Horticulturist I - Indoor - Conservatories

Summary: The Horticulturist I performs all job duties associated with horticultural design, maintenance, and implementing highest standards of care for the conservatory displays and collections. This position ensures the living collections contain the maximum level of plant diversity that align with the Garden's mission to support conservation, research, and education. They develop the Garden's conservatory living collections by researching and targeting plant material. This role is responsible for reporting timely plant database records, labeling, and cultivation techniques. They ensure that horticultural displays are aesthetically pleasing and support interpretation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Performs a wide range of landscape maintenance tasks critical to the preservation, protection, and transplanting of existing plants; including but not limited to soil preparation, pruning, planting, mulching, weeding, watering, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and pesticide applications as needed.

• Researches, documents, and applies cultivation techniques to support optimum plant health, including modifying soils and other growing environmental factors;

• Identifies and corrects nutrient deficiencies.

• Ensures optimum temperature, light, and humidity levels.

• Identifies and treats pests and diseases.

• Adjusts irrigation systems, shade and ventilation in conservatories

• Maintains proper soil fertility.

• Works with Supervisor to target and develop plant collections according to Garden policies.

• Utilizes resources, including Index Seminum and the Garden's Targeting Database, to select species and develop the garden's collections; recommends sources of plant material from commercial vendors.

• If necessary, requests propagation of plants in the collections to ensure survival, paying particular attention to rare and threatened species.

• 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.

• Maintains the highest standards of plant record keeping by updating the Living Collections Management System when plant status changes; ensures plants are labeled with accession numbers at all times.

• Maintains general care of horticultural tools and technical equipment. Refers more serious problems to management personnel.

• Applies landscape maintenance tasks to ensure care of conservatories meets Missouri Botanical Garden expectations.

• Submits planting designs for supervisory review and requests outlined plant material through Garden policies and procedures; Implements the design 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 and holiday watering rotation duties.

• Meets expected attendance guidelines.

• Follows and adheres to established policies and procedures, including but not limited to Employee Handbook, Garden Safety Guidelines and Department Policies.
• 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.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies:

• Communication - Listens to others and asks questions for clarification; Writes clearly and presents information accurately; Speaks professionally and responds well to questions; Supports positive visitor relations.

• Collaboration - Demonstrates teamwork and promotes respect in the workplace; Engages in problem solving and group initiatives; Cooperates in implementing procedures and process improvements; Strives for positive visitor experiences.

• Accountability - Demonstrates commitment to responsibilities and adaptable to changes; Effectively prioritizes, troubleshoots and takes appropriate actions; Follows policies and procedures, meets deadlines, quality, and safety standards; Strives to proactively, address visitor and internal colleagues' concerns.

• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems; Includes supervisor before taking action as necessary; Recommends solutions, demonstrates creativity and resourcefulness; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment in decision making process; Includes appropriate people in making decisions.

• Stewardship - Promotes and adheres to sustainability, safety and security protocols; Fosters a culture of respect, diversity and inclusion; Demonstrates effective and prudent use of Garden resources; Maximizes contributions during work hours.

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.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and direct the work of others to complete general projects, including volunteers is required.

• 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.

• 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.

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (i.e., Word, Excel, Outlook).

• Solid Internet research skills.

• Ability to use e-mail to communicate with Garden staff to answer questions and service their needs.

Mathematical Skills:

• Requires ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; calculate percentages and decimals.

Reasoning Ability:

• Requires ability to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to problem resolution.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Must possess and maintain valid driver's and pesticide applicator's licenses.
• Must have the ability to pass a background screening and motor vehicle report (MVR) to meet minimum insurance underwriting criteria.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. (i.e., load, unload and move gardening supplies, medium to heavy weight tools and equipment).

• Must be able to work in high heat and humidity.

• Requires standing, walking, bending, stooping, and reaching for extended periods of time-- 90% or more of the workday is standing on feet.

• Ability to wear Garden-issued Personal Protective Equipment.

• May be required to perform tasks at varying heights (i.e., climb ladders, etc.)
• Ability to utilize computer keyboard (typing).

Work Environment:

• Ability to work indoors in frequently high temperatures (i.e., in temperatures over 90F).

• Actively works hands-on with horticulture crew to complete landscape maintenance tasks.

• Wet conditions much of the time, as watering is frequent.
• Comfortable working in immediate proximity to public, in a safe and friendly manner, answering questions regarding horticulture collection.

Contacts with Individuals/Organizations inside/outside the Garden:

• Garden Employees, Volunteers, Interns, Students, Guests, Green Industry Vendors, and Contractors

Supervisor:

• Supervisor, Tropical Plant Collections