Located at the head of Lake Ontario and within the municipalities of Burlington and Hamilton, Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) is the largest botanical garden in Canada and one of the nation’s earliest nature sanctuaries. Comprising some 2700 acres of protected wetlands, botanical collections, parkland and display gardens, and within easy access of millions of nature-starved urban citizens, RBG dedicates its expertise in horticulture, conservation, science and education to connect people, plants and place for the purpose of nurturing and preserving healthy growing life on our planet. RBG directs its efforts, and seeks the support of individuals and organizations, to realize its vision of a world in which everyone is awake to the beauty, diversity and necessity of plants, and from that consciousness more actively works together to protect and preserve plant species and habitats and, by extension, our planet.

RBG has committed to becoming a fully sustainable and ecologically restorative organization. This is an integral part of our culture and we require all our employees to assist us with this goal by committing to make the best ecological decisions possible in the execution of their responsibilities, keeping in mind the possible effects these decisions may have on both the human and natural environments both now, and into the future.

We are seeking a gardener, preferably with experience working in glass houses to join our team of horticultural professionals.

Schedule: Wednesday - Sunday from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM.

Responsibilities

• Performs in a safe and efficient manner the horticultural and other tasks required to develop, maintain and preserve Royal Botanical Gardens’ living plant collections, displays, landscapes, greenhouses and nursery production facilities.
• Specific duties may include planting, pruning, fertilizing, watering, plant displays, pond maintenance, tree and shrub removal, turf maintenance, weeding, landscape construction, plant propagation and pathway construction and maintenance.
• Drives light trucks and operates tools and equipment such as lawn mowers, rototillers, edgers and chain saws as required in the performance of assigned duties.
• Keeps curatorial and plant documentation records, work reports and other records as required in the performance of assigned duties.
• Directs and supports Student Gardeners, temporary staff, volunteers and others as required.
• Performs other job-related duties assigned by the Horticulturist, including snow removal, physical plant maintenance and preventative maintenance on tools and equipment.
• Ensures a clean and safe work environment at all times. Adheres to all safety rules, policies and procedures and wears all required personal protective equipment.

Requirements

• Post-secondary school diploma in Horticulture or closely related field from a recognized college or university or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A good working knowledge of botanical horticulture and the broad range of plants found in RBG’s glass houses
• Demonstrated ability in proper horticultural practices and in the equipment used to undertake these.
• Two year’s professional experience in horticulture: Working in a greenhouse environment is an asset
• Valid class “G” Ontario Driver’s License with a clear statement of driving record
• A police check is required of the successful candidate, at their expense
• Standard First Aid with CPR C + AED certification, or willing to obtain at candidates expense

Working Conditions

• Ability to work in all weather conditions as necessary
• Must be able to perform physically demanding work on an ongoing basis including walking and standing, often on hard surfaces, bending, pushing, pulling, carrying, and lifting up to 25 kg
• Lifting and carrying up to 30kg
• Prolonged periods of standing, squatting and kneeling
• Frequent walking on various types of terrain
• Forward and lateral trunk extension

RBG is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. We encourage applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.

Please submit your cover letter and resume to www.rgb.ca/careers as a single file no later than December 28, 2022.

Upon request, suitable accommodations are available under the Accessibility for Ontarians Act.

We thank all applicants however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.