Zoo Horticulturist - Greenhouse/Nursery

Recruitment Range - $31,200 - $41,000*

• SIGN-ON BONUS BEING OFFERED*

A sign-on bonus of $1000 is being offered for eligible candidates.  See eligibility at https://oshr.nc.gov/policies/sign-and-retention-bonus-policy

Primary Purpose of the Position:

Do you enjoy working with interiorscapes and maintaining a diverse plant collection? The North Carolina Zoo is seeking an experienced Horticulturist to work in its Interior Horticulture section.

This person would be primarily responsible for the zoo's propagation greenhouses and nursery. This employee will oversee the daily maintenance of the greenhouse plant collection. Responsibilities will encompass thorough knowledge of the assigned plant collection, plant maintenance, plant identification, watering, potting/planting/removal/installation/transplanting, fertilization, weed control, plant inventory, pest control - insects, diseases and vermin, pruning and propagation. Other duties of the position are coordinating volunteers, record keeping, occasional landscape maintenance and construction. This employee also assists with Horticulture's greenhouse operations, Streamside, Desert, Butterfly exhibit, browse gardens, and nursery based on assigned weekend and weekday duty. This employee must be familiar with industry standards in plant maintenance and propagation techniques and have thorough knowledge of native, annual, invasive, and tropical plants.

This employee is responsible for maintaining many electronic records that impact plant inventory and record keeping, entering daily work records on the database, adhering to EMS and SOG/SOP protocols and BEACON time reporting system requiring computer skills.

Job Requirements:

• Job offer is contingent upon passing a pre-employment screen conducted by assigned provider.

• Perform physical demands of the job for extended and irregular periods, and work under adverse conditions in all extremes of weather with or without an accommodation.

• Work a rotating weekend and holiday schedule.

• Obtain and maintain a valid NC Driver's License within 30 days of employment to drive a state vehicle.

• Participation in the Zoo's occupational health program due to potential hazards.

• Lift between 15 to 30 pounds of aggregate material to a height of eighteen "18" inches and transport it laterally a distance of four and half "4.5" feet on a frequent basis with or without an accommodation.

• Positions are considered "Essential/Mandatory Staff" and required to work on adverse weather days and during zoo emergencies.

• Strong organizational skills are required for maintaining a diverse plant inventory.

• Safely operate horticulture equipment.

Learn about the NC ZOO: https://www.nczoo.org 

Learn about employee perks/benefits: https://oshr.nc.gov/state-employee-resources/benefits 

To receive credit for your work history and credentials, you must list the information on the application form. Any information omitted from the application form, listed under the text resume section, or on an attachment will not be considered for qualifying credit.

• Demonstrated experience with plant maintenance procedures used in arid, native and/or tropical plant collections.

• Demonstrated experience of plant cultivation such as; watering, propagation, Integrated Pest Management and/or fertilization.

• Proven knowledge of equipment used for landscaping including mowers, weed eater, blowers, bobcat, forklift and/or other assigned equipment.

• Proven working knowledge using Microsoft Office for research, data entry, inventory and/or record keeping.

High school or General Educational Development (GED) diploma and two years of progressive experience in horticultural work; 

or

Associate's degree in agriculture and natural resources, greenhouse and grounds maintenance, horticulture technology, landscape gardening or closely related field from an appropriately accredited institution;

or

 an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Necessary Special Qualifications May require North Carolina Commercial Driver's License

Primary Purpose of the Organizational Unit:

The North Carolina Zoological Park exists for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of all our citizens and visitors. The mission of the zoo is to conserve and protect representative examples of natural beauty, endangered and threatened plant and animal species, and ecological features of the continents it represents.

The NC Zoo's Horticulture Division's mission is to advance public awareness of the importance of plants and their role in nature.

Department Information:

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) takes care of the things that people love about North Carolina, literally from A to Z. The Arts to the Zoo, and so much else - parks, aquariums, historic sites, archaeology, African American Heritage Commission, science and history museums, the state Symphony, Library and Archives, historic preservation, land and water stewardship, and more. These places, and the ideas they represent, create a shared identity in North Carolina. They provide common ground. Everyone is welcome. The Department's vision is to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational, and economic future of North Carolina. Our goal is to promote equity and inclusion among our employees and our programming to reflect and celebrate our state's diverse population, culture, and history. We encourage you to apply to become a part of our team. Check out this amazing video about our Department.  

The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) selects applicants for employment based on required education and experience and job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation or political influence.

Please be sure to complete the application in full. Resumes may be uploaded with your application, but will not be accepted in lieu of a fully completed application and will not be considered for qualifying credit.  "See Resume" or "See Attachment" will NOT be accepted.

Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.  Transcripts, and degree evaluations may be uploaded with your application.

To obtain veterans preference, you must scan and upload a copy of your DD-214 or discharge orders.

Technical issues submitting your application, please call the NeoGov Help Line at 855-524-5627.

Applicants requesting and receiving an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are eligible to submit paper applications via mail or by fax.  Please call the human resources office for assistance.

If multiple applications are submitted to an individual posting, only the most recent application received prior to the closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on the closing date.

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account.  Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for the qualified applicants. The hiring process may take an average of 6 - 8 weeks.

It is the policy of the State of North Carolina and the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources that all employees provide proof of employment eligibility (immigration and naturalization) on the first day of employment.   We participate in E-Verify (Employment Eligibility Verification System).

CONTACT INFORMATION:

N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

Division of Human Resources

Ellie Meadows
4401 Zoo Parkway

Asheboro, NC 27205
336-879-7310

  employment@dncr.nc.gov

Visit our website at www.nczoo.org.