HOT AIR BALLOON GROUND CREW

Not Your Average 9 to 5!

Early mornings. Spectacular sunrises. An extraordinary workplace.

Imagine starting your working day beneath a sky full of stars, helping launch a hot air balloon as Melbourne wakes up, and finishing your morning having helped create an unforgettable experience.

At BalloonMan, that's all part of the job.

We are a family-owned and operated hot air balloon company, established in 1999, delivering premium sunrise balloon experiences across Melbourne and Bendigo.

We're looking for reliable, physically capable, safety-conscious and personable individuals to join our Melbourne-based ground crew.

This is not simply a driving job. You'll be part of a professional aviation support team responsible for the safety, smooth operation and exceptional passenger experience that BalloonMan is known for.

Position: Hot Air Balloon Ground Crew
Employment: Casual, rostered shifts (often the day prior)
Location: Melbourne, Victoria; Bendigo, Victoria (by arrangement)
Base: Abbotsford, Melbourne
Hours: Early mornings, varying seasonally

WHAT DOES GROUND CREW ACTUALLY DO?

Our ground crew are an essential part of every successful balloon flight.

Working under the direction of our Chief Pilot and flight operations team, you'll be responsible for:

• Preparing, inflating and packing away hot air balloons and associated equipment.
• Driving support vehicles, including our Mercedes Sprinter passenger vehicle, and towing balloon trailers where authorised.
• Assisting passengers with transport, boarding and disembarking.
• Following the balloon during flight and coordinating ground retrieval.
• Assisting pilots during balloon landings and recovery operations.
• Safely handling heavy and specialised ballooning equipment.
• Maintaining the cleanliness, presentation and readiness of vehicles and equipment.
• Following all operational instructions, safety procedures and workplace health and safety requirements.

Ballooning is a team operation. Every crew member must be alert, responsive, physically capable and prepared to assist wherever required.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for people who take genuine pride in doing a job properly. Our gear is mega expensive, we need you to treat it well!

Essential requirements

• A full, current driver's licence with an impeccable driving history.
• Appropriate licence eligibility for the vehicles you will be required to operate.
• Confidence driving larger vehicles and experience towing trailers, or the ability to be trained.
• Good physical fitness and the ability to undertake demanding manual work.
• Exceptional reliability, punctuality and personal responsibility.
• The ability to follow strict WorkSafe and operational safety instructions without exception, negotiation or complaint.
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Immaculate personal presentation and professional conduct.
• A calm, respectful and welcoming manner with passengers from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a valid Working with Children Check.
• Legal entitlement to work in Australia.
• Reliable personal transport for very early morning starts.

Highly regarded

• Experience in 4WD activities
• Trailer towing
• Logistics
• Tourism
• Hospitality
• Outdoor adventure operations, or
• Physically demanding team environments.

Previous ballooning experience is not necessary. Full ground operational training will be provided.

PERSONALITY MATTERS JUST AS MUCH AS PRACTICAL SKILLS

BalloonMan provides a premium tourism experience.

Our passengers may be celebrating a milestone birthday, anniversary, marriage proposal or a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Our crew must be able to engage in friendly, intelligent conversation while maintaining professional boundaries.

We value people who can communicate confidently, listen attentively and make others feel comfortable without imposing their personal, political or social views.

Professionalism, discretion, courtesy and excellent presentation are non-negotiable.

THIS ROLE IS FOR YOU IF...

• You enjoy working outdoors and staying physically active.
• You love early mornings and seeing Melbourne before the city wakes up.
• You enjoy driving and working with vehicles and equipment.
• You understand that safety instructions are there to be followed, not debated.
• You take responsibility for your own punctuality and reliability.
• You enjoy meeting people and providing outstanding service.
• You can work efficiently as part of a close-knit team.
• You want a rewarding morning role that leaves time for other work, study or commitments later in the day.

THIS ROLE IS NOT FOR YOU IF...

• You struggle to get out of bed before sunrise.
• You prefer fixed, predictable 9 am to 5 pm working hours.
• You dislike physical work, lifting equipment or getting your hands dirty.
• You are uncomfortable driving larger vehicles.
• You have difficulty following directions or working under supervision.
• You are frequently late or unreliable.
• You cannot maintain professional standards of communication and presentation.
• You expect guaranteed shifts regardless of weather or operational requirements.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?

An extraordinary workplace with some exceptional benefits.

• Spectacular Melbourne sunrises and a workplace unlike any other.
• Breakfast at the five-star Grand Hyatt Melbourne's Collins Kitchen following flight operations.
• The opportunity to work alongside experienced professional balloon pilots.
• Practical training and experience in a specialised aviation support environment.
• A supportive, close-knit team within a family-owned Australian business.
• Varied, active work rather than sitting behind a desk all day.
• Early finishes that may allow you to pursue another job, studies or personal interests later in the day.
• The satisfaction of helping create memorable experiences for people from around the world.
• Staff Mates Rates.

WORKING HOURS & AVAILABILITY

This is sunrise aviation. Early starts are part of the job.

Our meeting times vary depending on the season:

Summer: As early as 3:00 am
Winter: Approximately 5:00 am

Flights are weather-dependent, and shifts may change or be cancelled when conditions are unsuitable for flying.

Ground crew must provide their availability at least one month in advance so we can prepare rosters and schedule flight operations.

Applicants living in Abbotsford or nearby suburbs will be particularly well suited to the early morning reporting requirements.

READY TO JOIN THE BALLOONMAN TEAM?

If you're physically capable, professionally presented, safety-conscious and enthusiastic about working in a unique outdoor environment, we'd love to hear from you.

APPLY NOW

Please submit your application, demonstrating your capacity to follow instructions, as follows:

• Follow the link to our form by clicking the button below.
• Your name, contact details and suburb of residence.
• Your CV and relevant employment experience.
• Links to relevant social media handles.
• Your driver's licence class and driving/towing experience.
• Your general availability, including weekdays and weekends.
• A Cover Letter explaining why you believe you'd be a good fit for BalloonMan.

*Applications without a Cover Letter will not be considered. (PS. We can tell if ChatGPT wrote it, so please write it in your own style...)

Suitable applicants will be contacted for an initial phone screen, with a phone interview arranged with our General Manager and Recruitment Advisor followed by an in person interview with our Chief Pilot, BalloonMan himself.

BalloonMan | Family-Owned & Operated Since 1999

Melbourne & Bendigo, Victoria

www.balloonman.com.au

NOTE TO RECRUITERS:
We are not currently inviting applications from agencies. Thank you.