Description

The Principal/Senior Greenhouse/Nursery Technician, supervised by the Greenhouse Manager, position helps plan, schedule, grow, and ensure a well-maintained environment for plant production. The Principal/Senior Greenhouse/Nursery Technician plays a key role in helping to provide high quality crops for the gardens and conservatory. Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Please Note: The salary ranges listed below represents the earning potential for this position. Salary is commensurate with experience. 

Examples of Important Duties

Examples of Important Duties
Propagation of Ornamental Plants
Performs Integrated Pest Management
Maintains Greenhouse Structures and Mechanical Equipment
Supports the Sustainability Initiatives of the Gardens

Duties by Class Specification

Principal Greenhouse/Nursery Technician
$50,595 – $89,605

Performs Lead Role in the Planning, Scheduling, and Growing of Crops For All Indoor Conservatory and Outdoor Garden Displays, Visitors Center, Special Events, and Conservatory Permanent Plant Collections

  • Establishes production schedules; stock plants, seeds, pots, and forms are inventoried; and production needs analyzed and communicated to supervisor in a timely fashion.
  • Ensures every crop was started on time and all subsequent cultural practices were implemented at the proper time.
  • Maintains communication during crop production with crop originators, and greenhouse staff as to problems and progress of crops.  Conducts reviews with crop originators at the end of the production cycle.
  • Determines and controls proper environmental factors such as temperature, light, soil, moisture content, pest level and growth rates throughout the crop production cycle.
  • Maintains and keeps thorough records of all production factors on all crops.
  • Maintains proper soil moisture in crops grown in glasshouses year-round.
  • Determines and implements proper cultural practices including propagation, transplanting, pinching, grooming, irrigation, fertilization, spacing and chemical grown regulation.
  • Maintains proper temperature, light and humidity conditions including timely modification of greenhouse glazing.
  • Coordinates crop delivery with crop originators and completes in a timely fashion.

Assists Supervisor With Various Administrative and Supervisory Tasks

  • Assumes limited supervision (leads and directs) of subordinate skilled greenhouse staff and provides adequate training and assistance to them.
  • Assists supervisor in selection and ordering of plant materials, supplies, and equipment.
  • Represents the agency at professional meetings as needed.
  • Provides input to long range planning such as for capital projects or strategic plans.
  • Supervises greenhouse staff during supervisor’s absence.
  • Maintains fertilizer application records to meet requirements of Nutrient Management Program mandated by the state of Maryland.

Important Skills and Characteristics: 

  • Extensive knowledge of plant identification, greenhouse control systems, plant cultural requirements, and disease/pest recognition.
  • Broad crop scheduling knowledge of diverse plant material for indoor and outdoor display gardens and exhibits
  • Demonstrated skill in all areas of crop production
  • Willingness to share horticultural knowledge with visitors, volunteers, and staff in informal settings and through formally scheduled programs
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including use of Microsoft Office suite and other specialized programs.
  • Organized, reliable, accurate and detail oriented with ability to meet deadlines.
  • Ability to perform strenuous work in all weather conditions. Working in extreme high and low temperatures, apply pesticides, operate equipment, interact with visitors in a formal/informal setting, stoop, bend, stretch, pull, and lift up to 50 pounds.
  • Some evening and weekend work is required, including assisting with special events.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related field and 3 years of progressively responsible experience in growing ornamental crops in a production greenhouse.
  • Current Maryland Pesticide Applicators license or other state.
  • Multilingual

Senior Greenhouse/Nursery Technician
$44,676 – $79,122

Grows Crops For All Indoor Conservatory and Outdoor Garden Displays, Visitors Center, Special Events, and Conservatory Permanent Plant Collections

  • Assists higher level technicians with implementing plant production schedules and makes recommendations for supplies and materials.
  • Helps ensure every crop was started on time and all subsequent cultural practices were implemented at the proper time.
  • Determines and controls proper environmental factors such as temperature, light, soil, moisture content, pest level and growth rates throughout the crop production cycle.
  • Maintains and keeps thorough records of all production factors on all crops
  • Maintains proper soil moisture in crops grown in glasshouses year-round
  • Determines and implements proper cultural practices including propagation, transplanting, pinching, grooming, irrigation, fertilization, spacing and chemical grown regulation
  • Maintains proper temperature, light and humidity conditions including timely modification of greenhouse glazing
  • Coordinates crop delivery with crop originators and completes in a timely fashion.
  • Maintains fertilizer application records to meet requirements of Nutrient Management Program mandated by the state of Maryland.

Important Skills and Characteristics: 

  • Knowledge of plant identification, greenhouse control systems, plant cultural requirements, and disease/pest recognition.
  • Knowledge of diverse plant material for indoor and outdoor display gardens and exhibits
  • Willingness to share horticultural knowledge with visitors, volunteers, and staff in informal settings and through formally scheduled programs.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including use of Microsoft Office suite and other specialized programs.
  • Organized, reliable, accurate and detail oriented with ability to meet deadlines.
  • Ability to perform strenuous work in all weather conditions. Working in extreme high and low temperatures, apply pesticides, operate equipment, interact with visitors in a formal/informal setting, stoop, bend, stretch, pull, and lift up to 50 pounds.
  • Some evening and weekend work is required, including assisting with special events.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related field and 1 year of progressively responsible experience in growing ornamental crops in a production greenhouse.
  • Multilingual

 

Minimum Qualifications

Principal Greenhouse/Nursery Technician

1.  Assoiciate of Arts Degree in Horticulture or related area plus three years of progressively responsible gardening and greenhouse/horticultural /nursery experience, or

2.  An equivalent combination of education, training and experience in horticultural, greenhouse or nursery work.

3.  Valid driver’s license in accordance with both State and Commission rules and  regulations.  Driver’s licenses must be unencumbered by restrictions, revocations , suspensions, or points that could limit the employee’s ability to drive Commission vehciles or perform driving duties required of their position.

4.  Maryland Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator’s certification.

5.  Pass commission medical examination.

6. Additionally, contingent upon area of assignment, some positions in this class may
require:
a) U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant and Animal Protection Service Permit, for
acquiring and maintaining live exhibits upon appointment, or within 6 months.
b) Commercial Driver’s License with appropriate endorsement upon appointment,
or within 6 months.

Senior Greenhouse/Nursery Technician

1.  Associate of Arts degree in horticulture or related area and one year of progressive greenhouse, nursery experience in horticultural support work, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

2.  Valid driver’s license in accordance with both State and Commission rules and regulations.  Driver’s licenses must be unencumbered by restrictions, revocations, suspensions, or points that could limit the employee’s ability to drive Commission vehicles or perform driving duties required of their position.

3.  Maryland Department of Agriculture pesticide applicatior’s certiication within six months of appointment.

4.  Pass Commission medical examination

5.  Additionally, contingent upon area of assignment, some positions in this class may require Commercial Driver’s License with appropriate endorsement upon appointment, or within 6 months.

Supplemental Information

Class/Specification: Principal/Senior Greenhouse/Nursery Technician

Working Conditions:
Works in greenhouse and outdoor nursery.  Some driving may be required.  Exposed to weather, dust, and horticultural chemicals.   Personal protective equipment may be required to apply certain chemicals.  Work requires constant bending, lifting, and carrying of heavy objects.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate a workplace culture of diversity, equity and inclusion without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, or any other non-merit factor.