Hiring: Nursery Assistant – Native Plant Trust
Native Plant Trust seeks a full-time Nursery Assistant to work as part of a small team that collects seed for and propagates approximately 50,000 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, 8 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 seed propagation and plant maintenance for horticultural- and restoration- grade native plants of known ecotype.
● Coordinates nursery volunteers for production tasks and seed cleaning.
● Provides input to Nursery Manager and Nursery Coordinator for nursery production plan.
● Carries out research projects set forth by the Nursery Manager and Nursery Coordinator.
● Helps maintain detailed source and production records on all species. Adheres to the highest standards of uniformity and efficiency.
● Updates the database with accurate information about seed acquisition, propagation, and inventory.
● Ensures propagation facilities are impeccably maintained to the highest standards.
● Adheres to an intensive IPM program, scouting for pests and diseases. Applies corrective and preventative measures as necessary, with required documentation. Works with nursery staff to proactively seek and test alternative control measures with a goal of sustainability.
● Maintains propagation supply inventory and follows all purchasing protocols.
● Assists with ongoing training of seasonal staff and interns on care and maintenance of nursery and retail plant inventory, including best practices for watering, weeding, and IPM. Helps educate new staff about native plants.
● Participates in lectures, classes, and tradeshows as time permits.
Seed Collection and Seed Inventory Responsibilities
● Participates 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. Helps coordinate volunteer activity.
● Manages and updates seed cleaning/processing handbook, including building a high- quality seed photo catalog.
● Helps maintain seed inventory, records, facilities, and equipment. Adheres to the highest standards of quality and efficiency.
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.
● Helps monitor and provide documentation for the facility budget, as needed.
● Assists with coordinating and maintaining inventory for the nursery.
● May lead occasional farm tours if time permits and tours do not interfere with other responsibilities.
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. Schedule includes weekend and holiday work to ensure plant health and to deal with facilities issues.
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 are based at Garden in the Woods, a renowned native plant botanic garden that attracts visitors from all over the world. From this flagship property in Framingham, Massachusetts, 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 “Nursery Assistant Application.” Deadline for applications is February 26, 2021.
Native Plant Trust is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
