Red Raccoon Bike Rescue is Hiring for Summer 2026

There are up to three positions. One full time year round, and two summer positions.

Bicycle Mechanic / Community Coordinator For a Non-Profit Bike Program 

• Work with the public as they fix their own bikes (a free service).

• Train volunteers how to repair bikes.

• Fix shop bikes to give away or sell.

• Help manage and run the shop.

We repaired 2,500 bikes last year, particularly targeting people who could not afford traditional bike repair.

To apply: Send your resume and cover letter to hire@redraccoon.org

Red Raccoon Bike Rescue Mission Statement

Red Raccoon Bike Rescue aims to assist in restoring mental health, physical health and access to mobility through offering free bike repair, inexpensive parts, and education. Our goal is to be active participants in healing our climate, our communities and ourselves. Every individual deserves access to the necessities of life and to the joys that make it worth living.  Currently, intersecting factors such as income, mental health status, legal status, race and gender can be barriers to such access. Our hope is to help reduce some of these barriers by ensuring folks have access to safe active transportation.

More information: https://www.redraccoon.org/

Job Period and Pay

• $23/hr to $25/hr

• There are both summer and year round positions available. 

• Full-time position, 35 hrs/wk 

• Some positions may be partially funded by Canada Summer Jobs.  Please indicate your eligibility for CSJ in your application. 

Job Description

Mechanic/Program Coordinator

Participate in bike events 

• This includes set-up, tear-down, talking to ‘clients’ about their bikes, coordinating with volunteers, teaching and supporting volunteers and clients in doing their own repairs, supporting people learning to ride, and of course doing all kind of repairs on all kinds of bikes

• Saturday events: 9am - 5pm (8 hrs/wk), including set-up and tear-down 

  • Saturday events are held at 79 Joseph Street

  • There are 16 Saturdays between May 12-Aug 30. Hired staff are expected to work 13 out of these 16 Saturdays

• Remote events: weekdays daytime AND/OR evening, plan for 1 daytime and 1 evening per week

  • Remote events are held at various locations in Waterloo Region 

  • Remote events include preparing and packing gear at the shop and driving/biking to the events, then driving/biking back and unloading and unpacking gear

  • If you use your own car to drive yourself + gear/volunteers to remote events, we will reimburse you per km. Otherwise we will arrange driving for staff & volunteers OR we will ride to the event.

• 80% of our events are outdoors, rain or shine…prepare to get wet to some degree. We do have tents to keep us dry.  The weather may be deemed unsafe or rain may make the event no longer helpful to the community in which case we would reschedule

• We have a program at a federal women’s prison. This may require fingerprinting and background checks as required by CSC

• Programs with children may require vulnerable sector checks

• You will be helping vulnerable people in the community…prepare to be patient, empathetic, and open-minded

Shop time

• Public / volunteer shop time: 

  • Weekdays daytime AND/OR evening, plan for 2 daytime and 1 evening per week

  • Support the public and volunteers in repairs as necessary

  • Teach people how to safely ride a bike, including helmet-fitting

  • Maintain volunteers’ retention and momentum, e.g. by supporting them

• Solo shop time:  Manage your own time throughout the week to maintain the Red Raccoon shop, including: 

  • Prepare and organise tools and parts before and/or after each event

  • Organise parts, and ensure they’re remaining organised.  

  • General shop upkeep and ensuring the space and the infrastructure within it is well maintained

  • Keep track of parts/tools inventory and notify the ordering person to buy new parts/tools 

  • Repair shop bikes

  • Patch tubes, sort and label parts and tools

  • Teach volunteers

  • Pitch your own ideas about how to improve the shop and then execute them! 

Flex time

• Once a month Member and volunteer meetings Tuesday evenings

• Coordinate events, reach out to new potential partners with program ideas

• Maintain relationships with bike shops that are giving us parts and pick up parts as they are available 

• Data entry to track who we support and where

• Answer RRBR social media messages and emails

• Actively maintain RRBR’s online presence, including posting on Facebook and Instagram

• Schedule events - keep an eye the schedule of events to make sure we don’t double book

• Report/communicate with board periodically and meet for feedback

Experience, knowledge and skills: 

• Experience in bicycle repairs (can be in a non-professional/volunteer capacity) required

• Experience in community bike programs and social services is an asset

• Understanding of bicycle repair tools

• Knowledge of (community) bike shop operations, cycling culture, social policies, or local cycling communities would be helpful.

• Comfortable with the diverse population RRBR interacts with, including those with health, mental health, and/or social issues, and those of various racial, ethnic, religious, and linguistic backgrounds

• Competent in operating a bicycle

• Willingness to learn and bravery to admit when you don’t know something

• Ability to make estimates of materials and time required to perform the work

• Work independently with minimal direction, and collaboratively with peers and clients

• Able to work comfortably in a prison setting

• Knowledge of applicable safe work practices, and health and safety regulations

• Basic computer skills including email, google docs, and any online training modules

• Ability to read, understand, and interpret diagrams, service manuals, and other documents used in bicycle repairs

• Able to communicate effectively and professionally in English, both to peers and clients. 

• Physically fit to perform repair tasks which may include standing for a long time or lifting heavy bicycles

• Able to tolerate exposure to moderate amounts of dust, oil, grease, solvents, sharp metals, etc. that are common in bicycle repair operations

To apply: 

• Send your resume and cover letter to hire@redraccoon.org

• References and other supporting material are optional

• This job may be partially funded by Canada Summer Jobs. Please indicate your eligibility for CSJ in your application. 

• For the summer-only positions, the employment period is Mon May 12 to Sat Aug 30 (16 weeks) with a possibility of continuation.

• There are also year-round positions available.