Horticulturist

State of North Carolina

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Do you enjoy working outdoors planting and maintaining large landscapes and/or turf maintenance? The North Carolina Zoo is seeking two experienced Horticulturist to work in our horticulture department. Zoo Horticulturists at the NC Zoo is responsible for maintaining and enhancing plant collections and landscapes that support animal habitats, visitor experiences, and conservation goals. Their work supports the horticulture mission to advance public awareness of the importance of plants and their role in nature and contributes to the goal of creating living pictures of wild places that respectfully represent animal habitats.

Requirements

• High school or General Educational Development (GED) diploma AND two years of progressive experience in horticultural work; OR Associate’s degree in agriculture and natural resources, greenhouse and grounds maintenance, horticulture technology, landscape gardening OR closely related field from an appropriately accredited institution; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must be able to perform the physical demands of the job for extended and irregular periods, under adverse conditions in all extremes of weather.
• Must meet DNCR Fleet Safety Guidelines and have ability to obtain and maintain a valid driver's license issued from within the United States or be able to obtain one within 90 days of employment.
• Required to participate in an occupational health program due to contact with animal containment areas.
• Must be able to lift between 30-50 pounds of aggregate material to a height of 18 inches and transport it laterally at a distance of 4.5 feet on a frequent basis.
• Considered "Essential/Mandatory Staff" and required to work on adverse weather days, during zoo emergencies, and may be called to work special events.
• Selected candidate will be a team player and maintain effective work relationships.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated thorough working knowledge of plant maintenance procedures and horticultural practices used in landscape installation and grounds maintenance.
• Demonstrated plant knowledge and experience with observing and identifying plant problems.
• Demonstrated experience with various equipment used for landscaping such as string trimmers, blowers, tractors, front-end loaders, skid-steers and/or other related equipment.
• Experience in turf maintenance specific to turf maintenance position only.

Responsibilities

• Daily plant maintenance, including cultivation, sowing, propagating, and transplanting
• Fertilizing, applying chemicals, and watering
• Landscape construction and design
• Turf maintenance
• Equipment operation and record keeping
• Adheres to Environmental Management System (EMS) and SOG/SOP protocols
• Interact with Zoo guests to answer questions and provide information requiring a thorough knowledge of the Zoo's plant collection
• Use computers for research, data entry and/or record keeping

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees