DPW Shade Assistant Manager

JOB SUMMARY

The Shade Construction Assistant Manager is responsible for assisting the Shade Construction Manager with coordinating and supporting Shade Operations. This includes pre-construction season communications regarding on playa logistics and crew planning. The Assistant Manager will directly co-manage the Shade Teams on a daily basis through the build, maintenance, disassembly, and storage of Shade structures.  

 This temporary, ineligible for benefits role is: 

• From July - September: Full-Time , Non-Exempt, based in Black Rock City, Nevada. 

The deadline to apply for this role is 5:00 pm Pacific on 5/17/25.

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Operations (65%):

• Helps to manage a motivated schedule to complete survey, build goals, and site management for multiple shade construction sites/builds according to the required timeline.
• Interface with infrastructure support departments such as Heavy Equipment and Transportation (HEaT), as well as all of the departmental leads who submit resource requests for shade in BRC. 
• Helps to lead a crew in the survey, construction and strike of over 150 shade structures according to the confirmed design and construction plans.
• Adheres to a schedule for the shade team that meets the needs of the BRC and Operations departments in a timely fashion 
• Maintain safe, clean, and organized work sites; ensure that all team members are provided with and appropriately use the necessary OSHA safety equipment.
• Ensure compliance with BRC’s safety and quality specifications, communicating incidents to management in a timely manner
• Ensure that all job site practices for safety are communicated to the crew and upheld. 
• Oversee the safe dismantling, winterizing and storage of all structures, materials and tools.

Personnel (20%)

• Assist with reviewing and recruiting crew members for the season.
• Help to log and report crew’s work hours. Maintain clear scheduling with crew members; ensure that hours are submitted by weekly deadline, and paychecks are distributed to crew in a timely manner.
• Co-Manage the Shade Teams in the daily construction, maintenance, and removal of shade structures on the playa.
• Serve as a mentor, positive role model, and team leader guiding people as they work, and monitoring team morale.
• Effectively manage own time, individuals, and the efforts of the team as a whole to create an environment of accountability, collaboration, and flexibility of focus in the crew.
• Know, share, and use the proper pathways of communication for escalating personnel issues. Learn how to create proper supporting documentation regarding such matters.
• Proactively address concerns with management.

Documentation and Tracking (10%):

• Commit to improving and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for this role, crew operations, and individual crew members as needed throughout the season for accuracy. 
• Proactively engage in learning, teaching, using and effectively updating existing online applications, tools, systems, spreadsheets, and documents, asking clarifying questions to smooth any process or system as needed.
• Maintain consistent organization and tidiness in the work environment and in the handling of important information (ie, tracking inventory tools and materials, crew data, goals and timelines, payroll, etc.)

Other Functions and Responsibilities (5%)

• Work with the Shade Crew to plan and execute LNT and Waste disposal plans. 
• Be familiar with, act in accordance and enforce Burning Man’s staff policies, protocols and behavioral standards.
• Monitor personal well-being by setting realistic goals and managing self-care while proactively addressing any concerns with management
• Be an example to your crew and all of DPW through responsible and respectful actions.
• Perform other duties as directed. 

LEARNING AND TEACHING

• Documentation - Assists in the creation, publishing, and maintenance of process documentation related to their assigned duties.
• Knowledge sharing – Helps acculturate and educate junior staff in Burning Man culture and business processes.
• Training development - Collaborates with the education team to develop training materials in their area of expertise, as requested.
• Learning – Pursues ongoing learning in their area of expertise, working to stay current on emergent knowledge, skills, and processes.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Knowledge of general construction practices and/or structural engineering
• Experience leading construction or site crews at Burning Man or other festival environments; familiarity with event-based production work
• Working knowledge of Google products (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive) and Microsoft Word and Excel
• Ability to lead by example, motivate teams; excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability and willingness to work with a primarily volunteer labor force with a welcoming attitude toward the integration of new members into the DPW Crew
• Capable of working in an extreme environment including drastic temperature changes, high winds, poor air quality and low to no visibility at times.
• Ability to temporarily relocate for work at the Burning Man event held in Gerlach, Nevada

Preferred

• Experience as a DPW Crew member
• Working knowledge of Computer Aided Design (CAD) software
• It is helpful if the candidate has previously been to Burning Man and/or is familiar with its culture
• OSHA 10 hour Construction & General Industry Certification

Note: If you have gained the necessary experience to succeed in this role and have acquired this experience in other ways, we encourage you to apply and share all relevant experience in your application.

REQUIRED LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Valid driver’s license and a good driving record 

COMPENSATION

Individual compensation decisions are dependent on a variety of factors, including prior experience and geographical location. The anticipated rate for this position:

• From July - September is $17.00 to $18.00 per hour.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Off-playa:  Work is primarily sedentary in nature, no special demands are required.
• On-playa:  This position requires periods of heavy lifting, bending, kneeling, squatting, and climbing. This position will be physically demanding, and requires individuals with good physical health, and endurance. Work will include the need to find and meet with department representatives who may not be in the vicinity therefore this could include walking or using some form of transportation. Much of the work will be in outside weather conditions and will be exposed to fumes or airborne particles as well as possible extremes in temperature.

NOTICE FOR ALL APPLICANTS:

• Burning Man Project celebrates the importance of creating a diverse environment and enthusiastically encourages Black, Indigenous, Peoples of Color, LGBTQIA+, Immigrant, women, and people with disabilities, of all ages, to apply.
• Burning Man Project provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
• Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.