Horticulturist

Apply Now; Sydney; On-site; AUD 73,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fitness passport

Employee assistance program

Annual flu shots

Health and wellbeing programme

Novated lease options

Job summary

Sutherland Shire Council is seeking a dedicated Horticulturist to maintain and enhance parks, gardens, and open spaces across the Shire. You will perform planting, mulching, watering and weed control, and operate horticultural equipment to keep spaces safe and attractive for the community.

You should have, or be willing to obtain, a Certificate III in Horticulture, NSW White Card and a current MR licence. The role offers a stable 38‑hour week with a 9‑day fortnight, and opportunities for

Qualifications

• Certificate III in Horticulture (or equivalent) required.
• NSW White Card required.
• Current Class MR Licence or willingness to obtain within six months.
• Experience in horticultural maintenance or similar role preferred.
• Sound knowledge of horticultural practices and chemical application.
• Strong workplace health and safety understanding.

Responsibilities

• Maintain parks, gardens, streetscapes and open spaces across the Shire.
• Undertake planting, mulching, watering, fertilising and weed control.
• Perform turf maintenance including mowing and turf renovations.
• Operate and maintain horticultural equipment and vehicles.
• Apply horticultural chemicals per regulations.
• Conduct site safety assessments and follow safe work practices.
• Identify and report asset defects and maintenance needs.
• Deliver professional, courteous customer service to residents and stakeholders.
• Maintain records and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Horticultural practices

Chemical application

Safety awareness

Education

Certificate III in Horticulture

NSW White Card

Current MR Licence

Job description

Are you passionate about creating and maintaining vibrant parks, gardens and open spaces? Join our Parks and Natural Areas team and help shape the outdoor environments that our community enjoys every day. As a Horticulturist, you'll play a hands‑on role in maintaining and enhancing Council's horticultural assets across the Shire. Working within a dedicated team, you'll deliver high-quality maintenance services that keep our parks, gardens and public spaces safe, attractive and thriving, while championing safety, environmental sustainability and outstanding customer service.

What you’ll be doing:

• Maintaining parks, gardens, streetscapes and open spaces across the Shire
• Undertaking planting, mulching, watering, fertilising and weed control activities
• Performing turf maintenance, including mowing, whipper snipping and turf renovations
• Operating and maintaining horticultural equipment, machinery and vehicles
• Applying horticultural chemicals in accordance with legislative and Council requirements
• Conducting site safety assessments and following safe work practices
• Identifying and reporting asset defects and maintenance needs
• Delivering professional and courteous customer service to residents and stakeholders
• Maintaining accurate records and contributing to continuous improvement initiatives

About you:

You're a motivated and reliable horticultural professional who enjoys working outdoors, takes pride in your work, and values being part of a high‑performing team. You have a passion for creating well‑maintained green spaces and a commitment to delivering quality outcomes for the community.

To be successful in the role you will have :

• Certificate III in Horticulture or equivalent qualification
• NSW White Card
• Current Class MR Licence, or willingness to obtain within six months of appointment
• Experience in horticultural maintenance or a similar role
• Sound knowledge of horticultural practices and chemical application
• Strong understanding of workplace health and safety requirements
• Effective communication and teamwork skills
• 38‑hour week with a 9‑day fortnight
• Work across a diverse range of parks, gardens and natural areas
• Supportive team culture with ongoing training and development opportunities
• Make a visible impact on the spaces that enhance our community's lifestyle
• Opportunity to grow your skills while working in some of the Shire's most valued outdoor environments

Join our Team and Grow with Us!

• Package: $72,577 to $76,813 gross p.a. plus 12% superannuation.
• Hours of work: Permanent & Temporary Full-Time Opportunities available: 38‑hour week with a 9‑day fortnight
• To benefit your wellbeing, you will have access to fitness passport, employee assistance program, annual flu shots, health and wellbeing programme and novated lease options.

Suitable candidates are subject to pre‑employment screening which includes Reference Checks, Work Rights Verification, Identity and Functional/Medical History Checks, and will also include a Criminal History, Qualification and Working with Children Check. Employment is subject to clearance of all these checks.

Reach out to George Crowe, (Sports Turf Manager) [e-mail] for any job specific enquiries.
Claire Murphy, Talent Acquisition Business Partner [e-mail] can assist with any recruitment related enquiries.

