Part-time Irrigation Specialist

***Overview***

Gardenscapes Greenville a queer owned business that focuses on two primary goals. The long term is to improve the ecology-human relationship utilizing native plants in the Greenville area. Our immediate goal for our residential clients is to build rapport, utilizing trending designs and some familiar non-native plants to initially engage clients with the land on which they live. Native plantings require immense patience and trust in the client relationship, because things will not look familiar. Challenging beauty standards, therefore, is an intentionally emotive and relational process. Our goal is to leave a residential garden emotionally and psychological accessible, peaceful, and welcoming; without a veil of stressful unfamiliarity. This is done through a combination of respectful education and necessary accommodations. The yard, like the house, is slowly made to read as "home." The artistry of our work is seen and does have an impact on our client's wellbeing, but this is a slow and ongoing process with unpredictable shifts and changes along the way - wich makes for all the joy a productive landscape can offer!

***Job Description***

This position is for a subcontractor/1099. Experience in irrigation set up, installation, and maintenance is necessary to be considered for this position. Gardenscapes is adding a new service of irrigation adjustments to our regular, residential clients. This is meant to help us improve the overall success of our naturalistic installations. Most clients have preexisting systems (mostly spray head systems, some dripline). A trial 2-3 days of labor is offered past the initial interview screening process. Work is cancelled in extreme weather.

Our new specialist will be not be expected to know horticultural information, but will be expected to make interest and effort in learning it. In fact, when not working on irrigation systems, our specialist will be spending 90% of their time working as our other gardeners do. Outside of zone adjustments and general irrigation monitoring, we will also ask our irrigation specialist to spend time mapping out existing irrigation systems for the company's future records, as well as their recommended changes. This is a great opportunity for us to share our knowledge bases with each other and to improve the quality of work, connecting these fields more closely.

Our schedule for this position will be one - two days per week, either Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Friday. Applicants with other part-time jobs will absolutely be considered, as long as it does not conflict with having at least one full work day available . This is a seasonal position (Spring, Summer, Fall). Winter work might be available, but subcontractors are encouraged to take on winter-seasonal work with the opportunity to return to Gardenscapes in the spring. Eventual full time positions will very likely become available in the future, with the goal of developing benefits as the business expands. Please visit ww.gardenscapesgreenville.com before applying.

***Responsibilities***

- Maintaining diverse landscapes and their irrigation systems

- Pruning, weeding, thinning, transplanting

- Regular monitoring of rainfall and adjustments of systems during times of drought.

- Initiative in plant identification and memorization of species

- Assessment of individual plant watering needs over time, making notes of suggested irrigation changes to be implemented in the future

- Willing to learn about plant issues like stress, pests, and diseases

- Developing an understanding of IPM practices

- Diagnosing irrigation issues independently, coming up with an action plan, and implanting with head gardener and any other assistance from coworkers needed

- Communication within a team

- Record keeping of tasks completed, materials used, costs etc

- Read and follow through on written maintenance plans, updating client logs with each change made to irrigation systems

- Irrigation monitoring and adjustments to clocks and timers

- Operate and maintain various hand tools and equipment necessary for gardening and irrigation tasks

***Qualifications***

- Previous experience in irrigation maintenance and installation expected

- Physical stamina

- Excellent communication skills

Please keep in mind that this is a small business started in 2020, still building a positive reputation in the greater Greenville Area.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $20.00 - $24.00 per hour

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person

Salary : $20 - $24