Park Horticulturist – Denver Parks And Recreation

Love The Oceans; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

457B retirement plan

PTO 140 hours

Holidays

Personal holiday

Volunteer day

Medical/dental/vision

Job summary

The City and County of Denver is hiring Park Horticulturists for multiple districts. This full-time role runs 40 hours weekly, 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., performing restoration, cultivation, care, and management across park landscapes and gardens in Denver.

Starting pay ranges from $23.89 to $29.86 per hour; full range up to $35.84/hr. Benefits include a pension after vesting, a 457B, PTO, holidays, personal day, volunteer day, and medical/dental/vision plans.

Qualifications

• Minimum education: high school diploma or GED; additional education may substitute for the minimum experience.
• Three years of experience cultivating and caring for ornamental/native plants or in horticultural/ecological restoration.
• A valid driver’s license at time of application.
• Colorado State pesticide application certification by end of probation; licenses must remain current.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate, restore, manage, and maintain gardens, lawns, shrubs, trees, and habitats.
• Guide less experienced workers in horticultural practices.
• Prepare sketches of flower beds and water-conserving landscapes.
• Prepare, fertilize, amend, and condition soils for plants and communities.
• Plan planting programs and restoration projects; manage planting schedules.
• Recommend plant types and numbers for locations.
• Weed management and suitable growing conditions assessment.
• Prepare reports and maintain maintenance records.
• Safely handle tools and chemicals; apply chemicals appropriately.
• Develop and adjust work plans with innovative approaches.

Skills

Horticulture knowledge

Team leadership

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

About the job

The City and County of Denver is hiring three Park Horticulturists for the East, Northeast, and Northwest districts of Denver. This full-time position works 40 hours per week, from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Park Horticulturists perform restoration, cultivation, care, and management across natural and traditional park landscapes and gardens.

What we offer

Starting pay is $23.89–$29.86 per hour, commensurate with education and experience. The full position salary range is $23.89–$35.84 per hour. Benefits for full-time employees include a lifelong monthly pension after vesting (five years of service), a 457B retirement plan, 140 hours of PTO earned within the first year, 11 paid holidays, one personal holiday, one volunteer day per year, and medical, dental, and vision plans effective within one month of starting.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate, restore, manage, and maintain flower gardens, lawns, shrubs, trees, ground covers, natural areas, and wildlife habitats.
• Work outdoors with team members and guide less experienced workers in horticultural best practices.
• Prepare working sketches of flower beds and water-conserving landscapes.
• Prepare, fertilize, amend, and condition soils for different plants and plant communities.
• Participate in planning planting programs, natural open-space restoration projects, and planting management schedules.
• Recommend the number and types of plants to grow in assigned locations.
• Perform weed management and determine suitable growing conditions, including soil, sunlight, moisture, temperature, and humidity.
• Prepare reports and maintain records of plant maintenance, weed management, and restoration activities.
• Safely handle and use hand-powered tools, motorized equipment, and spray equipment; mix, prepare, and apply chemicals appropriately.
• Develop and modify work plans to align with innovative approaches and best practices.
• Perform related park maintenance as needed, including trash collection, bathroom maintenance and cleaning, vandalism repair and graffiti removal, and snow removal.

Qualifications

Minimum requirements:

• High school graduation or a GED, HiSET, or TASC certificate.
• Three years of experience cultivating and caring for a wide variety of ornamental or native plants, or in horticultural or ecological restoration.
• A valid driver’s license at the time of application.
• Colorado State pesticide application certification by the end of the probationary period; licenses and certifications must remain current.

Additional appropriate education may substitute for the minimum experience requirement, except that at least one year of relevant plant care or horticultural/ecological restoration experience is required. A Master Gardener Program may substitute for up to four semester hours of coursework. Relevant continuing education units in horticulture or Naturalist Training Programs may substitute for three semester hours at a rate of 45 contact classroom hours. Additional relevant experience in horticulture, botany, natural resources, range management, or horticultural/ecological restoration may substitute for the education requirement.

Ideal candidates have experience designing and maintaining annual and perennial plantings, broad knowledge of flower and shrub varieties, lead-work or coaching experience, creativity, strong collaboration and communication skills, and the ability to take direction and work independently. Candidates should be passionate about beautifying Denver’s gardens, parks, and open spaces and serving the community.

Application information

Job profile: CJ1983 Park Horticulturist. Position type: Unlimited.

About the City and County of Denver

The City and County of Denver is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equitable outcomes in its Parks and Recreation services. The City provides equal employment opportunities and offers language assistance, interpretation, captioning, and disability-related accommodations at no cost upon request. Applicants must have valid U.S. work authorization that does not require visa sponsorship. City employees may be redeployed during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor.