Gardener I/II

Job Description

The Grounds Department of Swarthmore College is responsible for maintaining the collections of the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, as well as maintaining a safe outdoor environment for all College students, staff, faculty and guests. The department consists of a Director of Grounds, Assistant Director of Grounds, two horticulture crews, each consisting of a Garden Supervisor, an Assistant Garden Supervisor and 6 gardeners. In addition, there is a Grounds mechanic and an athletic fields crew that oversees the care and maintenance of the outdoor athletic fields.

Provides horticultural support for the care and maintenance of the plant collections, gardens and landscaped areas of the Scott Arboretum and the entire Swarthmore College campus and properties owned by the College. Tasks performed include general gardening duties and plant collections maintenance; assisting in the maintenance of the Crum Woods and faculty/staff housing properties; program assistance for Scott Arboretum educational programs and volunteer education; co-supervising Gardener I staff members, volunteers, student workers and summer interns; providing assistance for College events; performing maintenance to keep the campus exteriors safe; providing assistance during weather emergencies, for snow and ice during winter storms and for other grounds keeping duties; provides educational tours for Arboretum visitors.

About Us

The Swarthmore College Grounds Department is searching for 2 full time Gardener/Horticulturists.

Based on the candidates qualifications if offered employment the 2 positions will be categorized as a Gardener I or a Gardener II.

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Duties & Responsibilities

Gardener I
Essential Responsibilities

HORTICULTURAL TASKS (70%)
Assists in maintaining the plant collections by performing timely planting, weeding, mulching, pruning, fertilizing, irrigating, leaf raking, and other plant cultural practices with minimal supervision in order to maintain campus aesthetics and provide proper horticultural care. Assists in design modifications as needed to the Arboretum’s landscape and gardens. Assists in plant records and plant curation as needed.
Assists in maintaining specialty garden areas consisting of Glade Garden, Harry Wood Garden, Nason Garden, Pinetum, Pollinators Garden, Singer Hall landscape, Winter Garden, magnolia and holly collections, green roofs, various courtyard gardens and major horticultural collections as the most intensively-maintained gardens on campus.
Assists in maintaining a broad range of trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous perennials, annuals, and turf grass; has the basic knowledge to provide proper horticultural care in a timely and efficient manner. Demonstrates ability to decide a course of action relative to soils and fertilization. Is up-to-date on accepted practices relative to soil care, pruning and planting in order to implement best management practices.
Assists in making decisions relative to the common diseases, insects, weeds, and cultural problems of landscapes and turf in the mid-Atlantic region in order to make proper decisions for daily maintenance.
Demonstrates familiarity with sustainable landscape/gardening practices relating to soil and plant health.
Possesses basic knowledge of restoration processes and maintenance of natural areas such as the Crum Woods.
Maintains Pennsylvania pesticide applicator certification for ornamentals and turf in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials.
GROUNDSKEEPING DUTIES (20%)
Keeps campus areas, turf, roads, sidewalks, and patios maintained in an efficient way. Has the ability to prioritize these tasks in order to provide a safe and aesthetically-pleasing campus.
Performs trash removal, irrigation, turf renovation, turf mowing, snow removal, and leaf raking in order to efficiently maintain safety and high horticultural aesthetics on campus.
Assists with special function set-up and tear-down in order to prepare the facilities in a timely manner for College- and Arboretum-hosted events.
Is present for and assists in College emergencies, bad weather occurrences, and special College functions in order to maintain campus safety for students, staff, and visitors.
EDUCATION SUPPORT (10%)
Develops, leads or assists with Arboretum classes and lectures open to members, the public and volunteers.
Provides horticultural information to the public, members and volunteers.
Leads or assists with various educational programs (Arboretum tours, lectures, conferences, sales and events; Alumni weekend tours) as needed.
Lends support when requested to the College’s professors, students and educational departments in their classes and laboratories that utilize the plant collections, gardens and Crum Woods.
Supervisory Responsibilities

Assists in daily supervision of 2-7 assigned volunteers, 1-5 student workers and 1-3 summer interns.
Who you are:

Builds successful working relationships with coworkers and supervisors. Projects a positive image of the grounds department and of Swarthmore College. Communicates readily and works effectively as a member of a team.
Works successfully with coworkers, interns, students, and Arboretum volunteers in order to efficiently and effectively accomplish the workload of the department.
Adapts to new work situations, people, ideas, procedures, and organizational structures, in order to be successful in a constantly changing work environment.
Exhibits maturity, reliability, composure, and stability under pressure in order to handle on-the-job stresses and challenges.
Understands and abides by a high standard of professional ethics in order to ensure the integrity of the organization.
Works successfully with a diverse department and upholds the College’s commitment to equal opportunity.

