Student jobs in Ottawa, ON

Open Positions: 4

Who It's For: Students seeking summer employment

Summer Start Date: ASAP for training — Regular shifts begin Saturday, April 26th

Summer End Date: August 30th

Fall Term (Optional): August 31st – November 15th (part-time, 1–2 shifts/week for eligible students)

Compensation: $23.40–$26.00/hr all-in (base wage + commission + tips + performance bonuses)

Shift Start Times:

• Weekdays: 6:30am or 7:30am (may vary)
• Weekends: 8:30am
• Shift Length: 5–10h (length varies shift to shift based on work scheduled)

Dispatch Locations: All shifts begin and end at one of two locations:

• 2027 Merivale Road, Nepean
• 138 Wescar Lane, Nepean (our main shop)

Solo Crews: The majority of shifts are operated independently — you'll be your own crew, working out of a Ford Transit Detailing Van. Our office operations team is always a call away, and you'll have access to an active company-wide messaging platform throughout your shift.

Social Events: Once or twice a month we organize a team social (dinners, games, outings) — a real cornerstone of the Cleen culture.

SCHEDULE & AVAILABILITY

Student Shift Structure:

Summer Detailers are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday each week, plus one to two weekdays (varies week to week). Applicants must be available for the majority of Saturdays and Sundays throughout the full summer term (through August 30th), with flexibility to pick up one or two weekday shifts as needed.

Maximize Your Hours:

For those looking to earn more, additional weekday shifts — including evenings — may be available on a flexible basis throughout the season. This is a great opportunity to increase your weekly earnings on top of your regular schedule.

Important: Any required time off must be disclosed before the hiring decision is made. Inability to fulfill your scheduled shifts after hiring may result in forfeiture of your season-ending performance bonus and/or immediate termination. We take scheduling reliability very seriously — please only apply if you can genuinely commit.

Schedules are posted 2–4 weeks in advance so you can plan personal time around your days off.

Extra consideration given to applicants who:

• Can offer the most consistent Saturday–Sunday + weekday availability through August 30th
• Are willing to commute to either dispatch location regardless of which is assigned
• Have confirmed availability for the optional fall part-time term (Aug 31–Nov 15)
• Are interested in picking up additional shifts to maximize their hours

REQUIREMENTS

Driver's License

Valid G2 or G license required.

Personal Vehicle

Must have sole, uninterrupted access to a vehicle for your entire employment period. Shared vehicles (with a parent, sibling, or partner) are not accepted — shift times can change on short notice.

Physical Fitness

Ability to lift 50+ lbs repeatedly throughout a shift; physical stamina for 5–10 hours of active manual labour.

Commute Flexibility

Must be able to commute to either Merivale or Wescar Lane dispatch locations, as your assigned location can vary shift to shift.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Deliver a 5-star detailing experience at every appointment
• Conduct interior cleaning: vacuuming, shampooing, surface cleaning
• Perform exterior cleaning: hand washing, drying, waxing, and finishing
• Greet customers professionally and answer questions on-site
• Follow our step-by-step Detailer App checklists for consistency and quality
• Manage time diligently to stay on schedule across multiple appointments per shift
• Safely handle all equipment, chemicals, and cleaning agents
• Maintain a clean, organized van and workspace
• Communicate proactively with the office operations team and company-wide messaging platform
• Monitor weather conditions and prepare accordingly

WHAT DOES A SHIFT LOOK LIKE?

7:30am — Dispatch

Arrive at your assigned dispatch location (Merivale or Wescar Lane). Get the van prepped and be on the road by 7:45am.

~8:00–8:15am — Detail #1

Clock in on the Detailer App, greet your client, set up on-site, and get to work. Most details run 1.5–2.5 hours. You're working independently — but the operations team is a message or call away if you need anything.

~11:00am — Lunch Break

30-minute break. Grab food, recharge.

~11:30am — Detail #2

Back at it. Another client, another transformation.

~2:00pm — Detail #3 (Final Job)

Push through to the finish line. This is where your attitude carries the shift home.

