Gardener/Horticulturalist - FT - ICC Sydney

Downer; Sydney; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare discounts

Retail & car purchase savings

Employee Assistance Program

Training and development

Job summary

Downer is seeking a Full Time Gardener/Horticulturist for Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbour, Sydney. Start ASAP, Monday to Friday. You will help maintain gardens, water features, and landscapes to ensure safe and attractive outdoor environments.

Reporting to the Senior Horticulturist, you will perform pruning, irrigation maintenance, water testing, pond care, and seasonal planting. A strong work ethic and attention to detail are essential for high-quality outcomes.

Qualifications

• 3+ years proven experience as a gardener or groundskeeper
• Cert III in Horticulture or Parks and Gardens required; licence desirable

Responsibilities

• Maintain gardens, trees, shrubs, and landscaped areas to a high standard.
• Perform pruning, hedging, mulching, and weeding.
• Maintain irrigation systems, including fault identification and minor repairs.
• Apply fertilisers, soil conditioners, and treatments in line with best practice.
• Undertake seasonal planting, plant repairs, and garden enhancement works.
• Identify plant health issues including pests, disease, or nutrient deficiencies.
• Carry out safe and compliant weed and pest control.
• Maintain garden beds for long-term plant health and sustainability.

Skills

Gardening

Horticulture knowledge

Independent worker

Fish care

Pond maintenance

Bonsai pruning

Education

Cert III (Horticulture or Parks and Gardens)

Chemical Applicator Licence (desirable)

Tools

Water testing equipment

Job description

Full Time Gardener/Horticulturist. Chinese Garden of Friendship, Darling Harbour. Start ASAP. Mon-Fri.

At Downer we plan, create and sustain. Downer is the leading provider of integrated services in Australia and New Zealand. Through trusted relationships and world leading insight we work closely with our customers to design, build and sustain assets, infrastructure, and facilities.

We currently have an opportunity for Full Time Gardener/Horticulturist. Join our Government and Integrated Facilities Management team and play a key role in the maintenance, presentation, and improvement of landscaped areas, including gardens, lawns, and water features, to ensure safe, attractive, and functional outdoor environments.

This role includes responsibility for basic aquatic care, such as water testing and fish feeding, requiring a high level of attention to detail and environmental awareness.

Reporting to the Senior Horticulturist, you'll help deliver high-quality outcomes that support our essential services.

What You’ll Do (key responsibilities)

This role offers a broad scope, with key responsibilities including:

• Maintain gardens, trees, shrubs, and landscaped areas to a high standard
• Perform pruning, hedging, mulching, and weeding
• Maintain irrigation systems, including fault identification and minor repairs
• Apply fertilisers, soil conditioners, and treatments in line with best practice
• Undertake seasonal planting, plant repairs, and garden enhancement works
• Identify plant health issues including pests, disease, or nutrient deficiencies
• Carry out safe and compliant weed and pest control
• Maintain garden beds to support long-term plant health and sustainability
• Maintain Facility in accordance with principles of the site Conservation Management plan

Grounds & Garden Maintenance

• Maintain gardens, trees, shrubs, and landscaped areas to a high standard
• Perform pruning, hedging, mulching, and weeding
• Maintain irrigation systems, including fault identification and minor repairs
• Apply fertilisers, soil conditioners, and treatments in line with best practice
• Undertake seasonal planting, plant repairs, and garden enhancement works
• Identify plant health issues including pests, disease, or nutrient deficiencies
• Carry out safe and compliant weed and pest control
• Maintain garden beds to support long-term plant health and sustainability
• Maintain Facility in accordance with principles of the site Conservation Management plan

Equipment & Asset Management

• Safely operate and maintain gardening equipment
• Conduct pre-start checks and basic servicing of tools and machinery
• Ensure chemicals, feeds, and testing equipment are stored and used safely
• Report damaged, faulty, or missing assets

Pond and Aquaculture Care

• Conduct routine water quality testing (e.g. pH, clarity, temperature, basic chemical balance)
• Record and report water test results in accordance with site requirements
• Feed fish and aquatic life in line with established schedules and guidelines
• Monitor fish health and behaviour and report concerns promptly
• Assist with basic cleaning and upkeep of ponds, water features
• Identify and report issues such as algae growth, leaks, or equipment faults

What You’ll Bring (experience required)

• Proven experience as a gardener or groundskeeper (3+ years preferred)
• Cert III (Horticulture or Parks and Gardens)
• Strong knowledge of horticulture and landscape maintenance
• Experience maintaining water features or ponds
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Chemical Applicator Licence (desirable)
• Experience with fish care or ornamental pond systems (desirable)
• Experience maintaining water features or ponds (desirable)
• Ability to perform basic water testing and aquatic monitoring (desirable)
• Experience with Bonsai/Penjing style pruning

More than anything, you'll bring a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for our clients.

Why Downer?

At Downer, we plan, create, and sustain essential public services across Australia and New Zealand. From hospitals to data centres and defence partnerships, we manage critical infrastructure that keeps communities thriving.

What It Means to Belong at Downer

We're proud of our high-performance culture and commitment to diversity, offering:

• Training and development to support and diversify your career.
• With 30% of vacancies filled internally you'll find real opportunities to advance your career.
• Perks@Downer: healthcare discounts, great savings on retail purchases, car purchases and much more.
• Employee Assistance Program: professional support for you and your family when you need it most.

You want your work to matter and so do we. With over 26,000 people across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, our team is made up of individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas.

We know that diversity makes us stronger and we actively celebrate it through our commitment to inclusion and belonging.

We're committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from those whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability, and neurodivergent individuals. Even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with this role, we'd still like to hear from you. If it feels like the right fit, apply - potential counts, and so do you.

As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.

If you need support or adjustments through the recruitment process, just let us know, we're here to help you put your best foot forward.

Note

This position will include working outdoors in varying weather conditions, manual handling and use of machinery.