Curator of Living Collections

The Dawes Arboretum • Newark, OH

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Dawes Arboretum exists to inspire a love and knowledge of trees, nature, and the natural world through education, conservation, research, and community engagement. At the heart of that mission are our living collections, which provide opportunities for conservation, scientific research, education, and meaningful connections with the natural world. We are seeking an experienced Curator of Living Collections to provide leadership and stewardship of The Dawes Arboretum’s living collections. This position will help guide the development, management, research, and long-term planning of our collections while ensuring they remain diverse, scientifically valuable, well-documented, and aligned with the Arboretum’s mission. If you are passionate about plants, conservation, research, and the thoughtful stewardship of living collections, and enjoy collaborating with others to turn that expertise into meaningful impact—we would love to hear from you.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in plant science, horticulture, or a related field
• Demonstrated awareness of current best practices in the field.
• Four (4) years of plant curation and research experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Two (2) years of demonstrated supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Strong technical and horticultural knowledge with the ability to apply expertise to living collection planning, management, research, and conservation.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while working collaboratively across departments and disciplines.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Ability to work outside normal business hours and respond during emergencies as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Masters preferred
• Demonstrated experience on grant-funded research preferred; experience identifying and obtaining funding for research is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage strategies to ensure the Arboretum’s living collections are diverse, robust, accredited, and positioned for long-term growth and sustainability.
• Maintain and implement the Arboretum’s Collection Policy and Living Collections Management Plan, with an emphasis on mission relevance, wild-known origin, and ex-situ conservation.
• Partner with the Plant Records Manager to support plant labeling, inventories, and accurate, up-to-date plant records.
• Collaborate with the Nursery Manager on the propagation and acquisition of appropriate plants for the collections.
• Partner with the Land Manager on collection management, providing technical and horticultural expertise while balancing collection size and growth.
• Lead research involving the living collections that complement current research priorities established by the Director of Science & Research.
• Support the use of the Arboretum’s living collections as a resource for research, conservation, biodiversity, and scientific discovery.
• Participate in peer organization meetings, professional symposia, conferences, and other opportunities to represent the Science & Research team and The Dawes Arboretum.
• Create opportunities for visitors and the community to engage with the Arboretum’s living collections through relevant educational experiences, programs, and tours.
• Serve as a visible representative of the Science & Research team within The Arboretum and the broader community.
• Lead and develop assigned staff by establishing clear expectations, providing regular feedback and coaching, evaluating performance, and supporting professional growth.
• Monitor budgets and expenditures to ensure expenses remain within established limits, and appropriate fiscal practices are followed.

Benefits

• The Dawes Arboretum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at The Arboretum will be made without regard or consideration of an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information or any other protected status. The Dawes Arboretum values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior