Technician I, Horticulture (The Gardens)

POSITION TITLE: Technician I, Horticulture (The Gardens) (Full-Time Regular) (Classified)

REQUISITION #: req7693

DEPARTMENT: Cultural Services

LOCATION: GARDENS ON SPRING CREEK

BENEFIT CATEGORY: Classified (Non-CBU) View Classifications & Benefits

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-Time Regular

ANNUAL SALARY RANGE: $42,952.00 - 64,427.00 (Salaries are paid biweekly)

ANNUAL ANTICIPATED HIRING RANGE: $45,000.00 - 56,000.00 (Salaries are paid biweekly)

SELECTION PROCESS: Application deadline is 3:00 p.m. MT on 7/9/2024.

You will receive an email acknowledgment when you have successfully submitted an application. Your completed application will be forwarded to the hiring manager. You will be notified if you are selected for further testing or interviews. Please keep your contact information up-to-date. The status of your application will be updated in your applicant profile. Post-offer background check, motor vehicle report, and drug test required within four calendar days (96 hours) of offer.

Why Work For the City of Fort Collins?

• Medical, dental, vision (for self, spouse, domestic partner, children) - eligible on the 1st of the month following date of hire

• Paid vacation, paid holidays, sick leave, and additional one-time bank of 40 PTO hours for new, full-time, Classified and Unclassified Management hires

• Retirement + company contributions - after 6 month probation period and immediate vesting

• Flexible spending: Medical expenses FSA, dependent FSA or both

• Employee Assistance Program: counseling, legal, financial assistance

• Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability

• Wellness program, workout facilities

• Employee/family onsite health clinic

• Learning and development opportunities at all levels in the organization with opportunities for career mobility

• Collaborative work environment

To learn more about The City of Fort Collins and Our Community, please read Our Community and Our Organization Brochure

Job Summary

The Gardens on Spring Creek is the community botanic garden of Fort Collins, Colorado. Our 18-acre site opened in 2004 as part of an important partnership between the City of Fort Collins and the Friends of the Gardens on Spring Creek. The Gardens is a City of Fort Collins Facility. Following a two-year, $6 million expansion project, The Gardens offers an expanded Visitor's Center and gift shop, Butterfly House, Everitt Pavilion, and Great Lawn, along with 5 acres of new gardens to explore. Our mission is to enrich the lives of people and foster environmental stewardship through horticulture.

The Gardens has an opening for a Horticulture Technician I position and will work at our Foothills Gardens that opened in 2018. The Foothills Garden serves as a naturalistic, native plant garden that showcases the beauty, form and function of native trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials. It showcases and promotes the use of regionally appropriate, underused and novel native varieties, inspiring visitors to add these plants to their home gardens. The garden's topography and rockwork evoke our regional foothills with steep slopes and rock-capped hogbacks.

This role is responsible for performing all aspects of public horticulture including designing, installing, and maintaining our living collections by applying technical, ornamental and scientific practices. This includes, but is not limited to, working with container plantings, trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials to create visually compelling horticultural displays appropriate for the Colorado Front Range.

The ideal candidate would come from a botanic garden or similar organization with current or very recent experience in horticulture or landscape cultivating gardens or plants. An associates or bachelor's degree or experience in a similar field, or with at least 3 years of experience in horticulture, or a combination of years of education and related experience.

This is a full-time, fully benefited non-exempt position with occasional work on weekends and evenings. The position is eligible for overtime pay on busier weeks. We invite you to apply!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.

• Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Performs various gardening tasks not limited to seeding, transplanting, watering, weeding, mulching, pruning, deadheading, raking, leaf blowing and sweeping.

• Maintains landscape areas including paver/brick repairs, hard/soft surface trails, cleaning and litter control to highest standards.

• Utilizes Integrated Pest Management approach and applies pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer as appropriate.

• Maintains records regarding plant accessions, plant performance and pest control methods.

• Installs, maintains, and repairs irrigation and pumping systems.

• Cleans and repairs grounds, garden structures, facility, etc.

• Performs snow removal duties.

• Safely operates and maintains small to medium-duty motor vehicles and specialized industry-related equipment.

• Responsible for adhering to, and being an example of, following proper safety rules and regulations.

• Provides direction and supervision to hourly and contractual employees.

• Coordinates activities with volunteer groups and community partnerships.

• Manages a flexible work schedule including hours of the day, weekends, holidays, and participates in on call rotation, if applicable.

• Availability to assist with special events, rentals and special projects as required.

Management Responsibilities

No

City Competencies

• Demonstrated cultural competence to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of diverse identities, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds.

• Strong learning orientation. Leverages all resources and is creative in ways of learning for self to continue adapting to changing issues and trends.

• A desire and ability to understand the diverse needs of internal and external customers, and to create experiences and deliver services that exceed their expectations.

• A desire and ability to utilize digital tools for organizational information, individual, and teamwork.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of horticulture and landscape management.

• Experience with garden design (beds and containers) and indoor/outdoor plant maintenance.

• Ability to identify tree, shrub, and plant species.

• Irrigation system maintenance and repair skills.

• Proficient in use of a computer and industry-related software such as e-mail, word processing and database input/management.

• Ability to operate, maintain, and repair a wide variety of automotive and light/medium and specialized industry-related equipment and power tools.

• Ability to do carpentry, plumbing and/or electrical work.

• Ability to identify and prioritize work tasks.

• Knowledge of workplace safety guidelines.

• Basic math skills.

• Must be able to communicate both verbally and in writing.

• May be required to obtain certifications.

Required Qualifications

MinimumPreferredHigh School Diploma or GED Associates or Bachelor's Degree in horticulture or related field; three to four years related experience and/or training, or combination of education and experience.

Experience Requirements

• Three to four years related experience in horticulture, botanic gardens, parks, landscaping, natural areas or a related field.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. The City may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

Certifications/Licenses/Specialized Training

• Valid driver's license., Current DOT certification or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire., Current Colorado Pesticide Applicator's License or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire.

The content in this posting was created for recruitment purposes. To view the full job description click the link below.

Technician I, Horticulture

The City of Fort Collins will make reasonable accommodations for access to City services, programs and activities and will make special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities. Please call (970) 221-6535 for assistance.

Notice Regarding Medical and/or Recreational Marijuana Use

Because the possession and use of marijuana, whether for medical use or otherwise, constitutes a federal offense and because the City is a drug free workplace, the City will not accommodate the medical use of marijuana and enforces written policy prohibiting working for the City while marijuana is in the body. The fact that state law recognizes medical marijuana as a prescribed, or otherwise permitted, medication does not alter or otherwise change this policy.

The City of Fort Collins is a bias-conscious employer. We ask that you please avoid the use of photos when submitting a resume and/or an application for employment. The City of Fort Collins is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for positions for which they have applied without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, sexual orientation (including perceived sexual orientation), gender identity and expression, disability, age 40 years or older, pregnancy or related condition, genetic information, and, in certain specific circumstances, marriage to a coworker or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

BACKGROUND CHECK, MOTOR VEHICLE REPORT AND DRUG TEST REQUIRED WITHIN FOUR CALENDAR DAYS/96 HOURS OF OFFER.

Note: Some information in your application may be public information under the Colorado Open Records Act.