Plant Health Lead

Description

Classification: Non-Exempt - Hourly

Organization Description

Naples Botanical Garden is a 170-acre world-class paradise, featuring the flora and cultures of the tropics and sub-tropics including Brazil, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Florida. The Garden’s mission is to connect people and plants through display, education, conservation, and applied science. The Garden has beautifully restored native habitats, cultivated gardens, walking trails, and public programming that offer education and enjoyment for people of all ages. Naples Botanical Garden is a 501(c)3 organization.

Position Summary: Naples Botanical Garden is seeking an organized and motivated Plant Health Lead. This position requires a strong background in the use of sustainable practices to manage and maintain healthy plant collections and displays throughout the Garden and the Garden’s nursery facilities on and off-site. The Lead is responsible for development and implementation of an Integrated Pest Management plan to ensure the highest quality plant collections, including preventive biological, cultural, and chemical control methods. Maintain the health of the Gardens plants with proper scouting, treating, and reporting. The position is a full-time position in the Garden’s Horticulture Department.  

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical expertise, assistance and training to staff and volunteers about plant and pest biology, best management practices, and IPM strategies.
• Manage growing facilities.
• Knowledge of tropical and sub-tropical plant species, plant nutrient deficiencies and plant pests.
• Monitor, identify, and determine appropriate control measures for pest activities throughout the Garden and nurseries, including insects, diseases, weeds, and animals.
• Carry out treatments in a safe and legal manner using best management practices, organic methods (when possible) and IPM principles, including but not limited to applications of fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, miticides, fungicides and repellents.
• Correctly identify Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) Category I & II invasive exotic plant species with minimal review and discriminate invasive exotic plants from native vegetation of similar appearance.   
• Exercise sound academic knowledge of ecological principles as they relate to vegetation management.
• Survey and inspect landscape trees, shrubs, turf, ornamentals, and natural areas for evidence of various plant, insect and animal pests and related damage, natural pest predators, and conditions that may contribute to pest problems, and collaborate with staff to take appropriate steps to resolve issues. 
• Maintain fertigation tanks, ensure that they are in operational order and operate as directed.
• Assist the Conservation team when needed to utilize traps, chemical and non-chemical methods to manage a range of pests, including management of insects and nuisance wildlife, in an ethical, safe, and legal manner with emphasis on the least toxic approach.  
• Mix, apply, and monitor various recommended chemicals, fertilizers, compounds, and baits to be used for the treatment, elimination or control of specific conditions found throughout the Gardens.
• Maintain detailed records of all activities related to pest control, including but not limited to daily spray logs and MSDS Sheets. Maintain pesticide storage area in accordance with all governmental requirements.
• Assist and provide expertise in the development of integrated pest management program strategy.
• Safely operate and maintain specialized equipment, including sprayers and spray equipment, chainsaws, blowers, etc.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• Experience using natural or organic fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.
• Knowledge of sustainable best management practices or IPM principles.  
• Knowledge, ability, and willingness to handle fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides during landscape management.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision under adverse physical and weather conditions, including high humidity and temperatures, inclement weather, exposure to poisonous plants, biting insects, wild animals, and difficult terrain. 
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience applying organic and/or synthetic pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers in landscape plants, turf, fruit, and vegetable areas.
• Must possess required licenses for all disciplines required for the position or be willing to obtain licenses, including Commercial Applicator/Restricted Pesticide use. All licenses must be active and continuously maintained.  
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Ability to function effectively as a member of a team as well as work independently to see projects through to completion.
• Participate in Garden-wide events, exhibitions and projects as required or needed
• Will include some evening or weekend hours, depending on the needs of the organization or program
• Performs other duties as assigned and required 
• A pre-employment background check required

Benefits:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• Retirement Plan with matching
• Long -Short Term Disability
• PTO
• Paid Holidays
• Garden Perks

Naples Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Garden has a long-standing policy of employment and advancement based solely upon qualifications to perform the essential elements of a position without regard to age, creed, gender, national origin or ancestry, race, color, religion, veteran status, pregnancy, marital status, HIV status, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, handicap or mental or physical disability.

Salary : $24 - $24