Gardener II
Essential Responsibilities

HORTICULTURAL TASKS (70%)
Maintains the plant collections by performing timely planting, weeding, mulching, pruning, fertilizing, irrigating, leaf raking, and other plant cultural practices with minimal supervision in order to maintain campus aesthetics and provide proper horticultural care. Assists in design modifications as needed to the Arboretum’s landscape and gardens. Assists in plant records and plant curation as needed.
Maintains specialty garden areas consisting of Glade Garden, Harry Wood Garden, Nason Garden, Pinetum, Pollinators Garden, Singer Hall landscape, Winter Garden, magnolia and holly collections, green roofs, various courtyard gardens and major horticultural collections as the most intensively-maintained gardens on campus.
Maintains a broad range of trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous perennials, annuals, and turf grass; has the basic knowledge to provide proper horticultural care in a timely and efficient manner. Demonstrates ability to decide a course of action relative to soils and fertilization. Is up-to-date on accepted practices relative to soil care, pruning and planting in order to implement best management practices.
Assists in making decisions relative to the common diseases, insects, weeds, and cultural problems of landscapes and turf in the mid-Atlantic region in order to make proper decisions for daily maintenance.
Demonstrates familiarity with sustainable landscape/gardening practices relating to soil and plant health.
Possesses basic knowledge of restoration processes and maintenance of natural areas such as the Crum Woods.
Maintains Pennsylvania pesticide applicator certification for ornamentals and turf in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials.
GROUNDSKEEPING DUTIES (20%)
Keeps campus areas, turf, roads, sidewalks, and patios maintained in an efficient way. Has the ability to prioritize these tasks in order to provide a safe and aesthetically-pleasing campus.
Performs trash removal, irrigation, turf renovation, turf mowing, snow removal, and leaf raking in order to efficiently maintain safety and high horticultural aesthetics on campus.
Assists with special function set-up and tear-down in order to prepare the facilities in a timely manner for College- and Arboretum-hosted events.
Is present for and assists in College emergencies, bad weather occurrences, and special College functions in order to maintain campus safety for students, staff, and visitors.
EDUCATION SUPPORT (10%)
Develops, leads or assists with Arboretum classes and lectures open to members, the public and volunteers.
Provides horticultural information to the public, members and volunteers.
Leads or assists with various educational programs (Arboretum tours, lectures, conferences, sales and events; Alumni weekend tours) as needed.
Lends support when requested to the College’s professors, students and educational departments in their classes and laboratories that utilize the plant collections, gardens and Crum Woods.
Supervisory Responsibilities

Co-supervision of 1-2 Gardener I positions.
Daily supervision of 2-7 assigned volunteers, 1-5 student workers and 1-3 summer interns.
Who you are:

Builds successful working relationships with coworkers and supervisors. Projects a positive image of the grounds department and of Swarthmore College. Communicates readily and works effectively as a member of a team.
Works successfully with coworkers, interns, students, and Arboretum volunteers in order to efficiently and effectively accomplish the workload of the department.
Adapts to new work situations, people, ideas, procedures, and organizational structures, in order to be successful in a constantly changing work environment.
Exhibits maturity, reliability, composure, and stability under pressure in order to handle on-the-job stresses and challenges.
Understands and abides by a high standard of professional ethics in order to ensure the integrity of the organization.
Works successfully with a diverse department and upholds the College’s commitment to equal opportunity.

Education and Experience

Required Qualifications Gardener I
Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or, practical horticultural training course (two to four year program) plus one to three years of job-related experience
Prior gardening/horticulture experience
Maintains Pennsylvania pesticide applicator certification for ornamentals and turf in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials, or is willing to do so
Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Must have demonstrated knowledge of ornamental plants and turf including: plant identification, cultural requirements, care and maintenance, proper pruning techniques and IPM practices.
Must be familiar with the operation and maintenance of hand tools and grounds maintenance equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

Three to five years of gardening/horticulture experience in addition to formal education requirement.
Experience working in a public garden or college campus setting.

Required Qualifications Gardener II
Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or, practical horticultural training course (two to four year program) plus three to five years of job-related experience
Prior gardening/horticulture experience
Maintains Pennsylvania pesticide applicator certification for ornamentals and turf in order to legally and safely apply pesticides or organic control materials, or is willing to do so
Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Must have demonstrated knowledge of ornamental plants and turf including: plant identification, cultural requirements, care and maintenance, proper pruning techniques and IPM practices.
Must be familiar with the operation and maintenance of hand tools and grounds maintenance equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

Five years or more of gardening/horticulture experience in addition to formal education requirement.
Experience working in a public garden or college campus setting.

Additional Information

The above information is an abbreviated description for the positions. Please visit the link below to view the full job description.

https://careers.swarthmore.edu/cw/en-us/job/495601/gardener-iii

Application Instructions

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume, including a cover letter, by May 27, 2025. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled. A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).

Please use the link below to submit an application.

https://careers.swarthmore.edu/cw/en-us/job/495601/gardener-iii