Hiring: Seasonal Propagation Specialist – Nasami Farm
Title: Seasonal Propagation Assistant Start Date: 3/25/2024
Department: Horticulture
Location: Nasami Farm Nursery
Reports To: Nursery Manager
Status: Seasonal, part-time position, 20-32 hours/week for maximum of 700 hours, beginning late March; $18/hour
Native Plant Trust seeks a seasonal, part-time propagation assistant to work as part of a small, dedicated team that propagates approximately 50,000 seed-grown New England native plants per year for retail sale, ecological restoration, and display at Garden in the Woods, its botanic garden in Framingham, MA. The position is based at Nasami Farm, located in Whately, MA, which is a 75-acre property with a Native Plant Center, six greenhouses, and related support structures. Maintenance of the grounds and facilities is shared by all nursery staff.
Propagation and Nursery Duties and Responsibilities
- Assists with seedling propagation and plant maintenance for horticultural- and restoration-grade native plants of known ecotype.
- Assists nursery volunteers in production tasks.
- Assists with care and maintenance of nursery and retail plant inventory, including best practices for watering, weeding, and IPM.
- Adheres to an intensive IPM program, scouting for pests and diseases. Assists with corrective and preventative measures as necessary, with required documentation.
- Helps maintain detailed source and production records on all species. Adheres to the highest standards of uniformity and efficiency.
- Follows propagation facilities maintenance and safety protocols as set out by nursery staff.
- May help update the database with accurate information about seed acquisition, propagation, and inventory.
Seed Collection and Seed Inventory Responsibilities
- May participate in seed collection within a 50-mile radius of Nasami Farm, under direction of Nursery Manager and Nursery Coordinator. Adheres to Native Plant Trust’s seed collection policies.
- Assists with seed processing, cleaning, storage, and inventory.
Operations Duties and Responsibilities
- Operates farm equipment and maintains access areas around greenhouses and facilities.
- Assists with regular maintenance and light repairs of equipment and facilities.
Work Environment
Position entails exposure to outdoors and greenhouse production facilities and at times working in inclement weather. Includes heavy lifting and physically demanding tasks. We foster a respectful, equitable, and inclusive work environment.
About Native Plant Trust
Native Plant Trust is the nation’s first plant conservation organization and the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants. We save native plants in the wild, grow them for gardens and restorations, and educate others on their value and use. We welcome visitors at Garden in the Woods, a renowned native plant botanic garden in Framingham, Massachusetts that attracts visitors from all over the world. Our team of 25 staff and many of our 1,500 trained volunteers work throughout New England each year to monitor and protect rare and endangered plants, collect and preserve seeds to ensure biological diversity, detect and control invasive species, conduct research, and offer a range of educational programs. Native Plant Trust also operates a nursery at Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts and manages six sanctuaries in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont that are open to the public. Please visit www.NativePlantTrust.org.
To Apply
Please submit a letter of interest and resume (MS Word or PDF format, with your last name as part of the file name) to Alexis Doshas, Nursery Manager, adoshas@NativePlantTrust.org, using the subject line “Seasonal Propagation Assistant Application.” Deadline for applications is March 11, 2024.
Native Plant Trust is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.