Horticultural Technician 1
(Paid Opportunities) Return to Paid Opportunities
Compensation: $36,357 - $46,886 + $3,087 Annual Location Pay
Under the supervision of the Park Manager and/or higher-level personnel, the Horticultural Technician 1 performs a variety of duties relating to the care and maintenance of plantings and vegetation at Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park and other state parks in the New York City region.
Responsibilities/Duties
- While operating in an independent manner, performs planting, transplanting, watering, fertilizing, spraying, pruning, and trimming of valuable, rare, or specialized trees, shrubs, vines, and flowers.
- Identifying, supervising, or otherwise handling the removal of invasive species.
- Inspecting the operating area to identify potential safety hazards, needs for skilled maintenance, landscaping requirements, litter control, refuse removal, etc.; reporting findings to supervisor(s) and/or taking corrective actions independently, as appropriate.
- Curating outdoor herbaceous and woody plant collections; identifying plant growth, nutritional, insect and disease problems; taking appropriate corrective and remedial action; consulting as needed with supervisor(s); researching and assessing the best horticultural practices for managing the living collections; documenting, reporting, and cataloging plant-related information.
- Selectively pruning plants to correct structural defects, thinning excessive growth within the plant's framework, and removing portions of the plant damaged by disease, storm, or insects to retain or restore the natural form of the plant.
- Selectively formulating and applying herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and fertilizers to plant material to counteract plant nutritional, growth, insect and/or disease problems.
- Developing management plans for outdoor gardens and living collections; maintaining display beds through weeding, watering, pruning, deadheading, mulching, edging, raking, and fertilization.
- Performing the appropriate soil preparation and planting of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees; performing seasonal landscaping work including planting, pruning, clean-up, bulb planting, dividing, transplanting, and leaf removal.
- Operating and maintaining hand and portable power tools and motorized equipment such as mowers, tractors, sprayers, saws, tillers, etc.
- Supervising lower level and seasonal staff and volunteers in the care of plant materials; providing for materials and supplies in support of this work; and assisting with training and support of seasonal gardeners and interns.
- Answering questions for park visitors about horticulture, history, design, and general park information; leading horticultural tours and assisting with special programs, as needed.
- Operating light trucks and other motor vehicles as required in the performance of duties.
- Loading and unloading materials, tools and equipment of varying weights and sizes, as needed, in the performance of duties assigned.
- Performing routine manual maintenance tasks required to develop, maintain, and repair associated plantings, buildings, roads, and equipment.
- Maintaining equipment and supplies properly and ensuring they are stored safely.
- Performing snow removal and maintaining grounds and structures as needed.
- Performing other related duties as required.
Qualifications/Requirements
Associate degree in horticulture, agronomy, forestry, or a closely related field OR two years of technical experience in horticulture, plant propagation, nursery, or greenhouse work which includes plant pest and disease detection and control; or two years of college study in one of the above specialties and one year of experience as described.
Additional Information
Work Location: Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, 679 Riverside Drive, NY, 10031
Please forward your application and resume to nycvacancies@parks.ny.gov. All qualified persons are invited and encouraged to apply.
Contact Information
New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Email: nycvacancies@parks.ny.gov
Website: Apply Online