Horticulturist I – Indoor Conservatories

Job Description

Summary: Performs all job duties associated with horticulture design, maintenance and care of the conservatory displays and collections. Conduct research to target plants for inclusion into the Garden’s conservatory living collections. Ensure the living collections contain the highest levels of plant diversity to support conservation, research, and education. Job duties are directly related to the design, installation and care of the tropical and arid plant collections, including IPM; Plant selection, ordering, obtaining plants from Index Seminum and exchange with other botanic gardens; careful attention to accession record keeping and plant labeling are also critical components of this position.

About Us

Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the nation’s oldest botanical gardens in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark.

The Garden is a center for botanical research and science education, as well as an oasis in the city of St. Louis. The Garden offers 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display, including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, historic architecture, and one of the world’s largest collections of rare and endangered flora.

For over 163 years, the Garden has been an oasis in the city, a place of beauty and family fun—and also a center for education, science, and conservation.

Duties & Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
● Works with Supervisor to target and develop plant collections according to Garden policy and area descriptions.
● Utilizes resources including Index Seminum and the Garden’s Targeting Database to select species and develop the garden’s collections.
● During species selection, conducts research entering information on plant habit and cultivation, entering into the Targeting Database when possible.
● Follows and is mindful of all appropriate legal and ethical concerns when acquiring and sharing plants for the Garden; obliges with national and international permits and regulations including, The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• Adheres to MBG’s living collections policy, collections acquisitions processes, and collections focus.
• If needed, requests propagation of plants in the collections to ensure survival, paying particular attention to rare and threatened species.
• Participates in fieldwork locally, nationally, and internationally for plant collecting expeditions and/or horticulture capacity building.
• Maintains the highest standards of plant record keeping, updates the Living Collections Management System when plants are added, moved or die and ensures plants are labeled with accession numbers at all times.
• Performs a wide range of landscape/maintenance tasks important to the preservation, protection and transplanting of existing plants; including but not limited to soil preparation, pruning, planting, mulching, weeding, watering, IPM, and pesticide application as needed.
• Researches, documents and applies cultivation techniques to support optimum plant health, including modifying soils and other growing environment factors;
o Identifies and correct nutrient deficiencies
o Ensures optimum temperature, light and humidity levels
o Identifies and treat pests and diseases
o Adjusts irrigation systems, shade and ventilation in conservatories
o Maintains proper soil fertility
• Maintains general care of horticultural tools, and technical equipment (i.e., apply lubrication and general cleaning.) Refers more serious problems to management personnel.
• Applies landscape/maintenance tasks to ensure care of conservatories meets Missouri Botanical Garden expectations.
• Completes planting designs and requests plants as needed for designs. Oversees/performs the layout and installation.
• 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.
• Maintains a professional demeanor, answering informal questions from the public as needed when working in Conservatories.
• Trains and effectively utilizes assigned volunteers, interns and students.
• Ensures all applicable safety standards are followed adapts or modifies work methods to reduce hazards and reports all accidents, injuries and near-miss accidents immediately.
• Responsible for assigned weekend watering rotation duties.
• Reports all accidents, injuries and near-miss accidents immediately.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Behaves & communicates in a manner that promotes and fosters a culture of teamwork, cooperation, and respect within our division and throughout the Garden with all employees, supervisors/managers, volunteers, visitors and others.

Education and Experience

Qualifications/Experience:
• Minimum of (3-4) years of hands-on, relevant horticulture work experience required.
• Working knowledge of tropical and temperate plants and general landscape maintenance techniques
• Experience maintaining and developing living collections
• Demonstrated experience maintaining accurate plant records
• Proficient ability to identify various plant pests and pathogens and apply sound, appropriate remedies
• Proficient in operating and knowledge of safe operation procedures for various types of landscape maintenance equipment
• Proven ability to lead and direct the work of others to complete general projects, including but not limited to volunteers is required.
• Demonstrates highest level of professional and ethical conduct; knowledge and understanding of organizational policies, procedures, and systems
• Ability to present technical concepts to non-technical functional teams
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively at all levels; must enjoy and feel comfortable interacting and working in close proximity to general public, in a safe and friendly manner, answering questions regarding horticulture collection.
• Knowledge of and adherence to all health and safety guidelines
• Scheduling flexibility that allows working weekends and holidays as needed
• The Garden is committed to the safety and wellbeing of our employees, volunteers and guests. All staff are strongly encouraged to receive all vaccinations as recommended by your healthcare provider prior to hire date. The Garden reserves the right to require future proof of current vaccination status, based on local health department guidelines. When international travel is necessary for Garden business, staff must be able to obtain required travel clearances, driving permits, and vaccinations for all countries where travel is required.
• The requirements and duties listed are representative and not exhaustive of the knowledge, skill, and/or abilities required

Education:
• Associate’s or B.S. degree in Horticulture, Biology, Botany, and/or related field required
• An equivalent combination of skills, education, and experience may be considered

Application Instructions

https://jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/mbg/CANDIDATEPORTAL/jobs/3715