Senior Horticulturist

Overview

Job no: 495828

Work type: Full Time

Location: Swarthmore

Categories: Staff, Hourly (Non-Exempt), On Campus

Swarthmore College is a liberal arts college located near Philadelphia. The Scott Arboretum & Gardens cultivates diverse plant collections and provides horticultural experiences on campus and throughout Swarthmore property.

The Opportunity

This Senior Horticulturist / Horticulturist position provides horticultural support for the care and maintenance of the plant collections, gardens, and landscaped areas of the Scott Arboretum & Gardens and the Swarthmore College campus. Responsibilities include routine gardening and plant-collections maintenance, assisting with Crum Woods and housing properties, supporting Arboretum educational programs and volunteer education, co-supervising horticulturists, volunteers, student workers and interns, assisting with College events, campus exterior maintenance, weather-emergency support, and providing educational campus tours.

There are two positions available at two levels, based on education and experience, as either Senior Horticulturist or Horticulturist.

Essential Responsibilities (70%)

• Maintain plant collections through timely planting, weeding, mulching, pruning, fertilizing, irrigation, leaf raking, and other practices with minimal supervision to sustain campus aesthetics; assist in design modifications and plant records/curation as needed.
• Maintain specialty garden areas (Glade Garden, Harry Wood Garden, Nason Garden, Pinetum, Pollinators Garden, Singer Hall landscape, Winter Garden, magnolia/holly collections, green roofs, courtyard gardens, and major horticultural collections).

Groundskeeping Duties (20%)

• Keep campus areas, turf, roads, sidewalks, and patios well-maintained and prioritized for safety and aesthetics.
• Perform trash removal, irrigation, turf renovation/mowing, snow removal, and leaf raking; assist with special events setup/teardown; respond to campus emergencies and weather events.

Community/Education Support (10%)

• Develop, lead or assist Arboretum classes and lectures for the public and volunteers; provide guided campus tours; share horticultural information.
• Lead or assist with educational programs (tours, lectures, conferences, sales, Alumni weekend tours) and related staff support.
• Support College professors, students and educational departments using plant collections, gardens, and Crum Woods.

Additional Responsibilities

• Safely use hand tools; with training, operate grounds power equipment and train others.
• Conduct educational sessions; contribute to Arboretum communications and reports as needed.
• Support Facilities Management goals and perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Senior Horticulturist co-supervises 1-2 Horticulturist positions and directly supervises 2-7 volunteers, 1-5 student workers, and 1-3 summer interns; Horticulturist assists with daily supervision.

Interactive Skills and What You Are

• Build positive working relationships; represent Scott Arboretum & Gardens and Swarthmore College professionally; work effectively in teams.
• Collaborate with coworkers, interns, students, and volunteers to manage workload; adapt to changing environments and processes.
• Demonstrate reliability, composure, and ethical standards; possess knowledge of plant health, soils, pruning, and best management practices; recognize landscape and turf issues in the mid-Atlantic region and apply sustainable practices.
• Understand restoration and maintenance of natural areas such as Crum Woods, meadows, and stormwater features.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds; carry a 35-pound backpack sprayer; manual dexterity for pruning, raking, and operating power equipment.
• Ability to kneel, bend, squat for extended periods; work from ladders; read pesticide labels and safety manuals; maintain maintenance records.

Working Conditions

• Ability to work in varied weather; essential on-campus presence during weather emergencies; occasional weekends; extended hours as needed; year-round outdoor work; high productivity; ability to work with a diverse team.

Qualifications

Senior Horticulturist

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or two-to-four-year practical horticultural program plus 3–5 years of experience.
• Pennsylvania pesticide applicator’s license (or willingness to obtain); valid driver’s license; familiarity with hand tools and maintenance equipment.

Preferred

• Five+ years horticulture experience; experience in a public garden or college campus.

Horticulturist

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or two-to-four-year program plus 1–3 years of experience.
• Pennsylvania pesticide applicator’s license (or willingness to obtain); valid driver’s license; familiarity with hand tools and maintenance equipment.

Preferred

• Three-to-five years horticulture experience; experience in a public garden or college campus.

What You Will Get

Competitive benefits and a collaborative work environment on a 420-acre campus.

Compliance and Equal Opportunity

• Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by law or College Policy.