Senior Gardener

(Paid Opportunities) Return to Paid Opportunities

 Compensation: $50 per hour, OBE

Matthew Placek Inc. is a boutique Landscape Design-Build-Maintenance group specializing in residential rooftops, terraces, and townhouse gardens throughout New York City. Starting out of a personal love for horticulture, Matthew Placek expanded to serve high-end clients across NYC with an unwavering eye for detail and an artist’s perspective. 

We are seeking a Senior Gardener to join our team and work alongside Matthew Placek. Senior Gardeners are responsible for overseeing a team of gardeners and implementing horticultural maintenance and seasonal tasks.  This work often boils down to glorified outdoor housekeeping. Applicants must be open and have some sense of joy in cleaning as well as caring for plant care. The senior gardener position is a part-time or full-time, independent contractor position starting at $50/hr or based on experience. 

Responsibilities/Duties

  • Direct a diverse rotating gardening crew towards the accomplishment of garden service tasks 
  • Act as a liaison with the client and their needs. 
  • Train crew as needed on horticulture skills such as planting, transplanting, pruning, and maintaining healthy trees and shrubs, perennials and annuals.  
  • Oversee maintenance of garden hardscapes and systems, including irrigation and lighting 
  • Use composition, balance, color, and design in planning and planting installations & seasonal garden transitions
  • Apply knowledge of plant nutrition, IPM, and disease in treating and maintaining the health of plants
  • Maintain the design intent and presentation established for each garden 
  • Comply with office workflow in a timely manner (i.e., timesheets, work orders, etc.) 
  • Pick up supplies as needed. Drive supplies to location and load-in with crew support. 
  • Drive to Long Island/NY/NJ Nurseries, select and purchase plants 

Qualifications/Requirements

  • Horticulture certificate or degree in related field, or minimum of 5 years experience in the field
  • Excellent plant ID skills, along with plant knowledge and care in NYC spaces
  • Excellent pruning skills, ability to identify and manage common garden pests and diseases and experience with irrigation
  • Experience managing and training staff
  • Experience working with high-end/notable clientele 
  • Ability to carry a load of 50 lbs. up and down a flight of stairs 
  • Ability to survey a site and choose plants to suit the site and the client’s needs. 
  • Access to a vehicle is a plus

Additional Information

Please submit your resume with a cover letter. 

Contact Information

Matthew Placek Inc.
Contact Name: Cathy
Email: hortulis@matthewplacek.com