Furniture maker at Jan Hendzel Studio
We are looking for a Mid weight furniture maker to join our award winning team and work on some exciting projects for the next 3 months, from approximately mid April to mid July. This is for an in person role in our S.E London studio, full time 5 days a week for a 3 month period, ideally looking for an immediate start.
The position is a freelance role, and has the potential to develop into a permanent role for the right candidate as our business grows. Please note this is not a position for a junior maker, or someone with no solid timber or hardwood furniture making experience.
The ideal candidate will be a dynamic and proactive furniture maker who is a great team-player and has a minimum of 3 years relevant experience. A background in solid wood is essential as our materials of choice are British grown timbers. Our projects are often technical and sculptural, therefore understanding joinery and its numerous complexities is important. We are looking for someone who can offer input and solutions to help us develop our ideas, whilst maintaining workshop systems and providing quality, reliability and efficiency in production. Experience with programming and operating a 3-axis CNC machine would be a valuable addition to your workshop skills.
We create expressive furniture and objects that showcase impeccable design, craft and precision. We pride ourselves on pushing the boundaries of what it means to work with wood, and are always rooted in sustainable practices with an emphasis on quality and longevity as luxury. Our work is varied and unique, ranging from bespoke commissions and commercial joinery, to public facing sculptures, artist collaborations and our own furniture collections that are shown and sold around the world.
You should ideally have a full suite of hand tooling sufficient to complete complex tasks working in timber, as well as a passion for furniture & design.
To apply, submit a Portfolio, CV and your availability to studio@janhendzel.com along with your phone number and a few lines on what you can bring to the role. Read the full description on our website (follow the link in our bio). Please use Furniture Maker Role as the subject heading.
We’re eager to fill this role quickly and will be interviewing candidates as applications come in. Please apply by April 30th, and feel free to share this with anyone who might be a good fit.
Day rate circa £130 – £150, depending on experience.
Full-time position, 5 days a week for a 3+ month period.
Immediate start.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
SKILLS
- Confident, self-driven and enthusiastic team member with a can-do attitude.
- Highly organised, proactive and efficient.
- Timekeeping In attendance and in job completion
- keeping accurate work time records
- Understanding of a bespoke production focussed business
- Personable team player and communicator in a busy work environment
- Experience in partnering with various internal teams and external suppliers and in demonstrating critical thinking, attention to details and precise execution
- Bench Joinery / Wood Machinist experience/qualification
- Good knowledge/experience of wood machinery
- Passion for the craft and continual development in the art of furniture making.
- Keeping hand tools and machines serviced and Sharp.
EXPERIENCE
Highly desirable:
- CNC programming and operation
- A keen eye for detail and accuracy, with ability to produce good quality work
- Ability to problem solve joinery details and assist in suitable solutions.
- Understanding timber grain and its presentation within commissions
- Minimum 3 years furniture maker experience working with Solid timber
- Full and comprehensive Knowledge in the basics of the woodworking craft.
- Understanding of a production business working with natural raw materials
- Experience working within Solid timber furniture production. Unique one off items plus batch produced items.
- Lathe work we have a large Wadkin Rs lathe and like to push its capabilities.
- Create your own unique jigs as and when necessary
- Confidence in moving through a busy workshop and to stay organized in periods of high pressure deadlines.
- Flexible approach to working time to meet deadlines/peak workloads
- Good time keeping.
Of Interest:
- General site experience for fitting work for the more unique bespoke projects.
- Working on sustainably-driven projects
- A design background
- An understanding of timber products
- Understanding of working with reclaimed timbers
- Good working knowledge of green timbers
What’s in it for you?
- We’ll support your ongoing professional development with bespoke learning initiatives and training opportunities in design and timber culture
- Being part of a growing, ambitious and dynamic team, you will get the chance to help shape and contribute to our work culture
- We all prepare lunches for one another on rota
- Social events including summer and Christmas parties as well as occasional full team activities
Please submit your CV and your availability/notice period to studio@janhendzel.com, along with your phone number and a few lines on why you’d like to work for us and what you can bring to the role. Please use Furniture Maker Role as the subject heading.
Due to the high level of response anticipated, we may not be able to respond to every application received but thank you for your interest in advance.
Closing date: 30th April
