Pollinator, Bird Garden, and Natural Lands Assistant
: Job Details :

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click Apply and complete the application process for external applicants.JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:We seek an individual who can combine a knowledge of landscape maintenance skills along with a passion for environmental stewardship to learn standards of professional landscape care and assist in the growth and care of the arboretum. The successful candidate will work alongside our talented team of Arboretum staff and Horticulture Technicians to specifically support the Pollinator and Bird Garden and our natural lands (including the Gerhold Wildflower Trail and Hartley Woods) in order to fulfill Penn State's land grant mission, and more.The Arboretum at Penn State is a treasured portion of the University campus that every day provides a place of purpose, beauty, and nature-based connection right next to our campus center. It hosts 200+ educational programs and public/private events throughout the year in incredible settings. In June 2024, the new Palmer Museum of Art, a state-of-the-art $85M LEED-Certified facility, opened and furthers the integration of art, science, and nature - providing a crucial cultural destination in the center of Pennsylvania.In 2021, we opened our 3.5-acre Pollinator and Bird Garden (PBG). The vision and design incorporated research through the creation of beautiful and ecologically rich habitats for pollinators and birds. The innovative design was developed in collaboration with the Center for Pollinator Research, faculty and experts, staff of the arboretum, and members of the Avian Education Advisory Committee. The Garden has received international architectural design awards for landscape sustainability, has been featured in national news media, and sets a new standard for sustainable and ecologically centric landscape management.Beyond the 30 acres of the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens lie 340 acres of additional Arboretum lands, including fields and managed woodlands in active restoration, research use, or simply as educational and recreational assets.Primary Tasks:Perform long-term landscape management tasks on established plants that are an array of native bulbs, grasses, perennials, and woody plants in a variety of naturalized and managed garden settings.Perform seasonal horticulture and vegetable display landscape work including planting, pruning, cut-back, clean-up, dividing, and transplanting.Monitoring, caring for, and data tracking/reporting on the Pollinator and Bird Garden including its plant layers, hardscape, and other structural and research elements.Scouting for pests and diseases as well as assessing potential risks and hazards to the landscape and/or visitors.Daily checks of garden beds and paths, clean-up of debris and litter.Hand-water and monitor irrigation of plantings, especially during establishment and drought.Lead and stage garden and natural lands volunteers in small work groups and assist with equipment operation, tools and supplies, plant material, etc.Lead and work with Arboretum staff on garden, prairie, forest, and other maintenance projects, as well as educational programs related to them.Skills and Abilities:Passion for learning sustainable, biodiverse, and ecosystem-based horticultural practices and plant culture, maintenance, and identification.Willingness to collaborate on all tasks required for maintaining the highest standards of botanical garden and arboretum management.A team-player who maintains positive engagements with the public and their colleagues.Ability to stand, kneel, walk for extended periods of time.Comfort with using hand tools and power equipment.Can both take direction as motivated and be able to work independently at times.Ability to work and be exposed to daily variants in weather and temperatures.Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 Suite Software (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, etc.) combined with the ability to document and share relevant information internally.Qualifications:Typically requires the equivalent of an associate's degree in a directly related field, OR completion of high school plus 2 years of directly related work experience OR an equivalent combination of work experience and education.Preference will be given to candidates with introductory experience in the seasonal and long-term care for diverse plantings of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, grasses, and bulbs who can explain how this opportunity will help them reach their career goals. Academic coursework in horticulture, forestry, landscape contracting, landscape architecture, agriculture, plant science, or related fields is an asset.This position also includes an educational component featuring on-campus professional development sessions and off-site field trips focusing on organization, groups and programs which pertain to public horticulture, sustainable landscape management, natural land preservation, education, public space, and community outreach.Application and Requirements:While the exact onsite work schedule will be determined with the successful candidate, they must be able to begin shift work as early as 7:00 A.M. M-F as well as be able to work occasionally on weekends with prior notification.Applicants may work up to 40 hours per week. This role will be split into two phases, Phase 1 will run for 21 weeks. After which, there is a mandatory 10-week break before resuming the final 21 weeks in phase 2.This job requires that you operate a motor vehicle as a part of your job duties. A valid US driver's license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks.Applicants must include both 1) a cover letter that directly addresses how this opportunity will further their career goals in sustainable landscape management AND 2) their current resume or CV to comprise a complete application package.The Pennsylvania State University's Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is comprehensive and The Arboretum's two current strategic goals, growing our capacity and being more welcoming, both stem from Penn State Outreach's foundational focus that inclusion, equity, and diversity are advanced in our workplaces, and with the audiences whom we support, through fostering belonging, open discourse, mutual respect, genuine care, equal opportunity, and different perspectives.LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTPenn State is located on the ancestral lands of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Lenape, Shawnee, Susquehannock, and Wahzhazhe Nations. Penn State's land grant was funded by the sale of land expropriated from 112 tribal nations in 50 land cessions across 16 states.CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS:Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.EEO IS THE LAWPenn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-###-####.#J-18808-Ljbffr