in 2003 as the BQE North Outreach Consultant. Konstancja is a sustainability cultivator with an MBA from Bard College and MA in English from Fordham University. Originally from Poland, Konstancja has been a part of the Greenpoint & Williamsburg open space community since 2014. She began as a community organizer at McGolrick Park, later became a programs manager at NBK Parks (2016-2018), and then served as a consultant for social impact and climate resiliency—including on Two Trees Management’s River Ring project and DOT’s Open Streets program.
Konstancja is also an urban ecosystems gardener, designing and installing native plant gardens in the city with her startup, Bramble NYC. She holds a Waterfront Design Edge Guidelines Certificate from the Waterfront Alliance and an Urban Parks Leadership Certificate from Central Park Conservancy’s Institute for Urban Parks.
Lisa Bloodgood (she/her) joined North Brooklyn Parks Alliance in 2022 as the Director of Horticulture & Stewardship. She brings to the role a deep knowledge of the area, from plants to pollutants, as well as a wealth of experience engaging with North Brooklyn communities on matters relating to the local environment and sustainability.
Lisa currently resides in Williamsburg and can trace her ancestry all the way back to Dutch settlers in Queens and Brooklyn in the 1660’s! However, she first fell in love with plants in California: her family moved there from West Nyack, New York when she was a teenager, and the drastic differences between the natural environment on the east vs. west coast helped spark her curiosity in the natural world.
As an adult, Lisa moved to Brooklyn to pursue a career in the arts—but found herself repeatedly drawn to horticultural endeavors: tending to her own backyard garden and helping to establish gardens at local schools. She pursued her passion in academic and applied ways, obtaining a degree in Earth & Environmental Science from Brooklyn College while working as the Environmental Policy Advisor and Community Liaison for the office of Stephen Levin, former NYC Council Member for District 33.
Lisa went on to work at Newtown Creek Alliance as Director of Advocacy & Education, aiding the organization in their community-based approach to revitalizing this fraught waterway. She has also served, and continues to serve, on several boards, advisory councils, and steering committees for organizations like New York City Brownfield Partnerships and Mt. Sinai Transdisciplinary Center on Early Childhood Environmental Exposures.
At NBK Parks, Lisa looks forward to helping ensure that Under the K Bridge Park is stewarded responsibly and can thrive as a public green space in an unlikely setting: under the Kosciuszko Bridge, in the Greenpoint Industrial Business Zone, and abutting the Newtown Creek.
North Brooklyn Parks Alliance. “NBK Parks Announces New Artist Collaboration With Steve Wasterval.” [press release] November 17, 2022.
NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler’s Office. “Council Member Lincoln Restler Announces District 33 Street Tree Plan.” [press release] November 2, 2022.
Nayshawn Cummings began working with NBK Parks as a member of the grounds crew in 2022. He likes helping to keep North Brooklyn safe and clean for all to enjoy, and thinks Under the K Bridge Park looks particularly nice when the colorful lights on the Kosciuszko Bridge turn on at night. A native New Yorker, Nayshawn grew up in Bed Stuy and then moved to Cooper Houses in Williamsburg about five years ago. When he’s not working, he pursues hobbies including streaming his video game play on Twitch and jam skating (dancing on roller skates) with his friends. If you want to know more, Nayshawn says you’ll have to get to know him!
Edwin Hernandez joined North Brooklyn Parks Alliance in spring 2022 as the Operations Manager. Born and raised in Cooper Houses, Edwin has seen firsthand how under-utilized industrial sites in Greenpoint and Williamsburg—like Under the K Bridge Park—can be transformed into vibrant community spaces. Outside of his role at NBK Parks, Edwin is an accomplished creative fiction writer and has self-published more than a dozen short stories!