This position is responsible for the selection and addition of plant species into the Garden's Living Collections for assigned areas to support plant conservation and build research capacity. Design, installation and maintenance of landscapes and individual plants must be conducted to the highest standards. Researching and recording cultivation information is essential, as is using this information to modify the growing environment as necessary to ensure plant health.
Requirements
- Works with Supervisor to target and develop plant collections and landscapes according to Garden policy and area descriptions
- Utilizes Index Seminum, the Garden's Targeting Database, and other resources to select species and develop the garden's collections
- Conducts research entering information on plant habit and cultivation into the Targeting Database
- Records relevant procedures in Living Collections Management System to support integrity of records for short term operations and long term institutional knowledge
- Identifies superior and inferior plants in assigned areas, transplanting as needed to increase chances of success
- Performs plant record keeping at the highest level ensuring that all plants in the collection have accession labels at all times and all maintenance information regarding the collection (i.e. new plantings, divisions, moves, deaths, etc.) is up to date at all times
- Mastery of a wide range of landscape/maintenance tasks important to the cultivation, preservation, protection and transplanting of existing plants
- Understands, consistently monitors, and implements appropriate irrigation requirements for a variety of plant material and utilizes technology to tailor irrigation schedules to assigned collections
- Plants and maintains displays in a manner that enables plant genetics and accessions data to be preserved and allows the public to easily distinguish plants when reading plant labels
- Requests propagation of plants in the collections to ensure survival, paying particular attention to rare and threatened species and those of wild origin
- Completes landscape designs and oversees the layout and installation of plant material
- Participates in field work locally, nationally and internationally for plant collecting expeditions, as well as, horticulture capacity building
- Assigns, leads and directs the work of volunteers to deliver and complete projects
- Shares knowledge and information with colleagues towards the goal of improving plant cultivation techniques
- Performs assigned weekend watering rotation duties
- Performs snow removal on Garden grounds, when called upon, to maintain a safe environment for staff and visitors
- Reports all accidents, injuries and near-miss accidents immediately to supervisor
- Ensures that all applicable safety standards are followed and adapts or modifies work methods to reduce hazards
- Maintains a professional demeanor, answering informal questions from the public as needed when working on Garden grounds
- Provides presentations to internal audiences as requested in areas of expertise
Benefits
- Paid Time Off
- Health Insurance
- Retirement Plan
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
