Position Overview

Seasonal, part-time position, 20-32 hours/week for maximum of 700 hours, beginning late March; $18/hour

Native Plant Trust seeks a seasonal, part-time propagation assistant to work as part of a small, dedicated team that propagates approximately 50,000 seed-grown New England native plants per year for retail sale, ecological restoration, and display at Garden in the Woods, its botanic garden in Framingham, MA. The position is based at Nasami Farm, located in Whately, MA, which is a 75-acre property with a Native Plant Center, six greenhouses, and related support structures. Maintenance of the grounds and facilities is shared by all nursery staff.

Propagation and Nursery Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists with seedling propagation and plant maintenance for horticultural- and restoration-grade native plants of known ecotype.
• Assists nursery volunteers in production tasks.
• Assists with care and maintenance of nursery and retail plant inventory, including best practices for watering, weeding, and IPM.
• Adheres to an intensive IPM program, scouting for pests and diseases. Assists with corrective and preventative measures as necessary, with required documentation.
• Helps maintain detailed source and production records on all species. Adheres to the highest standards of uniformity and efficiency.
• Follows propagation facilities maintenance and safety protocols as set out by nursery staff.
• May help update the database with accurate information about seed acquisition, propagation, and inventory.

Seed Collection and Seed Inventory Responsibilities

• May participate in seed collection within a 50-mile radius of Nasami Farm, under direction of Nursery Manager and Nursery Coordinator. Adheres to Native Plant Trust’s seed collection policies.
• Assists with seed processing, cleaning, storage, and inventory.

Operations Duties and Responsibilities

• Operates farm equipment and maintains access areas around greenhouses and facilities.
• Assists with regular maintenance and light repairs of equipment and facilities.

Work Environment

Position entails exposure to outdoors and greenhouse production facilities and at times working in inclement weather. Includes heavy lifting and physically demanding tasks. We foster a respectful, equitable, and inclusive work environment.

To Apply

Please submit a letter of interest and resume (MS Word or PDF format, with your last name as part of the file name) to Alexis Doshas, Nursery Manager, adoshas@NativePlantTrust.org, using the subject line “Seasonal Propagation Assistant Application.” Deadline for applications is March 11, 2024.