Senior-Lead, Horticulture

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park•Grand Rapids, MI

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is seeking a Senior-Lead, Horticulture who brings advanced horticultural expertise, strong leadership, and a passion for mentoring others while helping steward the beauty, health, and long-term success of our gardens and collections. This role provides advanced horticultural guidance, operational leadership, and day-to-day coordination that directly supports the quality, presentation, sustainability, and guest experience of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. This role serves as a technical resource and mentor for staff, seasonal employees, volunteers, and interns while helping translate horticultural strategy into exceptional daily execution. The Senior Lead plays a critical role in maintaining horticultural excellence, supporting evolving garden initiatives, and reinforcing safe, collaborative, and high-performing operations across the department.

Requirements

Minimum 3 years of hands-on horticulture or landscape maintenance experience required.
Minimum 2 years of horticulture, greenhouse operations, or outdoor gardening experience in varying weather conditions required.
Advanced horticultural knowledge and experience with plant care, irrigation, planting, pruning, and maintenance practices.
Experience operating horticultural tools, commercial landscape equipment, and utility vehicles safely and effectively.
Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to mentor and support team members while balancing operational priorities.
Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams.
Valid Michigan Driver’s License required.
Ability to obtain and maintain certifications including Chauffeur License, Aerial Lift Operator Certification, and Michigan pesticide applicator license.
Ability to work outdoors year-round in physically demanding environments.
Ability to perform physically demanding horticultural work for extended periods throughout shifts.
Frequent standing, walking, bending, kneeling, squatting, twisting, pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying.
Ability to regularly lift and move up to 50 pounds and occasionally up to 100 pounds with or without assistance.
Ability to safely operate horticultural tools, commercial landscape equipment, utility vehicles, loaders, mowers, and related machinery.
Ability to work at heights using ladders, lifts, platforms, and elevated workspaces when required.
Ability to perform repetitive manual tasks requiring fine motor coordination and dexterity.
Visual ability to accurately assess plant health, environmental conditions, irrigation concerns, and safety issues.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in person and within active operational environments.
All new hires are required to complete our background check.

Nice To Haves

Seasonal flexibility required including early mornings, weekends, holidays, and occasional on-call support.

Responsibilities

Support and reinforce horticultural standards across assigned garden areas, seasonal displays, and plant collections.
Apply advanced horticultural knowledge to plant selection, placement, maintenance, and long-term garden development.
Evaluate garden quality, safety, seasonal interest, and guest presentation standards.
Provide day-to-day leadership, technical guidance, and coordination to staff, seasonal employees, volunteers, and interns.
Foster a collaborative, learning-oriented team culture focused on accountability and continuous improvement.
Support training, coaching, skill development, and horticultural best practices across the department.
Perform and guide advanced horticultural care including planting, pruning, irrigation, fertilization, integrated pest management, and seasonal maintenance.
Monitor plant health, irrigation concerns, safety issues, and overall garden conditions.
Support installation, refinement, and maintenance of horticultural displays and seasonal transitions.
Coordinate seasonal projects, garden improvements, exhibition support, and maintenance priorities from planning through completion.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, contractors, and horticulture leadership on operational initiatives.
Support safe, organized, and efficient operations through equipment maintenance, resource stewardship, and workflow coordination.
Help communicate the purpose, care, and significance of horticultural work to guests, volunteers, and community partners.
Support presentations, tours, interviews, and interpretive experiences when appropriate.
Contribute to a welcoming, professional, and guest-focused environment across the organization.