Zoo Grounds & Horticulture Specialist

Tulsa-Zoo-Management,-Inc.; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free family-level Tulsa Zoo membership

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401k

Unlimited virtual visits for mental/EM

Discounts on food, beverage, and items

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc. is actively seeking a Horticulturist to maintain Tulsa Zoo’s plant collections, landscapes, and grounds. This full-time, hourly position emphasizes independent work, safety, and adherence to TZMI standards.

You will oversee turf and garden beds, manage irrigation, operate equipment, and assist with plant inventories. Weekend/evening work flexibility is required, with TZMI policies guiding all duties.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in horticulture or related field or equivalent from college or technical school; two years related experience and/or training in landscape maintenance, landscape construction, greenhouse/nursery, irrigation or similar; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Must be 18 years or older, possess a valid driver’s license, and be insurable on TZMI’s insurance carrier
• Must be able to work weekends, evenings, and holidays
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; write routine reports and correspondence; and communicate effectively before groups of customers, employees of TZMI, and the general public
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals

Responsibilities

• Oversee, install, and sustain turf, landscaping, and botanical garden collection.
• Perform related maintenance such as watering, weeding, mulching, fertilizing, pruning and trimming, and landscape construction.
• Plant and maintain woody and herbaceous species in exterior and interior installations.
• Aerate, fertilize, mow, trim, edge, and seed grounds and turf areas.
• Propagate plant materials by various means (seeds, cuttings, divisions, etc.) both in the field and greenhouse/nursery environment.
• Identify common native plant species as well as approved plants species for animal browse program.
• Inspect, identify, and treat exterior and interior plants for pests and diseases.
• Operate, adjust, install, and repair irrigation systems, both automatic and manual.
• Operate and maintain a variety of light and heavy equipment, including mowing equipment, tractor, back-hoe, front-end loader, skid loader (Bobcat), trencher, tiller, and utility vehicles.
• Utilize a wide array of gas-powered, electric-powered, and handheld tools such as: shovels, rakes, pruners, hedge trimmers, chain saws, and blowers.

Skills

Weekend/evening/holiday availability

Effective communication

Physical stamina

Education

Associate’s degree in horticulture or related field

Tools

Irrigation systems

Heavy equipment operation

Pest/disease assessment tools

Job description

Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc. is actively seeking a Horticulturist to maintain Tulsa Zoo’s plant collections, landscapes, and grounds. This full-time, hourly position emphasizes independent work, safety, and adherence to TZMI standards.

You will oversee turf and garden beds, manage irrigation, operate equipment, and assist with plant inventories. Weekend/evening work flexibility is required, with TZMI policies guiding all duties.