Assistant Gardener

University of Minnesota; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 29,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive wages

Paid holidays

Health benefits

Job summary

University of Minnesota is seeking an assistant gardener for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, MN. You will assist gardeners in holistic care, landscape maintenance, and horticultural tasks including planting, pruning, weeding, and pest monitoring.

The role requires physical work, weather resilience, and occasional extended hours. It is an essential position with a 9-month schedule (April–December).

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and one year of related training or experience in horticultural care of formal display gardens and curated woody plant collections, including trees and shrubs.
• Must have and maintain a valid MN driver’s license.
• May be required to possess and maintain a Minnesota Noncommercial Pesticide Applicator’s license.
• Required to work in all weather conditions in all seasons and may require evening and weekend work as need
• Must be able to perform manual labor including frequent lifting/carrying/transporting loads up to 50 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Assisting gardeners, senior gardeners, and horticulturists in holistic care of grounds.
• Perform landscape maintenance and horticultural tasks: planting, pruning, weeding, watering, mulching, mowing.
• Assist with natural area restoration, pest scouting, and bed preparation.
• Operate and maintain equipment safely and support snow management operations.
• Oversee volunteers and student workers when assigned.

Skills

Manual labor capability

All weather work

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma or equivalent (required)

Associate or bachelor's degree in horticulture or related field

Minnesota Noncommercial Pesticide Applicator license (preferred)

Tools

MN Driver's License

Job description

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Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

The Promotional Priority Period for current Teamster applicants begins 8/21/26 and ends 8/28/26.

Overview

This assistant gardener position is responsible for assisting gardeners, senior gardeners, and horticulturists in the holistic care of the Arboretum’s grounds. Assistant gardeners perform landscape maintenance and horticultural care tasks such as planting, pruning, weeding, watering, mulching, and mowing operations; invasive plant and weed management including mechanical, chemical, burning, and other control methods; plant health care including pest and disease scouting, monitoring, and treatments; garden space renovation including assisting with bed preparation, planting, and establishment of new plant material, and garden layout; natural area restoration and maintenance including vegetation, wildlife habitat, and trail maintenance; and the safe operation and maintenance of equipment. This position is also part of the Arboretum’s snow management operations, requiring work outside of regularly scheduled hours including occasional early morning, evening, and weekend operations.

Assistant gardeners may instruct, direct, and oversee work of student workers, interns, and volunteers in assigned tasks and the safe usage of tools and equipment. This position may also provide support to teams other than their own depending on departmental priorities. In addition, this position may assist with education and outreach activities, special events (e.g. Plant Sale, Spring Flower Show, etc.) and other institutional programs.

This position is considered an essential employee responsible for maintaining essential operations, responding to weather events, and other landscape operations during weather related emergencies and other University closures.

Location: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, Minnesota

Work Environment: In person

Schedule

This is a continuous position that works 9 months per year. The preferred months are April 1- December 31.

• Monday-Friday
• 7am-3:30pm
• 40 hours per week

Essential Functions

Horticultural Care 75%

• Weed, mulch, and chip brush in assigned areas
• Mow, string trim, and clean up leaves in assigned areas
• Assist in establishment, identification, monitoring, or evaluation of natural area restoration efforts
• Maintain and properly use equipment safely

Planting and Plant Health: 15%

• Assist in planting, pruning, and providing care for trees, shrubs, and perennial and annual plant collections
• Safely apply pesticides and soil amendments and assist with associated records

Additional Operational Support: 10%

• Oversee work of volunteers, and student workers
• Perform snow removal operations including hand shoveling and equipment operation
• Serve as an essential employee for weather related response and other University closures

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and one year of related training or experience in horticultural care of formal display gardens and curated woody plant collections, including trees and shrubs.
• Must have and maintain a valid MN driver’s license.
• May be required to possess and maintain a Minnesota Noncommercial Pesticide Applicator’s license.
• Required to work in all weather conditions in all seasons and may require evening and weekend work as need
• Must be able to perform manual labor including frequent lifting/carrying/transporting loads up to 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor's degree in horticulture or related field.
• Experience working in a public garden
• Ability to operate equipment related to grounds management functions, including front-end
  loaders, tractors, and pickup truck mounted snow plows, leaf blowers, riding and push mowers, string trimmers, salt/sand spreaders, snow blowers, and dump trucks.

About the Department

The Arboretum is a nationally renowned public garden and vital local resource. We maintain more than 1,000 acres of gardens and natural areas and serve as a demonstration of the university's research initiatives. In addition to our display collections, we manage thousands of research collection plants on behalf of researchers at the Horticultural Research Center, including the historic Azalea Trial Garden and other research shrubs. It is vital that what we present to the public represents high quality demonstrations of best practices in horticulture, and that the university's research is well displayed.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $25.08 per hour; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Non-Faculty Labor Represented Staff

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the
time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures
that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while
maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and
equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates
will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

About University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.