Greenhouse Assistant at Newfields

Opportunity Title: Greenhouse Assistant 

Reports To: Senior Greenhouse Horticulturist and Orchid Specialist  

Salary or Hourly: Hourly 

Pay Rate: $16/hour

Detailed Description 

The Greenhouse Assistant is responsible for working with the Senior Horticulturist on plant care, plant installations, Greenhouse Maintenance, assisting with classes, and providing an excellent guest experience. They need to be highly self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to complete tasks without supervision. 

Responsibilities 

• Assist full-time greenhouse staff with daily maintenance of all greenhouse plants, including watering, fertilizing, grooming, and pest control
• Assist with the care of plants in the museum, Lilly House, and Garden Terrace
• Work with staff to produce and maintain interesting greenhouse displays and displays in other buildings
• Help with general maintenance of greenhouses and headhouse, including sweeping, washing pots, and keeping things organized 
• Help supervise and train volunteers 
• Assist with the preparation of flower and plant arrangements for special events
• Provide excellent guest services by offering general information about plants, Newfields history, and general Newfields events, festivals, and activities
• Create and teach greenhouse classes 
• Help with the creation and installation of art and projects for Harvest and Winterlights
• Create educational opportunities for guests within the greenhouses
• Work with the team to keep workspaces, tools, greenhouses, etc., clean and organized
• Help assign tasks to volunteers and staff based on the needs of the team 

Required Skills  

• Knowledge of Greenhouse maintenance, plant care, and design.
• Broad knowledge of and passion for plants, their proper nomenclature, and culture.
• Organizational skills.
• Computer skills. 

Education and/or Experience  

• Experience growing plants professionally  

Physical Demands of the Work Environment 

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/ or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. 

Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the position. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.