Section Chief, Green Infrastructure Maintenance

New York City, NY • Brooklyn, NY

120d

About The Position

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects public health and the environment by supplying clean drinking water, collecting and treating wastewater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP delivers more than 1.1 billion gallons per day of the highest quality drinking water to 8.5 million NYC residents and more than 1 million people in Upstate New York, and has a wastewater conveyance and treatment system capable of processing over 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater per day to protect the environment and the city's surrounding waterways. New York City has approximately 140,000 catch basins, 114,000 hydrants, 90,000 valves, 14 gatehouses, 3 reservoirs, 68 groundwater wells, a 100 million gallon underground storage tank and 7,000 miles each of both sanitary sewers and water mains. The responsibility of maintaining these vast networks falls under the Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations (BWSO). DEP is in partnership with various City agencies to construct systems of Green Infrastructure Rain Gardens, for the purposes of stormwater capture and improved water quality of NYC waterways. The majority of Rain Gardens are sited in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. DEP is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of these assets. Green Infrastructure (GI) Rain Gardens combine engineered stormwater capture with natural elements of soil and plants, and require particular and specialized care and maintenance. The Green Infrastructure (GI) Maintenance Unit is seeking to hire an Administrative Horticulturist to join its team of Green Infrastructure professionals. Under direction with great latitude for the exercise of independent initiative and judgment, reporting to the Chief of Green Infrastructure Maintenance and Bluebelt Operations, the Administrative Horticulturist will manage a maintenance program for the Agency's Green Infrastructure portfolio.

Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college with major study in horticulture, arboriculture, or landscape architecture and four years of full-time, paid experience in horticultural work of which two (2) years must have been in a supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial, or executive capacity; or
• A satisfactory equivalent. However, all candidates must have at least a high school diploma or evidence of having passed an examination for a high school equivalency diploma and one year of supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial, or executive experience as described above.

Nice To Haves

• Supervisory experience
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Plant species and disease identification
• Experience in habitat enhancement for pollinator species
• Plant nursery and greenhouse management experience
• Knowledge of landscape maintenance vehicles
• NYS driver license

Responsibilities

• Manage a maintenance program for the Agency's Green Infrastructure portfolio.
• Provide guidance and direction in planning, organizing, and supervision of overall functions related to maintenance and rehabilitation activities of Green Infrastructure assets.
• Supervise Gardeners and field staff as well as administrative office staff in coordination of personnel, equipment, and materials in conducting field inspections, and routine maintenance, and special projects.
• Schedule and supervise field surveys and inspections to assess the condition of rain garden plantings, including herbaceous perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees, damage from insects, injury and disease.
• Analyze plants for deficiencies or infections and propose remedies.
• Designate locations to perform test plots.
• Formulate and implement year-round management plans to enhance efficiency and success of rain gardens.
• Prepare and implement training and workshops for GI Maintenance workers on the proper care of rain garden plantings.
• Engage GI Maintenance workers in 'tool box talks' to introduce best horticultural practices.
• Assess use of power gardening tools and equipment such as cultivators, power tillers, harrows, grafting knives, lopping and pruning shears, etc.
• Review soil samples and evaluate report analysis/findings.
• Analyze the benefits and liabilities of developing in-house greenhouses for plant propagation.
• Work with Landscape Architect and Gardeners to develop new plans for replanting existing rain gardens as well as future ones.
• Oversee management of Rain Garden Stewardship program.
• Review unit statistics and recommend changes for improved efficiency; prepare written reports.
• Engage in plant research to evaluate landscape maintenance techniques, new plant cultivars and varieties, and disease-resistant plants.
• Oversee the planning of landscaping/gardening projects.
• Promote and maintain the health and vitality of Rain Gardens with siting constraints.
• Provide design requirements and monitor the quality control of other governmental agencies involved in tree planting, pruning and removal; consult with municipal agencies and private industries on horticulture-related matters.

What This Job Offers

• Industry: Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees