Historic Site Gardener at The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, MD

About the Department

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a leader in historic preservation and manages several museums, historic sites, and programs that celebrate Prince George's County's rich history. Coordinated by the Natural and Historic Resources Division (NHRD), there are 5, M-NCPPC historic house museums open to the public, including the Riversdale House Museum. 

Riversdale, a National Historic Landmark and designated NPS Network to Freedom Site, is seeking a Seasonal/Intermittent Historic Site Gardener for the Riversdale House Museum grounds to join our team. Constructed between 1801-1807, Riversdale interprets life in 19th Century Maryland, inclusive of the shared history of the Stier, Calvert and Plummer families. Rich in primary source material, the Museum is undergoing a transformation by expanding its interpretation to be more inclusive of the lives and labor of the enslaved, indentured, and free black community at this historic site and creating a more descendant driven and visitor centered experience.

The candidate will be responsible for planning, managing, maintaining, and interpreting the Riversdale public display kitchen garden and orchard, which represent plantings during the interpretive period of 1801 to 1864, and is inclusive of the African, European, and Indigenous experience at this historic site. This includes researching historically appropriate crops and developing interpretive signage and maintaining a garden plan.

This job is year-round, with up to 30 hours per week.

Position Duties

Garden Maintenance

• Apply organic pesticides and fertilizers.
• Maintain garden through planting, watering, weeding, pruning, mulching, and other outdoors tasks, as necessary.
• Research and create plans for historically appropriate crops.
• Develop and maintain a planting plan to balance considerations of historic interpretation, beauty, visitor experience, ease of maintenance, year-round interest, and food production.
• Procure an inventory of plant materials, supplies, and tools.
• Monitor and manage soil health and fertility.
• Maintain and repair irrigation systems.
• Operate M-NCPPC equipment and vehicles, including a Gator landscape vehicle, rototiller, flame weeder, sprayers, and a wide range of manual tools.
• Scout plantings for evidence of insect and disease problems and treat, as necessary.
• Coordinate with M-NCPPC ground crews to ensure proper weeding, mulching, etc.

Supervision and Leadership

• Maintain, manage, and continue to develop current volunteer program:
  • Schedule, train, and manage corps of 30 gardening volunteers and garden docents.

Partnership and Collaboration

• Coordinate with and provide seasonal produce to the Riversdale Kitchen Guild, a volunteer group who uses garden produce during their public open-hearth cooking demonstrations.
• Act as liaison with the Maryland Master Gardener program.
• Work with other Riversdale staff to develop and run public programming, special tours, and workshops.
• Manage sales and identify community partners to make donations of produce.
• Coordinate with off-site M-NCPPC greenhouse staff to start seedlings for later planting.
• Provide support for the Director, Riversdale House Museum, and other House Museum staff at the Visitors Center for operations and special events at the House Museum. 

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Be at least 21 years old.
• Bachelor’s Degree or higher AND two or more years of relevant experience; OR 6 years of combined education and experience in horticulture, agriculture, botany, plant science, gardening with in-depth knowledge of plant culture, maintenance, and identification.
• Must be able to lift 50lbs, work outdoors all year round. 
• Valid Maryland driver’s license. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Good color vision, depth perception, and senses of taste and smell. 
• Organic vegetable gardening experience highly desired; Fruit tree cultivation experience desired; Good color vision, depth perception, and senses of taste and smell. 
• Organic vegetable gardening experience highly desired.
• Fruit tree cultivation experience desired.

• Experience supervising volunteers or staff.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Candidate will:

• Self-motivate and be able to work independently and organize tasks. 
• Learn the basic history of the site.
• ·Interact with the public and give garden tours/demonstrations.
• Writing occasional articles for newsletters, volunteer bulletin, and social media.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Other Qualifications

• The position is year-round, part-time, up to 30 hours a week, with some evenings and weekends required.
• The position qualifies for sick leave, but not other benefits.
• A background investigation will be completed prior to hire.

Applicants with Disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you require accommodations or special arrangements due to a qualifying disability, please notify the Recruitment & Selections Services Unit at the time of applications at or 301-454-1411 (Maryland Relay 7-1-1)

M-NCPPC will make all efforts to reasonably accommodate you.