Lawn and Grounds Assistant (Part-Time/Seasonal)

Job Description

Under supervision of Horticulture staff, the Lawn and Grounds Assistant assists in the general grooming and care of garden grounds.

About Us

Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) is a private non-profit cultural institution located on 39 acres of New York City public land in Flushing, New York. In FY25, the Garden served approximately 259,000 visitors, including 21,560 schoolchildren. A recently completed visitor survey reveals that 45% of visitors speak a language other than English at home. This fact underscores the importance of the mission and the challenges and opportunities QBG faces daily in creating programs, exhibits and landscapes that serve the needs of people who live in and visit one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the nation. The Garden has committed itself to addressing the complex and ever-changing needs of its diverse community and to being the place where people, plants, and cultures meet.

Duties & Responsibilities

Examples of Typical Tasks
Turf repair
Mowing of lawns
String trimming and edging
Operating and maintaining gas powered equipment
Hedge trimming
Wood chipping
Sharpening and general upkeep of grounds tools
Light pruning of trees and shrubs
Leaf collection
Litter pickup
Blowing paths
Must be willing to operate gas powered equipment such as but not limited to zero-turn mower, walk-behind mower, string trimmer, hedge trimmer, leaf blower, aerator, compost spreader, pickup truck and other vehicles.

May on occasion interact with Garden visitors, volunteers, school groups, and self-guided tours to provide directions and answer questions. May also be involved with teens as part of the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) for 6 weeks in July and August and/or other programs.

Education and Experience

Qualifications
Some experience and/or training in turf work, tools and gas-powered equipment usage and upkeep, etc.
A high school diploma or GED
A Motor Vehicle Driver’s License valid in the state of New York
Comfortable working outdoors in various weather conditions
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds safely
Ability to perform diverse, sometimes repetitive, tasks that can be physically demanding including kneeling, bending, stooping, and reaching
Willingness to interact with garden visitors
Good interpersonal skills
Bilingual language skills, English and a second language, a plus

Additional Information

Schedule: This is a part-time seasonal position. Position is available for up to 28 hours per week, Tuesday through Friday, April 1 through November 20, and may include some weekend work.
Salary: $20/hour

Application Instructions

For consideration, please submit your resume, cover letter, and any relevant documents via our Career Center: https://queensbotanical.org/employment/#lawn-and-grounds-assistant-1

If you encounter difficulties with uploading documents to the portal, please send via email to Human Resources at hr@queensbotanical.org.