Council is a Child Safe Organisation and is committed to ensuring the NSW Government’s Child Safe Standards are incorporated in our procedures, practices, programs, and events.

Sutherland Shire Council values the skills and attributes Veterans can bring to our Council. We understand that transitioning to roles outside of Defence can feel challenging. If you're unsure where to begin or would appreciate guidance throughout the application process, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sutherland Shire Council collects personal information from applicants as part of its recruitment and selection processes. This information may include your name, contact details, employment history, qualifications, skills, referee details, screening information, interview notes and any other information you provide in support of your application.

Sutherland Shire Council collects this information for the purpose of assessing your suitability for employment, administering the recruitment process, communicating with you about your application, conducting pre‑employment checks, verifying information provided by you, meeting legal and governance obligations, and maintaining recruitment and employment records.

Your personal information may be used by Council employees, panel members, hiring managers, Human Resources staff and other authorised persons involved in the recruitment process. Council may also disclose relevant personal information to third parties where reasonably necessary for recruitment‑related purposes, including referees, pre‑employment screening providers, medical assessment providers, background checking providers, recruitment system providers, or where required or authorised by law.

If you do not provide the information requested, Council may be unable to properly assess or progress your application.

Council will manage personal information in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW), applicable privacy requirements, Council’s Privacy Management Plan and relevant records management obligations.

By submitting an application for employment with Council, you acknowledge and agree that Council may collect, use, store and disclose your personal information for the purposes outlined in this notice and for related recruitment, employment, governance and legal purposes.

You also declare that the information provided in your application is true, accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge, and acknowledge that providing false or misleading information may result in your application being withdrawn from consideration or, if employed, may result in action being taken by Council.

• Yes I agree to the privacy statement *

Personal Details * Required field

• First name *
• Last name *
• E‑mail *

Digits only or add + for international numbers

• Street *
• Street Cont.
• City, Town or Suburb *
• Postcode or Zipcode *
• Country *
• State, Region or Province *
• LinkedIn URL

  (Please click on your profile and copy the URL from your profile page.)

Questions

Due to the permanent nature of the position, applicants must hold an Australian/New Zealand citizenship or Australian permanent residency and have unlimited and unrestricted working rights. *

• I AM a Permanent Resident or Citizen of Australia or New Zealand
• I AM NOT a Permanent Resident or Citizen of Australia or New Zealand

Please confirm your rights to work in Australia: *

• Permanent Resident or Citizen of Australia or New Zealand
• Temporary Resident or Visa Holder
• No current rights to work in Australia

Please confirm that you meet all essential qualification/licence requirements of the role.* Please note that you will be required to provide evidence of these as part of the recruitment process. *

• Yes I meet all essential qualification/licence requirements of the role
• No I do not meet this requirement
• Please outline your relevant qualifications: *

As a condition of employment, applicants may be required to satisfactorily complete a range of pre‑employment screening and probity checks relevant to the position. These checks may include, but are not limited to, reference checks, qualification and licence verification, work rights verification, Working with Children Check, National Criminal History Check, medical and/or functional assessments, skills assessments, digital footprint and any other checks deemed necessary by Council.

Do you understand and acknowledge this requirement? *

• Yes
• No
• Do you have any relationship, paid work, volunteer work, or other commitment that could create an actual, perceived, or potential conflict of interest with your employment at Council? If yes, please provide details. Please note that any other work must be approved before an offer of employment can be made. *

Are you a current employee of Sutherland Shire Council? *

• Yes I am a permanent employee
• Yes I am a temporary employee
• Yes I am a casual employee
• No I am not a current employee of Council

Have you previously been employed by Sutherland Shire Council? *

• Yes
• No

At Sutherland Shire Council, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued and able to thrive. We recognise that a diverse workforce strengthens our organisation and helps us better serve our community. Providing the information below is voluntary. It helps us understand the diversity of our workforce and identify any support, workplace adjustments, accessibility requirements or inclusion initiatives that may assist employees throughout their employment journey. Individual responses remain confidential and are not considered as part of the selection process. Do you identify with any of the following groups? (Select all that apply) *

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
• Person with disability
• Veteran or current serving member of the Australian Defence Force
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background
• Person from a refugee or asylum seeker background
• LGBTQIA+ community member
• None of the above
• Prefer not to say
• We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. Please let us know if you require any support or adjustments at any stage.