Job Description

Job Summary:

Under the direct supervision of the Nursery Manager, this position is responsible for directing production operations of a container and bareroot seedling nursery to ensure the production of high-quality Colorado-grown seedlings for landowners, cooperating agencies, and other customers. Primary functions including: planning and executing crop production, managing greenhouse and field operations, supervising staff, and maintaining efficient production systems. The position plays a key role in scaling nursery production to meet increasing demand while maintaining quality, operational efficiency, and compliance with safety and environmental regulations.

The CSFS Nursery is an enterprise operation located in Fort Collins, Colorado, producing 300,000–500,000 seedlings annually, with expansion goals of 1–2 million seedlings.

This position has to have the ability to work irregular hours, including long days, evenings, and weekends during peak seasonal production periods; occasional off-site and overnight travel required. The position is required to reside within 30 miles of the Fort Collins Nursery to respond to after-hours operational emergencies, shared with other key staff.

Essential Job Duties:

• Plan and implement seedling production schedules and crop plans to meet operational goals, customer demand, and nursery capacity.
• Oversee daily container and bareroot crop production operations, including sowing, irrigation, fertilization, pest management, and harvest activities.
• Monitor crop health and development, diagnose issues, and adjust cultural practices to optimize seedling quality and production timelines.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) for nursery production systems and workflows.
• Supervise and coordinate staff and temporary employees to ensure efficient operations, productivity, and adherence to safety and quality standards.
• Manage seed handling processes including storage, stratification, testing, and inventory tracking.
• Oversee seedling grading, packing, storage, and distribution processes to maintain product quality and order accuracy.
• Maintain accurate production, chemical application, inventory, and operational records to support planning and compliance.

Supervision:

• Nursery Field Production Supervisor (1 FTE)
• Grounds and Nursery I (1 FTE)
• Seasonal and temporary staff (variable FTE depending on production needs)

Conditions of Employment:

• Legally authorized to work in the United States before the employment start date; Colorado State Forest Service will not sponsor a visa for this position.
• Valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license by the employment start date.
• Ability to work in a variety of environments including office, greenhouse, shade house, bareroot fields, and industrial nursery facilities.
• Ability to perform physical labor, including lifting up to 50 pounds.
• Willingness to work with and around agricultural chemicals, including fertilizers and pesticides, and in treated areas.
• Ability to obtain a pesticide applicator license through the Colorado Department of Agriculture within nine months of employment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Forestry, Horticulture, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, or closely related field.
• Minimum of three years of applied experience with growing crops in nursery operations or agriculture production.
Two years of managerial/supervisory experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, soil chemistry, soil and seedling sampling procedures and statistical techniques.
• Master’s degree in horticulture.
• Experience in a production nursery including container and/or bare root forest nursery operations.
• Supervisory experience including nursery working conditions; employee hiring, training, performance evaluation, and conflict resolution.
• Experience with program management, including determining appropriate production levels and prices, quality control, developing reports and annual programs of work.
• Experience with production processes, quality control measures, costs, and other techniques that maximize effectiveness and distribution of products.
• Ability to manage supplies and inventories to maintain the uninterrupted production schedule.
• Experience with facilities and equipment maintenance.
• Experience operating forklifts and other agricultural or nursery equipment to support production, material movement, and daily facility operations.
• Experience with reforestation practices; including species selection, seed zones, and seedling stock type selection.
• Knowledge and experience with greenhouse climate control systems such as Argus or Wadsworth.

Salary Range

Required Application Documents

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Employee Benefits

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Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.