Native Seed Nursery Manager

Title: Native Seed Nursery Manager

Exemption Status: Exempt

Department: Native Habitats

Reports to: Senior Director, Restoration Ecology

Year-round full-time, anticipated to end in two years

Supervises: Native Seed Nursery Technician (to be hired)

Position Overview: This two-year term position, beginning after March 2024, will initially be based at Chicago Botanic Garden, with increasing time spent at the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) native seed nursery at their Salt Creek Resource Management Office, La Grange Park, IL. The individual in this position will be responsible for working with members of the Garden’s natural areas, seed bank, and plant production staff, as well as with ecologists at FPCC, to develop and grow a seed amplification program to meet the growing need for native seeds to support restoration of FPCC habitat. This will include work with FPCC’s Ecology Team to establish priorities for native seed amplification and collection, and with the Garden’s natural areas, seed banking, and plant production teams to collect, clean, germinate, and grow seeds of priority species and seed sources. The individual in this position will also be responsible for working with FPCC staff to build out of a new native seed nursery at FPCC, including database organization and overall coordination with other staff and volunteers to produce native plants and seeds for restoration and biodiversity enrichment on FPCC lands. The individual in this position will contribute to a regional work group focused on native seed production and the establishment of best management practices to increase the availability of diverse native seeds for restoration use.

Responsibilities

In this role you will be responsible for the following:  

• Lead hiring of and then supervise and assist in daily work assignments of a nursery technician. 
• Collaborate with FPCC’s Resource Ecologist to assess needs and best ways to amplify seeds of diverse species.
• Collect, bank, germinate, propagate, and grow/produce seeds into mature plants for seed amplification and/or biodiversity enrichment. 
• Develop and maintain meticulous recordkeeping and database of seed source/origin, destination, population size, and available plant material.
• Develop and oversee a plan for wild seed collection of plant species native to the region and assist with coordinating seed collection by various FPCC groups and partners.
• Practice best management techniques for preserving plant genetic diversity through consistent standards and protocols for seed collection, handling, propagation, and distribution. 
• Identify knowledge gaps in local seed acquisition and production, propose solutions. 
• Experiment with new techniques for plant propagation and cultivation of challenging species, as well as methods to improve planting, cultivating, and disease control to achieve optimum plant quality.  
• Operate various equipment, including but not limited to: hand tools (i.e. pruners, loppers, handsaws, shovels, rakes, pole-saws, line trimmers, brush cutters); small mechanized equipment (i.e. spray tanks/spray pumps, lawn mowers, walk behind brush mowers, Gator/RT); vehicles (i.e. pickup truck, pickup truck with utility trailer)
• Collaborate with partners to learn and share best practices that will improve the availability of seeds for diverse native species in the Chicago region and throughout the Midwest.
• Help to manage seasonal or part-time staff, volunteers, or other departments interested in volunteering.  
• Communicate effectively and work cooperatively with staff, volunteer stewards, partners, and public stakeholders.
• May participate in FPCC-related management, monitoring, and research projects such as plant inventories, wildlife studies, and environmental education programs, as assigned.

Chicago Botanic Garden Values & Behaviors:

Qualifications
 

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Ecology, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or other related field, or a combination of education and hands-on work experience. 
• Three years related experience working with seeds and plants in horticulture, agriculture, and/or ecological restoration.  
• At least one year of direct experience working in a nursery setting, including germinating and growing different plant species and/or maintaining seed beds of diverse species.
• Knowledge of the Chicagoland ecosystems and native plants within them, including the ability to identify plants to species. 
• Knowledge of basic restoration techniques, including managing invasive species and collecting, cleaning, and using native seeds, or desire to learn.
• Possess or be willing to obtain an Illinois pesticide applicator license and s130/s190/Chicago Wilderness prescribed burning certification. 
• Working knowledge of common software applications (e.g., Word, Excel, Access, Teams Suite) or specific databases. 
• Strong organizational and leadership skills. 
• Clear communication via written, spoken, and graphical means.
• Ability to follow a developed plan and work independent of direct supervision. 
• ArcGIS knowledge and knowledge of other mapping techniques, or desire to learn.  
• Ability to work occasionally on weekends to facilitate volunteer workdays, special events, time-sensitive seed collection, or other unforeseen occurrences related to the function of this position.

Physical Demands: 

Majority field setting, with some office work. Ability to stand for up to 40 hours a week and work outdoors in all types of weather conditions. Frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending, listening, speaking, and keyboarding. Use of office equipment including computers, telephones, machinery as well as small tools and equipment, and lifting, pushing, or pulling items up to 40 pounds. Licensed driver insurable by the Garden. This position may require the employee to work out of various locations both at the Garden and within FPCC.

To Apply:

To apply, submit an application and upload a resume. Please do not submit a cover letter; instead, complete the 4 questions provided in the application. For questions about the role, please contact Andrea Kramer (akramer@chicagobotanic.org). Application reviews will begin on March 18, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled. 

Why Apply? 
 Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today. Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call (847) 835-8264 to contact our Title IX coordinator should you have questions or concerns. Please do not call this number to inquire about job postings or the status of your application, or with solicitations from companies or third-party recruiters.