Hiring: Part-time Nursery and Propagation Assistant-Nasami Farm

The mission of New England Wild Flower Society is to conserve and promote the region’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes. Founded in 1900, the Society is the nation’s oldest plant conservation organization and a recognized leader in native plant conservation, horticulture, and education. The Society’s headquarters, Garden in the Woods, is a renowned native plant botanic garden in Framingham, Massachusetts, that attracts visitors from all over the world. From this base, 25 staff and more than 700 volunteers work throughout New England 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. The Society also operates a native plant nursery at Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts and has eight sanctuaries in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont that are open to the public.

The Society seeks a skilled and experienced nursery and propagation assistant to support Nasami Farm’s propagation, research, and development efforts. S/he will assist with nursery operations focused primarily on growing native New England plants from wild-collected seed of known ecotype. This is a year-round, 28-hour-per-week position.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assists with seed and spore propagation and plant maintenance for horticultural- and restoration-grade native plants of known ecotype
• Helps coordinate propagation volunteer activity
• Assists with research and development projects set forth by the Nursery Production Manager and Propagator
• Helps maintain detailed source and production information on all species. Adheres to the highest standards of uniformity and efficiency
• Responsible for updating database with accurate information about seed propagation activities and inventory
• Adheres to an intensive IPM program, scouting for pests and diseases, and as directed applies corrective and preventative biological control measures as necessary
• Ensures propagation facilities are impeccably maintained to the highest standards
• Assists with seed collection, processing, cleaning, and storage
• Participates in lectures and tradeshows as time allows
• Assists with regular maintenance of the nursery grounds and facilities
• Coordinates with Retail Manager and Nursery Production Manager to provide support for retail plant sales, including periodic training of seasonal staff and interns, and overseeing retail sales area maintenance

The ideal candidate will have a working knowledge of native New England flora, experience propagating plants from seed, and retail plant sales experience.  In addition, s/he will have:

• Demonstrated ability to help produce and maintain high-quality plants within tight production deadlines
• Demonstrated passion for native plants and ecological horticulture
• One or more years of hands-on greenhouse and/or nursery experience
• Interest in and/or experience using IPM principles and biological control methods
• Experience with training and coordinating volunteers, interns, and/or staff
• Experience and familiarity with Microsoft Office, specifically Microsoft Excel
• Ability to work independently and as a strong team member
• Ability to multi-task and manage a changing, varied, fast-paced workload
• Ability to work weekends regularly
• Ability to lift 50 pounds and work in adverse weather conditions
• Experience with use and maintenance of power tools and equipment a plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to interact effectively with staff, volunteers, and nursery visitors

To Apply

Please email a letter of interest and résumé (MS Word or PDF format, with your last name as part of the file names) to:

Cayte McDonough, Nursery Production Manager, cmcdonough@newenglandwild.org

– Please use the subject line “Propagation Assistant Application.”

– Please submit applications by March 16, 2016; however, the position will remain open and applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found.