~5:00pm — Wrap Up

Load up the equipment and drive the van back to your dispatch location. You're done for the day.

HIRING TIMELINE

Application Notify List: Open now — sign up to be first to know when applications open.

Applications Open: April 15th

Rolling Hiring Decisions: April 15–25th

First Full Shifts: Saturday, April 26th

Apply early. Candidates are reviewed and advanced on a rolling basis — the 4 positions will be filled as soon as the right people are found. Once all spots are filled, applications close.OUR HIRING PROCESS

We move fast and we're selective. Last year we hired 2 students out of over 300 applicants. Candidates are reviewed and offers made on a rolling basis between April 15–25th — the sooner you apply, the better your chances of being considered before all spots are filled.

Step 1 — Qualifying Questionnaire

After submitting your application, you'll immediately complete a short multiple-choice questionnaire. This helps us quickly assess whether your availability, situation, and mindset are the right fit for the role. There are no trick questions — just be honest.

Step 2 — AI-Enabled Phone Interview

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete a brief phone interview powered by AI. You'll answer a short set of spoken questions at a time that works for you — no scheduling required. This step is designed to be quick, low-pressure, and fair for everyone.

Step 3 — Video Interview with Matt (Owner)

If you advance past the phone interview, you'll be invited to a short video call with Matt, Cleen's founder. This is your chance to ask questions, show your personality, and get a real feel for what working at Cleen looks like. Matt will be looking for attitude, communication, and genuine interest — not detailing experience.

Step 4 — Paid Trial Detail with our Operations Manager

The final step before an offer. You'll come out for a hands-on paid trial detail alongside our Operations Manager. This isn't about whether you know how to detail a car — it's about how you show up, take direction, communicate, and carry yourself on the job. Come ready to work.

Step 5 — Offer Made

Successful candidates will receive a formal offer. Hired detailers will be onboarded immediately, with full shifts beginning Saturday, April 26th.

A NOTE FROM MATT (Owner, Cleen Detailing)

Hey — I'll keep this direct, because that's how we operate at Cleen.

We're hiring 4 Summer Detailers for 2026, and we don't hire often. Last year, we hired 2 students out of over 300 applicants. When we open applications, we move quickly and we choose carefully — because the people we bring on shape the entire experience for our customers and our team.

Cleen isn't your average summer job. We're one of Canada's fastest-growing technology-enabled mobile detailing companies, with over 1,000 five-star reviews on Google and Facebook, and the highest Indeed employee rating of any detailing company in Ottawa. We're a Living Wage Certified, People-First employer — meaning your growth, wellbeing, and goals genuinely matter to us.

That said — I won't sugarcoat it. This job is hard. You'll be outside in the heat, the rain, and the wind for 8–9 hours, moving constantly, hauling equipment, and delivering a premium experience to customers who expect the best. A lot of people aren't built for it. If you're looking for something easy, this isn't it.

But if you show up with a great attitude, reliable attendance, and a willingness to be coached — you'll earn strong money, develop real skills in customer service, teamwork, and attention to detail, and become part of a team that genuinely has each other's backs.

We're looking for people who are all-in. If that's you, I'd love to see your application.

— Matt Graves, Owner

Sign up for the Application Notify List now to be first in line when applications open April 15th.

Job Type: Seasonal
Contract length: 4 months

Pay: $23.80-$26.00 per hour

Expected hours: 25 – 40 per week

Benefits:

• Company car
• Company events

Application question(s):

• Anything to share?

Language:

• english fluently (required)

Licence/Certification:

• personal vehicle to commute to start your shift (required)
• comfortability to drive a Ford Transit Cargo Van (required)
• willingness to work cold, rainy, hot weather (required)
• interest in part-time work from Sep-Nov (preferred)
• ability to lift 60+ lbs of equipment throughout a shift (required)
• availability 4 days/week (incl. Sat+Sun) (required)
• G or G2 level driver's license (required)

Work Location: In person