Assistant Horticulturist

Flagship Facility Services•Salt Lake, UT

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Horticulturist provides day-to-day active leadership to horticultural staff and professional care for more than 600 interior plants at Salt Lake International Airport and other outlying buildings. The role works with the City’s Airport Aviation Services Manager to design, place, and care for live plants, while supporting plant health, attractive displays, accurate records, and positive employee relations. The position includes inspecting plant placement and appearance, assessing and supplying water, cleaning and grooming plants, procuring materials, tracking plant inventories and locations, and caring for plants in a nursery and plant room. The Assistant Horticulturist also helps design and arrange plants in new construction areas, leads tours and supports educational or special events, and coaches and develops assigned staff. Work takes place in small-to-large office and shop environments, including airport facilities. The role involves regular interaction with staff, airport personnel, and management; exposure to dust, odors, oil, fumes, cleaning products, and noise; and occasional weekend or holiday work. Safety glasses are required for certain tasks, and a uniform may be required at some worksites. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. and able to pass criminal background requirements. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

Valid driver’s license.
At least two years of experience performing interior plant care in facilities of comparable size and customer volume.
Four-year college degree in horticulture or a related field.
Knowledge of interior plants.
Ability to determine and use appropriate plant-care techniques, including pruning, planting, watering, removal, and treatment.
Accuracy, commitment to excellence, and attention to garden detail.
Ability to establish effective working relationships with subordinates, supervisors, and coworkers.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with minimal supervision.
Strong organizational, analytical, mathematical, and computer skills for research, record keeping, and problem-solving.
Effective verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate horticultural, maintenance, and personnel needs courteously in written and spoken English.
Ability to understand soil nutrition and Integrated Pest Management and apply or support horticultural practices that facilitate plant health.
Ability to prune to International Society of Arboriculture standards.
Knowledge of environmental rules and regulations concerning procedures, equipment, organic products, and basic safety.
Ability to visualize and conceptualize detail and aesthetics while applying best garden practices for plant health and display.
Ability to lift at least 40 pounds and perform the physical demands described for the role.
Ability to stand, walk, and sit for long periods and to perform repetitive movements and activities such as reaching, climbing stairs, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and digging.
Ability to safely use provided equipment.
Ability to understand and anticipate client needs, maintain a neat appearance, and be punctual.
Must meet criminal background requirements and be authorized to work in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

In-depth knowledge of plant culture, best management practices, plant identification, and design.
Knowledge of basic janitorial duties and responsibilities.
Ability to speak and understand English where required by the position.

Responsibilities

Meet regularly with the City’s Airport Aviation Services Manager to design, place, and care for live plants.
Conduct daily facility walks to check plant placement and appearance.
Assess plant water content weekly or more often as needed, and water plants as needed.
Dust plants, clean containers, and prune, groom, rotate, and fertilize plants as needed.
Procure plants, containers, soil, organic fertilizer, and other appropriate materials.
Record plant information, identify plant materials, and process plant inventory records.
Assign plant numbers and tag new specimen plants and propagated plants that need tracking.
Use and maintain tools, equipment, and materials properly; refer problems and ordering needs to the Site Manager and oversee assistants’ proper use and maintenance of tools and equipment.
Tag plants in the nursery, record their locations, maintain plant labels and tags, and keep records of dead or missing plants.
Rotate sick plants out of display, care for them in the plant room, and return them to the floor when healthy.
Develop assigned staff and foster positive employee relations through coaching, counseling, mentoring, motivating, resolving conflict, recognition, performance documentation, and participation in annual reviews.
Lead plant tours as needed and assist with educational and other special events.
Maintain effective working relationships with staff and management.
Help design and arrange plants in areas undergoing new construction.
Follow airport plant collection and plant records policies and apply horticultural practices that support plant health.
Attend periodic training and safety meetings.