Senior Horticulturist/Greenhouse & Nursery Operations

(Paid Opportunities) Return to Paid Opportunities

 Compensation: $22-$28/hour for Horticulturist and $25-$32/hr for Senior Horticulturist per hour

The Senior Horticulturist/Horticulturist, Greenhouse & Nursery Operations, provides horticultural support for the care and maintenance of the plant collections, gardens, and landscaped areas of the Scott Arboretum & Gardens and the entire Swarthmore College campus and properties owned by the College. Assists in maintaining the Wister Center Greenhouse, nursery, work spaces, hoop house, and growing areas of the Arboretum. Tasks performed include general gardening duties and plant collections maintenance; assisting in the maintenance of the Crum Woods and faculty/staff housing properties; program assistance for Scott Arboretum educational programs and volunteer education; co-supervising Horticulturists, volunteers, student workers and summer interns; providing assistance for College events; performing maintenance to keep the campus exteriors safe; providing assistance during weather emergencies, for snow and ice during winter storms, and for other grounds keeping duties; provides educational tours for Arboretum visitors.

This opportunity is available at two levels based on the education and experience of the final candidate selected as either the Senior Horticulturist or Horticulturist, Greenhouse & Nursery Operations.

Responsibilities/Duties

HORTICULTURAL TASKS (60%)

  • Maintains the plant collections by performing timely planting, weeding, mulching, pruning, fertilizing, irrigating, leaf raking, and other plant cultural practices with minimal supervision in order to maintain campus aesthetics and provide proper horticultural care. Assists in design modifications as needed to the Arboretum’s landscape and gardens. Assists in plant records and plant curation as needed.
  • Maintains specialty garden areas consisting of Terry Shane Teaching Garden, Cunningham House Entrance Garden, Glade Garden, Harry Wood Garden, Nason Garden, Pinetum, Pollinators Garden, Singer Hall landscape, Winter Garden, magnolia and holly collections, green roofs, various courtyard gardens and major horticultural collections as the most intensively-maintained gardens on campus.

GROUNDSKEEPING DUTIES (20%)

  • Keeps campus areas, turf, roads, sidewalks, and patios maintained in an efficient way. Has the ability to prioritize these tasks in order to provide a safe and aesthetically pleasing campus.
  • Performs trash removal, irrigation, turf renovation, turf mowing, snow removal, and leaf raking in order to efficiently maintain safety and high horticultural aesthetics on campus.
  • Assists with special function set-up and tear-down in order to prepare the facilities in a timely manner for College- and Arboretum-hosted events.
  • Is present for and assists in College emergencies, bad weather occurrences, and special College functions in order to maintain campus safety for students, staff, and visitors.

WISTER EDUCATION CENTER GREENHOUSE AND HEADHOUSE, AND NURSERY MANAGEMENT (15%)

  • Maintains the Wister Center Greenhouse, workspaces, hoop house, and growing areas of the Arboretum, directing and engaging in all operations.  Supervises support staff in these endeavors.
  • Oversees proper functioning of greenhouse systems controls: e.g., Argus control systems; seasonal crop change adjustments; fertilizer system; etc., and hires and supervises maintenance contractors for this space.  Administers hardware and software upgrades.
  • Oversees and maintains the production facilities at the nursery and Wister Education Center growing area.
  • Takes responsibility for the propagation of plants, tender perennials, cuttings obtained from outside sources, and new plants in order to over-winter them for spring planting.
  • Maintains Pesticide Applicator’s License for insect and pest control; maintains MSDS and pesticide application log book.

COMMUNITY/EDUCATION SUPPORT (5%)

  • Provides general horticultural information to all members of the community who phone or visit in order to help solve problems or give expert advice.
  • Assists with teaching classes offered by the Arboretum; gives lectures as requested; assists with guided campus tours open to the public.
  • Assists staff with various programs (e.g., evening lectures, Perennials and Woody Conferences, Greens Sales) as needed.
  • Lends support when requested to the College’s professors, students, and educational departments in their classes and laboratories that utilize the plant collections, gardens, and Crum Woods.

Supervisory Responsibilities

  • The Senior Horticulturist has co-supervision of 1-2 Horticulturist positions.
  • The Senior Horticulturist has daily supervision of 2-7 assigned volunteers, 1-5 student workers, and 1-3 summer interns. The Horticulturist will assist with daily supervision.

Qualifications/Requirements

Senior Horticulturist, Greenhouse & Nursery Operations

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or, practical horticultural training course (two to four year program) plus three to five years of job-related experience.
  • Greenhouse and nursery management experience.
  • Must possess a Pennsylvania pesticide applicator’s license for the appropriate categories in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials, or is willing to do so.
  • Must possess a valid driver’s license.
  • Must be familiar with the operation and maintenance of hand tools and grounds maintenance equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Five years or more of gardening/horticulture experience in addition to formal education requirements.
  • Greenhouse and nursery production experience.
  • Experience working in a public garden or college campus setting.

Horticulturist, Greenhouse & Nursery Operations

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or, practical horticultural training course (two to four year program) plus one to three years of job-related experience
  • Greenhouse and nursery management experience
  • Must possess a Pennsylvania pesticide applicator’s license for the appropriate categories in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials, or is willing to do so
  • Must possess a valid driver’s license.
  • Must be familiar with the operation and maintenance of hand tools and grounds maintenance equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Three to five years of gardening/horticulture experience in addition to formal education requirements.
  • Greenhouse and nursery production experience
  • Experience working in a public garden or college campus setting.

Contact Information

Scott Arboretum and Gardens
Website: Apply Online