Agricultural Assistant III

Iowa State University•Ames, IA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Reiman Gardens is seeking to fill two Agricultural Assistant III positions: one Turf Horticulturist and one Perennial Garden Horticulturist. These roles are crucial for garden care and collaborate with other horticulture staff to maintain Reiman Gardens' status as Iowa's premier public horticulture institution. The Turf Horticulturist will manage all aspects of turf and irrigation, including seasonal maintenance, special event preparation, emergency response, and horticultural programmatic support. This role also involves supporting the wider Reiman Gardens team during peak events, conservatory display changes, volunteer and member events, and outreach. A key responsibility includes setting up, maintaining, and dismantling features for the Winter Wonderscape light show. The Perennial Garden Horticulturist will oversee horticultural care for assigned garden spaces, focusing on seasonal maintenance, planting design, renovation projects, irrigation, and snow removal. This position also supports the Reiman Gardens team during peak events, conservatory changes, and winter light show installation. The incumbent will participate in strategic garden planning and may serve on committees for plan and program implementation.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent
5 years of related experience
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.
Ability to obtain an Iowa 30T pesticide license within 30 days of hire (for Perennial Garden Horticulturist, implied for Turf Horticulturist as well).

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related field
Experience working with public horticulture (e.g., parks, gardens, arboreta, campuses)
Experience managing weeds, insects, plant diseases
Experience managing spaces with features such as intense annual beds, mixed perennial borders, and water features
Experience working with irrigation systems: installation, repair, and programming
Experience working with volunteers

Responsibilities

Prepare, delegate, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot all aspects of turf and irrigation care for the entire garden (Turf Horticulturist).
Prepare, delegate, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot all aspects of horticultural care for assigned garden spaces (Perennial Garden Horticulturist).
Achieve seasonal maintenance goals.
Handle special event preparation or remediation related to turf (Turf Horticulturist).
Provide emergency response to irrigation and snow removal.
Offer horticultural programmatic support.
Support the broader Reiman Gardens team during peak events or projects, including conservatory display changes, volunteer and member events, and outreach tasks or committee work.
Lead the setup, maintenance, teardown, and organization of lights and features for the Winter Wonderscape light show event (Turf Horticulturist).
Participate in garden strategic planning and may serve on planning committees or working groups (Perennial Garden Horticulturist).
Assist with winter light show installation (Perennial Garden Horticulturist).