Horticulturalist

Discovery Place; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Discovery Place in Charlotte, NC, is seeking a full-time Horticulturalist to support the care and maintenance of living plant collections and landscapes. This role involves ensuring high horticultural standards in both indoor and outdoor environments while enhancing visitor experiences.

The ideal candidate will possess a degree in biology or botany and have experience in public gardens or parks. Responsibilities include monitoring plant health, managing invasive species, and collaborating with educational teams.

Qualifications

• Experience with public gardens, parks, or museum environments is preferred.
• Familiarity with native plants and southeastern U.S. growing conditions.
• Working knowledge of plant care and pest management.

Responsibilities

• Maintain planted areas, gardens, and exhibit landscapes.
• Monitor plant health and implement pest treatments.
• Support ecological balance and manage invasive species.

Skills

Attention to detail

Ability to work independently

Strong organizational skills

Education

4-year degree in biology, botany, or related field

2-year specialized degree in horticulture with 5 years of experience

Tools

Basic landscaping tools

Job description

Job Details

Location: Discovery Place Nature – Charlotte, NC 28209

Position Type: Full-Time

Education Level: Four-Year Degree

Travel: Up to 25%

Shift: Weekdays and Weekends

Category: Nonprofit – Social Services

Position Summary

The Horticulturalist supports the care, maintenance, and development of living plant collections and natural landscapes throughout Discovery Place Inc.’s (DPI) growing list of locations. This role ensures that indoor and outdoor areas – including forested environments, trails, habitat zones, and exhibit landscapes – are maintained to high horticultural and aesthetic standards, while supporting safe public access and mission-driven programming. Working under the leadership of the Sr. Director of Collections (SDC), the Horticulturalist contributes to both day-to-day operations and long-term stewardship of DPI’s natural assets, helping translate ecological and environmental integrity into engaging visitor experiences. The scope of this role will evolve over time, with an initial focus on site readiness, plant establishment, and foundational landscape care, and expanding to full operations and exhibit support as the collection management needs approach opening. The position closely coordinates with other departments, community partners, and relevant contractors to ensure environmental impacts are synchronized with all stakeholders.

Horticulture & Landscape Care

• Maintain planted areas, gardens, forest edges, and exhibit landscapes, including planting, pruning, mulching, watering, and soil management.
• Monitor plant health and implement appropriate treatments for pests, disease, and environmental stressors.
• Manage invasive species and support ecological balance across the sites.
• Support seasonal planting and landscape enhancements aligned with exhibit and program needs.

Living Collections & Sites Stewardship

• Assist in the care of trees and plant systems across the DPI sites, including coordination with certified arborists as needed.
• Support implementation of tree protection, planting, and restoration practices consistent with project and environmental standards.
• Maintain records related to plant care, plant inventories, and maintenance schedules.
• Participate in long-term landscape planning and habitat development.
• Assist the SDC to establish, maintain, and plan for future collections of living and non‑living plant species, specimens, and artifacts.
• Participate in plant‑related conservation and research initiatives as directed by the SDC.
• Stay informed about current events, techniques, and innovations within the horticultural field.

Operations & Safety

• Ensure planted spaces are safe, clean, and accessible for staff and visitors.
• Support coordination with facilities and operations teams to maintain trails, grounds, and public‑facing spaces.
• Operate and maintain horticulture tools and equipment safely and effectively.
• Assist with set‑up and maintenance of outdoor exhibits and program areas.

Program Support & Engagement

• Collaborate with education and exhibit teams to support programs using outdoor environments, indoor planted exhibits, and laboratory applications that involve plants.
• Provide basic interpretation or support for public‑facing activities as needed.
• Contribute to creating visually engaging and mission‑aligned outdoor spaces.

Other Functions and Work Duties

• Perform other duties as assigned to support the overall success of the DPI sites.

Qualifications

• 4‑year degree in biology, botany, or a related field, or a 2‑year specialized degree in horticulture with 5 years of experience in the field.
• Familiarity with native plants and southeastern U.S. growing conditions.
• Experience with public gardens, parks, or museum environments is preferred.
• Working knowledge of plant care, pest management, basic arboriculture principles, basic landscaping principles, and comprehensive environmental sustainability practices within the horticultural field.

Skills & Attributes

• Strong attention to detail and pride in maintaining high‑quality planted environments.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Comfortable working outdoors in a variety of weather conditions.
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills.
• Interest in Discovery Place’s mission and using nature to support learning.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work outdoors for extended periods in varying weather conditions.
• Ability to lift up to 60 lbs and perform physical labor including bending, lifting, and carrying.
• Ability to operate basic landscaping tools and equipment.
• Ability to lawfully drive a company vehicle.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities of this job. Other duties may be assigned. This job description may be changed to include new responsibilities and tasks or change existing ones as management deems necessary.