Arboretum Specialist

The University of Virginia is seeking an Arboretum Specialist to work at Blandy Experimental Farm in Boyce, VA. Blandy is a 700-acre University of Virginia ecological field station located in the northern Shenandoah Valley, about 10 miles east of Winchester and 60 miles west of Washington, D.C. Its mission is to increase understanding of the natural environment through research and education. The State Arboretum of Virginia, located within Blandy Experimental Farm, is a public garden displaying more than 5500 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants in a diversity of habitats including woodlands, meadows, wetlands, and open fields.

The Arboretum Specialist will assist the Arborist with landscape maintenance of Blandy Experimental Farm as well as help maintain, improve, and track the arboretum collection of the State Arboretum of Virginia.  Duties include care of the plant collection, arboretum maintenance, nursery work, and records maintenance. This is a full-time position with a University of Virginia benefits package including paid leave, paid holidays, a range of health, dental and vision plan options, wellness programs and more. 

The employee in this position will:

• Maintain and improve arboretum landscape which involves mowing, weeding, trimming, mulching, leaf removal, pruning, watering, and planting and removing trees and shrubs.
• Scout for and identify disease, weed, and insect problems and apply appropriate control measures which may include use of pesticides.
• Have working knowledge of, or be willing to learn, operation of mowers, gators, chainsaws, weed eaters, tractors, and hand tools.
• Foster a safe working environment ensuring all safety measures required by OSHA, federal, state, and local regulations are met.
• Propagate from external and internal seed sources for the Arboretum collection and maintain related records.
• Assist in maintaining Arboretum database and plant tags.
• Assist in mapping Arboretum specimens using GPS technology.
• Perform duties as either part of a team or independently.
• In addition to the above job responsibilities, other duties may be assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

Experience: Two years of experience

Licensure: Valid driver's license.

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Forestry, or a related field. Work experience in a related field may be considered sufficient.
• Working, practical knowledge of plants and their care.
• Understanding of plant taxonomy.
• Expertise in integrated pest management and arboriculture.
• Experience in the various aspects of arboretum maintenance or a related field.
• Virginia certified pesticide applicator's license. (Employees will be required to obtain a certified pesticide applicator's license within the first year of employment.)
• Knowledge of how to operate basic power equipment.
• The ability to interact with all others in ways that reflect the University’s commitment to respect and inclusion.
• Willingness to comply with and model procedures, policies, professional practices and codes of conduct as is customary at an academic research facility and as defined by the Blandy Director.

Physical Demands

The employee in this position will work outdoors and in the propagation greenhouse. Outdoors, they will be exposed to various weather conditions including extreme heat and cold, rain, and snow. The employee may be exposed to high noise levels from power equipment and machinery.  The employee will be walking and working outdoors on uneven grass, gravel, and rock surfaces.  This person will be exposed to pollen, poisonous plants, ticks, snakes, and stinging insects. The employee in this position must be able lift, climb ladders, bend, kneel, and use both hands to complete tasks involving repetitive motions.

More Information

The anticipated salary range for this position is $40,000 - $44,500

This is a University Staff, non-exempt benefited position. For information on the benefits of being a UVA employee, visit https://hr.virginia.edu/benefits

The position will remain open until filled.

This position will not sponsor applicants for work visas and is not eligible for remote work.

The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.

Application Instructions

External applicants must apply online here  https://jobs.virginia.edu/us. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile, search Find Jobs and then R0071918. Complete an application online and include the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Contact information for three professional references.

Upload all materials into the resume submission field. Multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission.

Questions about the position? Contact Jared Manzo at jpm3wr@virginia.edu

Questions about the application process? Contact Rich Haverstrom at rkh6j@virginia.edu