Gardener - Botanical Conservatory

Job Description:

SUMMARY

Working under the direction of the Supervisor of Horticulture incumbent is responsible for all phases of gardening and ornamental landscaping at the Botanical Conservatory. The incumbent is expected to exercise good judgment, independence, initiative, and professional expertise in conducting day-to-day operations. All work duties and activities must be performed in accordance with the City safety rules and operating regulations, policies and procedures as well as federal, state, and local regulations. At all times, the incumbent conducts him/herself in a professional manner with customers and co-workers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the ability to interact with the public, City incumbents, and outside agencies with patience, tact, respect, and professionalism and the following. Other duties may be assigned.

OPERATIONS

• Plants, cultivates, waters, weeds, sprays, prunes and fertilizes trees, shrubs, lawn, flower gardens, landscape areas, and specialty plant collections;
• Identifies pest and beneficial insect species and assists with the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, including the application of pesticides, as assigned, when properly licensed;
• Performs janitorial maintenance of assigned work areas;
• Installs hardscape features following industry standards;
• Maintains accurate and legible work reports and records;
• Operates a variety of hand and power tools, delivery vehicles, mowers and equipment, including (but not limited to) power auger, tiller, and skid steer;
• Drives vehicles such as a passenger vehicle, cargo van, pickup truck, 22’ step van, box truck, and one-ton dump truck while pulling and backing a trailer;
• Maintains, replenishes, and cares for plant material within the Conservatory Shop/Sales Garden in coordination with the production greenhouse and Conservatory Shop Coordinator;
• Works in an indoor/outdoor environment year-round, as required;
• Coordinates work projects with fellow employees.

Preventative maintenance

• Maintains high quality turf areas by watering, mowing, fertilizing, over-seeding, and herbicide treatments;
• Maintains and operates irrigation systems;
• Maintains and operates water features in assigned areas;
• Keeps tools and work area clean and organized;
• Performs both pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicide applications in landscape areas;
• Conducts preventative maintenance and minor repairs on motorized equipment;
• Cleans and maintains sidewalks and plazas in assigned areas;
• Cares for ornamental fish, seasonal butterflies, and/or other display animals;

INFORMATION/COMMUNICATION

• Assists in training and directing the work of assigned employees and volunteers;
• Provides excellent customer service and maintains positive relations with the public;
• Reports irregularities and abnormal conditions;

MARGINAL DUTIES

• Performs other duties as assigned;
• Assists with installing and maintaining lighted and unlighted seasonal displays;
• Works in production greenhouse as needed.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The incumbent is responsible to manage their performance in accordance with this job description and the performance expectations provided to them by management. If at any time the incumbent is unsure of their role or specific responsibilities, it is the incumbent’s responsibility to refer to their job description and ask for clarification from their supervisor. Management will work with the incumbent, as needed, to ensure performance expectations are clearly communicated and performance goals are achieved.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities but is responsible for guiding and directing the work of full-time, seasonal, and volunteer staff on an as-needed basis in coordination with their supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and 3 years experience in ornamental horticulture or landscape maintenance or equivalent combination of education and experience.

OTHER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and/or ABILITIES

• Knowledge of methods, tools, materials and practices used in gardening and landscaping work;
Knowledge of, or ability to learn, specialty plant care – orchids, cacti and succulents, tropical plants, bonsai
• - desirable
• Communicates well both verbally and in writing; understands written and verbal instructions;
• Maintains a clean personal appearance and good hygiene;
• Ability to adapt plant maintenance practices for different crops and collections;
• Knowledge of ornamental pond culture helpful.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, herbicide labels and SDSs, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Valid Indiana Operators License;
• Acquire and maintain a Valid Indiana For-Hire Endorsement within 90 days of date of hire;
• Acquire State of Indiana Pesticide Registered Technician certification by passing the Core Exam within 1 year of date of hire;
• Acquire and maintain State of Indiana Pesticide Applicators License-Category 3A Ornamental Pest Management within 2 years of date of hire.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger; handle; or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee

frequently is required to sit, climb or balance, and talk or hear. The employee must be deemed physically fit to wear respirator devices. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 75 pounds and carry the weight a minimum of 50 feet. Exerts effort for sustained periods which usually involves heavy lifting, pushing, and pulling performed in a non-sitting position with high manual dexterity. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.