Horticulturist

(Paid Opportunities) Return to Paid Opportunities

Start Date: January 25, 2023 Compensation: $25-$28/hour

Little Island is a beautiful, welcoming, and unique public park and public art space located in Hudson River Park at 13^th/14^th St. With its one-of-a-kind design and dynamic offerings and experiences, Little Island invites all New Yorkers to experience a public space that is designed to ignite imagination, foster spontaneity and play, and support camaraderie and connection. Little Island relies on its dedicated staff to deliver this experience and cultivate a public space that is welcoming for all to enjoy.

Little Island’s Horticulturists will be responsible for maintaining the Park’s beautiful 2.4 acre perennial landscape. Reporting directly to the Head of Horticulture, the Horticulturists are also essential members of the Operations team, and they will collaborate with park staff and supervisors to ensure Little Island’s landscape and facilities are kept to the highest standard. Situated over the Hudson River, Little Island provides a challenging and unique opportunity to hone your horticulture skills with over 350 varieties of trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and perennials. We also have 66,000 individual Spring bulbs and 18,000 sq.ft of lawn. Horticulturists will also have the opportunity to collaborate with our Landscape Architect to ensure the integrity of her vision.

Hourly Rate: $25-$28
Job Type: Full-Time Year-Round
Schedule Expectations: Monday-Friday early morning start, with the flexibility to work weekends as needed.
Projected Start Date: Week of January 23, 2023

Responsibilities/Duties

Perform all aspects of daily gardening including planting, transplanting, dividing, deadheading, cutback, clean-up, hand watering, editing, weeding, pruning, mulching.
Ensure cleanliness of the landscape through daily morning walkthroughs to clear damage, debris, and litter.
Monitor all plantings for hand watering during establishment and drought.
Ensure all necessary horticulture supplies are stocked.
Scout and monitor all pests and diseases within the landscape.
Keep consistent communication with the Head of Horticulture and the wider Operations Department.
Act as an ambassador for Little Island by answering questions from the public about the landscape, park history, and general park information
Assist Head of Horticulture in collecting thorough garden records and photographs.
Contribute discussion items and topics for the weekly Horticulture Walkthrough.
Work with various outside Horticulture vendors as needed.
Assist Park Operations with snow removal and other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications/Requirements

The ideal Horticulture teammates are hardworking self-starters who are detail oriented, have an aesthetic eye, and a variety of horticulture skills. Candidates should be comfortable working outdoors in all types of weather and experience working in a public space or garden is a must.

Prior experience in urban perennial gardening and Spring cutback preferred.
A degree or certification in horticulture preferred.
Excellent plant and pest identification.
Ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair drip irrigation a plus.
Ability to operate and maintain horticulture tools and equipment, including gas and electric powered hedge trimmers.
Ability to use basic computer programs.
Availability work weekends and holidays as needed.
Ability to lift or transport objects up to 50lbs.
Possession of OSHA 10 or 30, Fall/Arrest training, or other relevant certifications preferred
Availability to work in the US.

Additional Information

Benefits and Perks

15 days vacation, 7 sick, up to 3 personal days
Health Benefits: Medical, dental & vision care
401(k) retirement plan
Commuter benefits
Flexible spending accounts
Basic Life Insurance, Short & Long-Term Disability
Employee Assistance Program
Access to free tickets at Little Island

Contact Information

Little Island
Email: jobs@littleisland.org
Website: Apply Online