Horticulture Tech (Nursery Assistant/Gardener)

Indiana University; Bloomington (IN); On-site; USD 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition subsidy for IU courses

10 paid holidays

Job summary

Indiana University Bloomington is seeking an intermediate Groundskeeper to maintain landscapes, plant stock, and beds across campus. You will operate common grounds equipment, apply basic pest control, and support seasonal projects while maintaining high safety and accuracy standards.

This full-time role demands physical stamina, teamwork, and strong English communication. The position includes extensive outdoor work and collaboration with supervisors to meet campus priorities.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 2 years greenhouse production experience.
• 2 years landscape or grounds maintenance experience with bed care.

Responsibilities

• Maintain plants and beds including weeding, mulching, pruning, transplanting, fertilizing, and removal of dead stock.
• Operate nursery and grounds equipment.
• Identify and manage pests, weeds, and plant health issues.
• Assist with seasonal projects and plan work schedules.

Skills

English communication

Time management

Professionalism

Quality workmanship

Organizational skills

Safety awareness

Customer relations

Blueprint reading

Equipment operation

Multi-project management

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Dump truck

Tree spade

Skid steer loader

Tractor

Power auger

Tiller

Job description

FACILITY OPERATIONS-IUB (BL-PHYP-IUBLA)

Capital Planning and Facilities (CPF) works to ensure that Indiana University (IU) campuses are beautiful, functional, and sustainable supporting excellence in teaching, learning, research, and community engagement across the entire university. A unit within CPF, Facility Operations, maintains our physical campus to support research, teaching, and learning at Indiana University Bloomington. As a unit of Capital Planning and Facilities, Facility Operations provides wide-ranging services all with the goal of creating a beautiful, well-functioning campus.

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Maintains woody, perennial, and annual plants and beds to ensure their healthy, safe, and attractive condition including weeding, mulching, pruning, transplanting, fertilizing, and removal of any dead, diseased, or declining plant stock. Inspects campus landscapes for issues, hazards, and risks and works with supervisor to determine solutions.
• Operates standard nursery and grounds keeping equipment, including trucks, tractors, skid-steers, roto-tillers, edgers, pruners, sheers, mowers, etc.
• Performs installation, maintenance, and upkeep of native landscapes, including ability to distinguish between desirable species and unwanted weed growth. Understands the steps required to establish and maintain these increasingly prevalent styles of landscapes.
• Applies knowledge on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) landscapes - those that are intertwined with LEED building systems, including roof stormwater retention basins, low-mow native areas, no-mow native areas, green-roofs, etc.
• Performs installation and maintenance of stormwater retention swales (bioswales, raingardens, etc.).
• Applies intricate knowledge and expertise of all shrub and perennial species, including pruning and maintenance requirements (i.e., fine gardening skills).
• Performs pest and disease identification, including application of best practices for safe eradication.
• Identifies weeds, including noxious and common weeds, as well as invasive species.
• Identifies and diagnoses problems in the landscape.
• Provides emergency response for grounds related campus emergencies, including weather emergencies, snow removal, and all other duties as assigned.

General Responsibilities

• Propagates, maintains, and nurtures young plant stock. Monitors nursery and greenhouse stock for pests and diseases. Applies chemicals as necessary.
• Installs landscape designs by planting a variety of materials (trees, shrubs, flowers, etc.) in accordance with blueprints, drawings, sketches, or design specifications.
• Prunes and shapes trees, shrubs, and other plants for most desirable appearance using pruners, limb saws, hedge shears, and loppers. Waters, fertilizes, and mulches plants.
• Operates loader and mixer to prepare soil mixes and amendments. Operates multiple types of garden machinery and performs basic preventive maintenance.
• Assists supervisor with implementing seasonal projects by coordinating tasks of other helpers. Helps supervisor with planning work schedules.
• Monitors plant stock for pests and diseases. Applies appropriate treatments when necessary including pesticide, fungicide, miticide, etc. Maintains records of chemical usage.
• Performs grounds maintenance work including weeding, seeding, mowing, snow removal, and other seasonal tasks.

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• High school diploma or equivalent (such as HSED or GED).

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 2 years of greenhouse production experience.
• 2 years of landscape or grounds-related maintenance experience with an emphasis on annual and perennial bed care.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES

Required

• Valid driver's license and ability to be insured by Indiana University upon date of hire.

Preferred

• Pesticide/herbicide applicators licensure for various plant types (3A, 3B, etc.) or ability to obtain within 3 months from date of hire.

SKILLS

Required

• Ability to work safely and efficiently.
• Proficient in English written and verbal communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrated time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
• Highly thorough and dependable.
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to represent the company with external constituents.
• Ability to drive multiple projects to successful completion.
• Strong verbal communication and listening skills.
• Ability to build strong customer relationships.
• Knowledge of basic plant identification.
• Knowledge of maintaining and planting ornamental trees, flowers, and shrubs.
• Knowledge of basic pest control.
• Ability to read and interpret drawings and blueprints.
• Ability to use basic gardening/horticultural tools.
• Ability to operate dump truck, tree spade, skid steer loader, tractor, power auger, tiller and other garden machinery.

Preferred

• Ability to develop solutions independently through research and industry expertise.

This role requires the ability to remain in a stationary position as well as the ability to move about the workplace for long durations. It requires effective communication, the ability to operate machinery, tools, and controls. The role requires the ability to ascend/descend ladders/stairs, and to position oneself in low level positions, detect a variety of chemicals and/or gases. The role requires the ability to ascend to rooftops and move in tight spaces to perform and complete inspections. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Bloomington, Indiana

$19.50 per hour

$40,560.00 annually

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.

Career Level: Intermediate

FLSA: Nonexempt

Job Function: Engineering, Trades & Facility

Job Family: Groundskeeping

Click here to learn more about Indiana University's Job Framework.

Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here.

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online. You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at [e-mail] or by visiting IUPD.

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