Irrigation and Turfgrass Technician

About Denver Botanic Gardens

Founded in 1951, Denver Botanic Gardens is considered one of the top botanical gardens in the United States and a pioneer in water conservation. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Gardens features a robust living plant collection, natural history collection, and art collection, along with temporary art exhibitions. This 24-acre urban oasis offers unique garden experiences, world-class exhibitions, education, and plant conservation research programs.

Core values driving the Gardens' culture include:

• Sustainability: Devotion to institutional, environmental, and human sustainability.
• Diversity: Championing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility for all, as well as supporting programmatic, ecological, and plant diversity.
• Relevance: Making connections with all people using a lens of inclusion, equity, and responsiveness.
• Transformation: Belief that ever-evolving public gardens change the world and lead to positive transformation of human spirit and knowledge.

About the Role

This full-time position oversees the irrigation and turfgrass areas at Chatfield Farms, applying best practices for installation, maintenance, and scheduling of the irrigation system in coordination with horticulture and farm staff. The role maintains turfgrass areas to the highest horticultural standards and handles multiple priorities while ensuring confidentiality and effective communication.

Responsibilities

• Maintains turfgrass in cultivated areas at acceptable aesthetic levels, including fertilization, pest control, and weed control.
• Coordinates with horticulture and farms teams to schedule irrigation programs efficiently.
• Performs weekly diagnostic evaluations of irrigation equipment, responds to emergency calls, troubleshoots problems, and ensures plant/system integrity.
• Performs tasks such as excavating trenches and ditches, laying pipe, installation, and maintenance of water features and pumps.
• Collaborates with the Associate Director of Horticulture at Chatfield Farms to develop and plan irrigation and turfgrass budgets.
• Manages design, planning, and evaluation of existing irrigation systems and works with contractors for new installations.
• Participates in projects as assigned, including snow removal, garden installations, and construction projects.
• Oversees contractors performing irrigation repair and new installation.
• Creates and defines tasks and processes for volunteers, interns, and seasonal gardeners.
• Maintains a positive, helpful, and solution-oriented demeanor when serving members and visitors.
• Uses appropriate safety procedures at all times.
• Participates in Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms special events, including concerts, Pumpkin Festival, Lavender Festival, Corn Maze, and Trail of Lights, assisting in planning, set-up, and tear-down.
• Coordinates with Public Events and Private Events to schedule irrigation according to event schedules on a weekly basis.
• Regular attendance at the worksite may be required; remote work is at the discretion of management.
• All employees must be committed to the mission of connecting people with plants, especially those from the Rocky Mountain region and similar regions around the world.

Qualifications

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret horticultural periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or government regulations.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.
• Ability to write reports, professional correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with variables in situations with limited standardization.
• Ability to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Experience working with irrigation software such as Rainbird Site Control or similar systems.
• Experience building irrigation systems with multiple zones on properties over multiple acres in size.
• Proven excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills in dealing with the public.
• Ability to maintain stability under pressure and handle stressful situations.
• Flexibility to modify plans as necessary throughout the day.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite products, specifically Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
• Ability to work overtime as necessary.
• Must be a positive representative of the Gardens both internally and externally.
• Must work with respect and cooperation with fellow employees and the public.
• Commitment to working safely at all times.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED and 5 years of managing irrigation systems, or a combination of education and equivalent experience.
• A recognized certification as a Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT) is preferred; ability to achieve CIT within six months of hire date is required if uncertified. Higher certifications (CLIA, QWEL) are encouraged.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Up to 10% travel required, including to remote locations with varying environments.

Benefits

Denver Botanic Gardens offers an incredible benefits package for eligible employees, including:

• A choice of Medical Plans, Dental and Vision Plan, and Life Insurance Plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Healthcare Spending Account (HSA).
• Generous Retirement Savings Plan with a Company contribution of 6% after one year of service for eligible participants.
• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick time.
• Access to personal lines of insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• RTD ECO pass.
• Complimentary Denver Botanic Gardens Membership for eligible employees.
• Access to Gardens education classes and summer concert tickets.