Nursery Gardener

This vacancy is only open to current permanent Parks employees serving in the Gardener civil service title or on leave from the title.

About the Role

The Division of Environment and Planning aims to protect, restore, and expand New York City's green spaces and natural areas to maximize their benefits for environmental and community health and resilience. The Natural Resources Group within Environment and Planning manages over 10,000 acres of natural areas across the five boroughs, including forests, grasslands, and wetlands, and has secured tens of millions of dollars in grants from state, federal, and private sources to fund restoration and management across these ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Assist with all aspects of indoor and outdoor plant production: weeding, watering, fertilizing; moving and pulling plant stock to fulfill orders; transplanting nursery and greenhouse starter material, preparing soil mixes, and potting operations.
• Work as a team to perform landscape management and nursery yard maintenance, including identifying and controlling invasive species, removing debris and trash, weed whacking, mowing lawn areas, maintaining hoop houses, planting beds, and irrigation systems.
• Maintain clean and organized workspaces; assist in and perform tasks involved in the operation, inventory, and care of hand tools, consumable supplies, and equipment.
• Work with the Seed Team to prepare, maintain, harvest, and clean seed from seed increase plots at multiple locations, including NYC Parks Plant Ecology Center and Nursery (PECaN) 3808 Victory Blvd, Staten Island PECaN, Floyd Bennett Field, and Fresh Kills.
• Provide assistance with wild seed collections, off-site visits to natural areas, identifying species, determining seed maturity, and following all seed collection protocols.
• Enter seed and plant production data into data forms, spreadsheets, or web-based databases in a timely manner.
• Supervise and train interns, volunteers, and other staff in nursery tasks as needed; assist with the planning and preparation of public and private events; interact with staff and visitors in a courteous and professional manner.

Requirements

• One year of full-time experience in gardening work, including experience in each of the following: planting, cultivating, and caring for trees, plants, shrubs, and lawns; OR
• A certificate from a horticulture or botanic program containing college-level courses, such as programs offered by the New York Botanical Garden, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, etc.; OR
• A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience equivalent to the above.
• Thirty semester credits from an accredited college, at least fifteen of which must be in horticulture, agriculture, agronomy, plant pathology, botany, landscape design or architecture, entomology, forestry, floriculture, plant production, and/or crop management, may be substituted for the one year of work experience described above.
• To be appointed or assigned to Gardener - Assignment Level II, candidates must have one additional year of satisfactory full-time experience in gardening work, including propagating, planting, cultivating, and caring for trees, plants, shrubs, and lawns.
• A Commercial Pesticide Applicator - Category 3A License issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (must be maintained for the duration of employment).
• A motor vehicle driver license valid in the State of New York (must be maintained for the duration of employment).

Preferred Skills

• Skilled and efficient in transplanting, potting, and handling plants with care.
• Attentive to plant health, labeling accuracy, and workspace cleanliness.
• Works well on a team and follows direction to meet production goals.
• Comfortable working outdoors in all weather and in greenhouse conditions, with the ability to safely lift 50 lbs.

Benefits

• Eligibility for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs (see U.S. Department of Education’s website).

Pay

$50,448.00 – $58,015.00

Schedule

Residency in New York City, Nassau, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk, Putnam, or Westchester counties required for employees with over two years of city service. New York City residency required within 90 days of hire for all other candidates.

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter if you would like to be considered through the 55-a Program.