Senior Conservation Horticulturist

The Atlanta Botanical Garden seeks an experienced and forward-thinking Senior Conservation Horticulturist to lead the daily management, curation, and support the strategic direction of the Garden’s ex situ conservation collections in Midtown Atlanta.

Reporting to the Conservation Horticulture Manager, the Senior Conservation Horticulturist will be pivotal in advancing the institution’s conservation efforts through expert horticultural management, collection curation, and propagation of rare and endangered plants. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in horticulture, plant collection management, and propagation, combined with leadership skills to oversee complex conservation initiatives and provide expert guidance on conservation projects. This senior-level position within the Conservation Horticulture team requires independent decision-making, strategic planning, and budget management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Collections & Facilities Management:

• Lead the daily operations of the conservation collections, overseeing plant care, greenhouse management, and facility maintenance, ensuring high horticultural standards.
• Develop and implement comprehensive horticultural protocols, including watering, integrated pest management (IPM), plant hygiene, and greenhouse infrastructure maintenance.
• Oversee and optimize irrigation and misting systems, ensuring operational efficiency using manual and power tools.
• Provide leadership in supervising and training interns, volunteers, and junior staff on nursery tasks, including propagation, pest control, and collection maintenance.
• Design and implement novel propagation protocols for rare and endangered plants, ensuring their successful integration into the Garden’s collections.

Collections Management & Curation:

• Participate in the strategic planning and execution of plant collection management, working closely with the Conservation Horticulture Manager to develop and implement a 5-year Conservation Horticulture Curatorial Plan.
• Manage the collection, entry, and analysis of plant records in the BRAHMS system, ensuring data accuracy and consistency.
• Serve as a key advisor on horticultural conservation practices, providing expert technical guidance to senior management and stakeholders.
• Implement and enforce safety, risk management, and workplace policies for staff and volunteers, ensuring compliance with all protocols.

Leadership & Strategic Contributions:

• Collaborate with scientists and colleagues to address propagation challenges, particularly with species new to cultivation or facing unique growing conditions.
• Actively participate in multi-disciplinary conservation projects, providing horticultural expertise to ensure successful project outcomes and advancing the Garden’s strategic conservation goals.

Budget & Resource Management:

• Ensure the Midtown Conservation Horticulture budget is effective in financial stewardship and resource allocation to meet strategic objectives.
• Develop and implement long-term financial plans to support the operational needs of the greenhouse and related conservation programs.

Independent Project Management:

• Lead the design and execution of experimental protocols within the greenhouse, ensuring that trials align with broader conservation objectives.

• Master’s (preferred) or Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Plant Biology, or a related field, plus 5-7 years of professional experience in horticultural conservation, botanical garden management, or plant propagation.
• Expertise in plant health management; knowledge of IPM, disease control, and plant nutrition.
• Demonstrated experience in collections management systems; BRAHMS, or equivalent databases.
• Proven ability to develop and implement propagation protocols for rare and endangered species.
• Leadership skills and experience managing staff, volunteers, and interns in a horticultural setting.
• Solid knowledge of southeastern U.S. native plant species and the ability to identify plants using dichotomous keys.
• Experience in greenhouse design, irrigation systems, and plant care under a range of environmental conditions.
• Certification as a Georgia Pesticide Applicator (or to be obtained within six months of hire).

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proficiency in GIS mapping for botanical collections.
• Familiarity with ecological restoration practices
• Strong construction skills with the ability to build and maintain nursery infrastructure and perform general repairs.
• Willingness to work in varied weather conditions and the flexibility to work weekends and holidays as needed.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel between Atlanta and Gainesville, and to field sites.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to work independently for extended periods in a variety of weather conditions, with close attention to plant health and infrastructure needs.
• Capacity to lift up to 50 lbs and perform physically strenuous tasks.

MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple, often competing, tasks.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively with colleagues, volunteers, and the general public.

The above job duties and responsibilities describe the general nature and level of work for employees in this position, but this is not intended as an exclusive or all-inclusive inventory of all duties required of employees in this job.

It is the policy of the Atlanta Botanical Garden to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.