Seasonal Gardener

Seasonal Gardener 

Reports to: Horticulturist & Collections Manager      Updated: April 2024 

This is a part-time, 15 week, non-exempt position 

Job Responsibilities: With the Horticulture team, the Seasonal Gardener will help coordinate and harvest our Farm Garden that produces thousands of pounds of fresh produce donated to a local community center. The Seasonal Gardener assists with soil preparation, irrigation, seedling thinning, planting, harvesting, sorting and packaging. 

Gardening 

• Collaborate with the Horticulturist & Collections Manager to coordinate tasks and responsibilities for our Farm Garden.  
• In collaboration with the Horticulture team and volunteers, enhance and maintain a high yielding Farm Garden and provide expert care by using appropriate horticulture techniques to care for the Farm Garden.  
• Work with the Horticulturist & Collections Manager to improve and establish planting and maintenance schedules for the Farm Garden which includes watering, fertilizing, seeding, transplanting, potting, weeding, raking, mulching, sweeping, and general care and upkeep.  
• Ensure vegetables are harvested appropriately and on time, as well as weighed, packaged and ready for delivery in a timely manner.   
• Communicate with the Horticulturist & Collections Manager if there are any issues or irregularities within the Farm Garden.  
• Work closely with volunteers to ensure they are thoughtfully engaged, treated with the utmost respect and are utilized to their fullest potential.   
• Share in the responsibility to ensure the Botanical Gardens and conservatory are tidy, and free of safety issues that will put staff, volunteers or visitors at risk.   
• Assist with delivering the donated produce. 
• Maintain an exceptional standard of cleanliness for the Farm Garden and our plant collection to thrive. 
• Safely and properly, operate equipment including golf carts, vehicles, sprayers and other gardening tools and machinery.       

Teamwork & Relationship Building 

• Positively serve as a representative of the Botanical Gardens to all visitors, volunteers, vendors, government officials and any/all external sources.  
• Establish and maintain positive relationships and proactive and respectful communication with co-workers, volunteers and vendors. 
• Lead by example to ensure a welcoming environment and an excellent experience for visitors from arrival to departure.  
• Foster open communication where new ideas and innovation are fostered with staff. 
• Take initiative and work with the entire team to ensure thoughtful compliance with the organization’s mission, vision, policies, procedures, core values and inclusion code of conduct.   
• The Seasonal Gardener will be required to work 20 hours a week for 15 weeks starting at the end of May.  
• Assist at Botanical Gardens events/exhibits as needed. 
• Additional duties as assigned  

Education and Experience:  

The Seasonal Gardener should be able to perform physical labor, including lifting, bending and standing for extended periods.  Previous experience on a farm or agricultural setting is preferred but not required.   

Skills and Characteristics:        

• Enthusiastic, self-motivated, trustworthy, reliable and team orientated.  
• Maintain a positive attitude and apparent enthusiasm for the job and organization.  
• Must be willing and able to sustain moderate to heavy physical exertion all day long with a full range of body motion, lift up to 50lbs, and work in all weather conditions. 
• Ability to safely operate garden equipment including golf carts, lawnmower, rototiller, leaf blower and weed whacker. 

Professionalism: 

• Maintain a professional appearance at all times.  

• Maintain required attendance and punctuality. 
• Adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in the Employee Handbook. 
• Shows respect and courtesy in all interactions with all the ‘Botanical Gardens’ relationships. 

Teamwork and Diversity: 

• Support and communicate with the supervisor and co-workers in a cooperative manner.  
• Share in the housekeeping of the Botanical Gardens to ensure staff and visitor safety.  
• Assist with special events as required.  
• Practice respect, fair treatment, and acceptance of people of all identities, beliefs, and viewpoints in all interpersonal interactions.  
• Demonstrate initiative in learning about and implementing skills related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.   

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility  

We are committed to overcoming barriers to be the most inclusive organization we can be, where all feel welcome and included and we can grow together. All employees are responsible for treating others with dignity and respect at all times. A successful work environment is built on:  

• Respectful communication and cooperation between all employees.  
• Fair treatment, and acceptance of people of all identities, beliefs, and viewpoints in all interpersonal interactions.  
• Teamwork and employee participation that embraces all perspectives.  
• Demonstrating initiative in learning about and implementing skills related to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.  
• Employer and employee contributions to the communities we serve to promote a greater understanding and respect for diversity.  

Our Mission  
Deepening the connection between people and plants through beautiful gardens and extraordinary experiences.  

Core Values  
The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens welcomes all visitors and is committed to creating an environment free of discrimination and harassment where all individuals are treated with respect. The Society strives to ensure that its collection, facilities, and programming are inclusive and accessible in order to provide a successful and engaging experience for all audiences. It is extremely important to us that our employees demonstrate the utmost respect for co-workers, volunteers, visitors, our plant collections, historic conservatory, grounds and campus buildings.  

• We are fascinated by plants. Plants provide fundamental nutrients that sustain life on our planet. We connect people to the power of plants through educational storytelling and an inspiring, immersive plant environment.  
• We create wonder. We are innovative and enthusiastic; we embrace possibility. Through curating rich and colorful educational experiences, we seek to inspire curiosity about the natural world.  
• We respect our planet. We recognize that Earth’s health fundamentally depends on a thriving ecosystem of plants and pollinators. We respect our environment, preserve natural resources, and strive to improve sustainability.  
• We welcome all. The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is for everyone. We are committed to being wholeheartedly inclusive, where all feel welcome. We continue to work to overcome barriers, address systemic injustices, and challenge ourselves to grow together and to be the most welcoming organization we can be.  
• We celebrate our legacy. We are stewards of our historic conservatory and our legacy. We celebrate the stories of those who came before us and excite generations of visitors into the future. 

Botanical Gardens’ Culture  
We strive to create Wow, Wonder and Welcome within your teams and for the public. We create the Wow factor by being innovative, creative and enthusiastic, by embracing all possibilities and celebrating our successes. We generate Wonder by building experiences that are beautiful, colorful, inspire curiosity and encourage our visitors and each other to be engaged in the natural world. We are always inclusive and Welcoming to all by being kind, empathetic and respectful to all individuals and their unique perspectives. We look forward to exploring how you can positively contribute to our Wow, Wonder and Welcome culture.  

Benefits  
This is a part-time position, and we offer life insurance, a retirement plan option with company match, paid time off and flexible scheduling.