Description

Supervises and leads a team of trail horticulturists and gardeners responsible for the health, care, and growth of plants used in the Garden’s displays, exhibits, and trails with the goal of achieving the highest level of excellence in alignment with best practices in horticultural care for desert plants.

Essential Duties

• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Horticulture and other Trail Horticulture Supervisors in the planning, management and implementation of best practices in desert horticulture for the Garden’s trails, displays and living collections.
• Directly supervise, mentor, motivate, assist and evaluate a team of 4-5 trail horticulturists and gardeners including any temporary or seasonal staff supporting trail care.
• Actively manage assigned areas ensuring that all plant beds and displays meet the Garden’s standards of health, care, aesthetic, and cultivation including the development of care strategies and implementation of solutions in collaboration with the director. 
• Actively manage the Garden’s accessioned plants in assigned areas including the documentation, review and evaluation for the collection’s care, health and growth in collaboration with collection specialists, living collections manager and plant registrars.
• Teaches and serves as the subject matter expert (SME) for selected classes and content for the Garden’s Desert Landscape School in coordination with the assistant director for public horticulture.
• Coordinates with the director in choosing the plant palette, design, and aesthetic of new and renovated beds and displays. Leads the acquisition for plant material and resources for projects.
• Provide support for all departmental activities including plant sales, exhibit and display installations, and collecting trips.
• Supervise, manage, and communicate with volunteers working with the Garden Trail team. 
• Participates in departmental, Garden, and planning meetings; assist with reports and proposals; continue professional education and participation in professional organizations. 

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in horticulture, agronomy, life sciences, or equivalent combination of education and work experience. 
• 2-3 years’ experience managing teams
• Demonstrated knowledge of automatic irrigation systems, IPM, and pruning practices.
• Preferred experience working in a horticulture-based position for a public garden, museum, or display garden.
• Valid Driver’s license for cart training and use.
• Ability to work days, evenings, weekends, and holidays. 

Equipment Used 

Typical office equipment. This role will also use small hand tools (loppers, pruners, pick axe, shovels, sharp shooter, etc.) and some power tools for landscaping maintenance and care. 

Internal Communication

Regular communication with Garden Staff and volunteers.

External Communication

Communication with vendors and contractors.

Working Conditions

Must be able to walk, sit, stand, stoop, kneel, bend, see, hear, speak, read, and type. Manual dexterity and the ability to lift up to 60 pounds required. Majority of daily work tasks occur outside year round including summer months.

Reasonable accommodations may be made, when necessary and feasible, to allow a qualified individual to perform essential job functions.

Pay range: $45,769.00 – $64,187.00

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Desert Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by law.

The Garden fosters and supports workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion to honor the unique perspectives, experiences, and contributions of all, to celebrate successes, and to cultivate individual and institutional excellence.

All employees will help add to the Garden’s diversity and fully embrace it. 

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and deliverables of the role. This is not a contract and should not be viewed as such. Other duties may be assigned by supervisor and/or his/her/their designee.