Student Job Opportunity: Nursery Assistant
Apply by May 24, 2026
Care for plants and support plant sales with a dynamic team of expert staff, student employees, and interns as a Nursery Assistant for the Arboretum and Public Garden.
Position Overview
Position Details
- Estimated Start Date: Summer 2026
- Salary: $17.15 an hour
Time commitment
- Must be able to work 8-15 hours per week during the school year and at least one month over the summer.
- Nursery Assistants must cover watering shifts at least one weekend per quarter and work occasional weekend events.
Position Description
Under the supervision of Arboretum and Public Garden staff, this position will:
- Work both in teams and independently to propagate and care for plants in the Arboretum Teaching Nursery. Duties will include watering, weeding, potting, and moving plants.
- Work in a team to prepare for plant sales and public outreach events by updating inventories, labeling plants, tabling, and helping customers.
- Support the facilities management of the growing area including shade cloth repair, irrigation and cart maintenance, cleaning benches and containers.
- Keep a clean growing area and follow phytosanitary best practices.
- Use hand tools and operate power tools such as a pressure washer, blower, and a small tractor.
- Provide general assistance to visitors as a representative of the Arboretum and Public Garden team.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Experience and interest in landscape plants and propagation.
- Must be able to repeatedly lift 40 pounds from ground to waist height.
- Must be able to perform all tasks in a safe manner and operate with care around valuable plant collections.
- Must be able to work outdoors in all weather conditions including summer heat.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in landscape maintenance and/or construction
- Experience using hand and power tools, operating tractors, and working with irrigation systems
- Experience in practical gardening, pruning, maintenance and landscape plant identification
- Coursework in horticulture, landscape architecture, and/or engineering