Grower, Outdoor Floriculture

Title: Grower, Outdoor Floriculture

Exemption Status: Non-exempt

Department: Plant Production

Reports to: Assistant Manager & Outdoor Floriculturist; and Manager, Plant Production

Year-Round, Full-time

Supervises: Assistant Growers, Seasonals, Interns, Volunteers

Year-Round Full-time employees of the Chicago Botanic Garden are eligible for the following Benefits:

• 2025 Chicago Botanic Garden Benefit Guide - Year-Round Full-time

Compensation Philosophy:

At the Chicago Botanic Garden, our compensation philosophy is rooted in our core values: Growth, Understanding, Resilience, and Trust through Transparency. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and appreciated.

Our objective is to create compensation and growth opportunities for our employees that are highly competitive, internally equitable and transparent. The foundation of our efforts is a straightforward approach that can be easily communicated by managers with defined pay ranges for all positions. When posting job openings, we share the minimum salary up to the budgeted amount.

The starting salary for new staff members is determined by considering the salary range assigned to the position and by reviewing the candidate's qualifications for the job as compared with job responsibilities. Prior work experience should be considered in determining the salary offer, provided that it is relevant to the job. Additional factors such as secondary language proficiency or advanced degrees that enhance performance may also be considered. A candidate's salary may exceed the minimum amount based on factors such as experience, additional skills (e.g., secondary language proficiency), or pertinent degrees that enhance the individual's contribution to the role but are not required. Opportunities for increased compensation are provided through referral bonuses, shift differentials, Thank You Pay, promotions, and periodic pay increases based on the Garden's overall performance and financial budgets.

Our total compensation and benefits package is people centric. We prioritize employee wellness across three pillars: physical, mental, and financial. Our goal is to offer innovative total rewards that support continuous professional growth, personal development, and provide the flexibility needed to balance personal and professional commitments.

Position Overview:

The Grower, Outdoor Floriculture will be responsible for plant production for outdoor seasonal displays. Collaborate with outdoor floriculturist on all aspects of crop production and scheduling. Assume responsibility for all divisional operations in floriculturist's absence. Serve as team leader for plant deliveries to Garden areas as needed. The person in this position needs to be flexible to work in changing environments and with different divisions within the department. Watering and properly caring for plants will be a focus of the position and a required skill set. Manage the organization, inventory, and hardening-off process of the plants being grown for Garden areas.

The person in this position works in a world-class greenhouse and nursery facility built in 2017. It is one of the largest production operations for a public garden in the United States.

Responsibilities

In the Grower, Outdoor Floriculture role you will be responsible for the following:

• Collaborate with the outdoor floriculturist on all aspects of crop production and crop scheduling while making daily decisions on plant culture, and leading teams to get tasks done.
• Produce outdoor seasonal display plants through mixing soil, watering, fertilizing, repotting, transplanting, spacing, sanitization, weeding, and pruning.
• Give daily direction to assistant growers, seasonals, interns, and volunteers.
• Work one weekend day as part of the normal workweek and be responsible for the operation of the plant production facility and care for all crops with a focus on watering.
• Assist the outdoor floriculturist with procurement and placing orders with vendors for the seasonal display plants needed for projects.
• Serve as a team member of the department's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, including weekly bio releases and weekly scouting using iPads and software program.
• Apply pesticides to crops and growing areas as assigned, to support the IPM program.
• Serve as team leader for delivery of plants to grounds, flower shows, programs, and other special events.
• Generate reports from the production inventory database, perform data entry, and make labels through the production label system.
• Maintain a high level of computer literacy for the purposes of interdepartmental documentation and communication.
• Communicate in a manner that gains the trust and support of others at all levels.
• Follow safety guidelines to ensure a safe working environment and consistently demonstrate safe work behaviors.
• Lead tours as needed.
• Work scheduled holidays as assigned.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Associate's degree in horticulture or equivalent, with a minimum of three years' experience in greenhouse and nursery operations
• General knowledge of small tools and equipment
• Basic computer knowledge required, with the use of spreadsheets and inventory databases preferred
• A valid driver's license and insurable by the Chicago Horticultural Society
• Must have or be able to obtain an Illinois Pesticide Operator's license through the Illinois Department of Agriculture for pesticide applications
• Good written and verbal communication

Physical Demands:

Must be able to lift, push, pull, and carry items up to 50 pounds. Must be able to climb ladders and step stools. Must be able to work outside for long periods of time during all types of weather conditions as needed. Must be able to spend long periods of time standing during the day and sometimes sitting as well.

Why Apply?
Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today. Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call (847) 835-8264 to contact our Title IX Coordinator should you have questions or concerns. Please do not call this number to inquire about job postings or the status of your application, or with solicitations from companies or third-party recruiters.