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Gardener

Reports to: Grounds Manager

Department: Facilities & Grounds

Supervision: None

Employment Status: Full-time 40 hours weekly 

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Start date: TBD

Last Updated:  May 27, 2024


 

Who We Are

Penland School of Craft is an international center for craft education offering residential workshops, residencies, community education programs, and exhibitions. Located on 420 acres in the NC Mountains, Penland has 16 teaching studios and 60+ historic and contemporary buildings. We are an equal-opportunity employer with a staff of 50+. Penland operates with a $54 million endowment and an annual operating budget of $8.4 million. We are located about an hour northeast of Asheville, NC. . Our mission is to make lives meaningful through making. 


 

Commitment to Equity,  Diversity, and Inclusion

We welcomes everyone and believes that equity, inclusion, diversity, and antiracism are essential to our mission. We want the Penland experience to benefit from varied ideas, world views, and personal experiences. We stand against all forms of discrimination and are committed to creating an environment grounded in our equity values.


 

Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, and other people who identify as people of color or BIPOC individuals are encouraged to apply, as are people holding other marginalized identities related to gender, sexual orientation, ability, and class background


 

Position Summary

Penland School of Craft owns approximately 64 buildings, all of which have adjacent landscapes - be it perennial gardens, lawns/greenspace, woodlands, and/or forest edge. The gardener is responsible for maintaining the gardens and different landscape cover types on the Penland Core Campus in accordance with the Core Campus Master Plan, school needs, and budgetary requirements. 


 

Central to this position would be monitoring the health of all plants and green spaces as well as the general maintenance of the perennial gardens, which includes, but is not limited to: soil testing and amending per soil test results, weeding, pruning, deadheading, dividing, propagating, mulching, and planting.  


 

Given that the nature of the work is weather and season dependent, the gardener will occasionally assist the facilities department with maintenance tasks during the winter months. This is at the discretion of the grounds manager, and will change from year to year dependent on weather and workload. The Gardener generally works independently; however, they may work with other facilities and grounds staff in order to accomplish daily and long-term goals.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Maintaining and improving landscape beds throughout the property
  • Weeding, pruning, deadheading, dividing, mulching, and edging flower beds 
  • Soil testing and amending per soil test results
  • Maintenance and care of planters throughout campus, which includes planting, mulching, and watering when needed
  • Seed propagation: seed collection & propagation of local native plants and annuals for use in landscape
  • Redirect food waste from the dining hall to compost for application on gardens/ grounds 
  • Creation of floral arrangements for use during events 
  • Identify, remove, and manage invasive species on the core campus and in the vicinity of buildings 
  • Monitor and maintain the health of plants and shrubs
  • Keep gardens and greenspaces clear of debris and litter
  • Ensures proper care in the use and maintenance of equipment and supplies
  • Promotes continuous improvement of workplace safety and environmental practices
  • Work collaboratively with grounds staff on seasonal leaf and snow removal 
  • Work collaboratively with grounds staff to maintain and improve Penland's hiking trails
  • Works collaboratively with grounds staff to identify and address grounds-related safety concerns such as loose walkway stones, broken pavement, etc.
  • General attention and care to Core Campus for safety, function, and aesthetics  
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

  • At least two years of gardening or related experience is required
  • A general knowledge of horticulture methods, materials, landscaping, and cultivation is required
  • Ability to identify plants and make decisions based on their accurate recognition
  • Friendly, enjoys engaging with a wide range of gardens and campus visitors
  • Basic hand tool skills a plus
  • Strong sense of aesthetics, tidy 
  • Familiarity with landscape design
  • Able to organize volunteer projects and instruct volunteers with little skill and no experience
  • Self-motivated and responsible, able to work independently
  • A desire to continually learn and the ability to research specific issues around horticulture and ecology as needed
  • Strong organization, communication, and problem-solving skills
  • A driver’s license valid in NC and the ability to safely operate trucks, orv’s, golf carts, etc.
  • Ability to work as a team and willingness to help out as needed
  • Must have a high level of interpersonal skills
  • A love for the outdoors and plant life 
  • A commitment to uphold and implement Penland’s mission, educational philosophy, and diversity & inclusivity statement.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will occasionally be required to sit, stand, stoop, and walk over uneven terrain. The employee is frequently required to use hands for delicate and complex movements and to manipulate tools. The employee is required to talk fluently, to hear, and to see. The employee must regularly lift and/or move objects weighing more than 50 pounds. The position demands frequent exposure to inclement weather conditions. 


 

Benefits

We take care of our staff through a wide range of benefits. For your wellness, we offer multiple medical plans, vision, dental, long-term disability, life insurance, retirement, and an EAP program. Benefits include generous vacation, sick, extended sick, floating holiday leave programs, access to studios, free classes, meals during programming, and other discounts. We have other generous benefits that we can explore more during the interview process. 

Compensation

This is a full-time, year-round, benefits-eligible position.  This position will work 40 hours, totaling 2080 hours for the year. The starting wage for this non-exempt position is  $16.40 - $18.04 and is negotiable based on the applicant’s skills and experience they bring to the position.  Employees at Penland enjoy competitive pay, attractive benefits, and a lively, creative work environment. 


 

To Apply

The position will remain open until filled. We would like this position to start as soon as possible. Apply at, https://boards.greenhouse.io/penlandschoolofcraft/jobs/4042011008