Assistant Horticulturist, Butterflies & Blooms - Seasonal

Title: Assistant Horticulturist, Butterflies & Blooms

Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Department: Visitor Experience

Reports to: Visitor Engagement & Events Manager

Seasonal part-time, approximately 18 weeks

Supervises: Horticulture volunteers

Seasonal Part-time employees scheduled to work 29 or less hours per week are eligible for the following Benefits:

• Wellness initiative benefit, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Retirement plan
• Holiday Thank you pay
• Garden membership - free to employees at Household Plus level
• Discounts to Garden Shop, Cafe, Garden-sponsored educational classes
• Employee events

Compensation Philosophy:

At the Chicago Botanic Garden, our compensation philosophy is rooted in our core values: Growth, Understanding, Resilience, and Trust through Transparency. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and appreciated.

Our objective is to create compensation and growth opportunities for our employees that are highly competitive, internally equitable and transparent. The foundation of our efforts is a straightforward approach that can be easily communicated by managers with defined pay ranges for all positions. When posting job openings, we share the minimum salary up to the budgeted amount.

The starting salary for new staff members is determined by considering the salary range assigned to the position and by reviewing the candidate's qualifications for the job as compared with job responsibilities. Prior work experience should be considered in determining the salary offer, provided that it is relevant to the job. Additional factors such as secondary language proficiency or advanced degrees that enhance performance may also be considered. A candidate's salary may exceed the minimum amount based on factors such as experience, additional skills (e.g., secondary language proficiency), or pertinent degrees that enhance the individual's contribution to the role but are not required. Opportunities for increased compensation are provided through referral bonuses, shift differentials, Thank You Pay, promotions, and periodic pay increases based on the Garden's overall performance and financial budgets.

Our total compensation and benefits package is people centric. We prioritize employee wellness across three pillars: physical, mental, and financial. Our goal is to offer innovative total rewards that support continuous professional growth, personal development, and provide the flexibility needed to balance personal and professional commitments.

Position Overview: Work in the Butterflies & Blooms exhibition to maintain the plants, pupae, and live tropical butterflies, with opportunity to assist in the visitor experience during public hours. This is an approximately 18-week seasonal position part-time position, working 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., a few days during the weekdays and Saturdays (scheduled approximately 24 hours per week).

Responsibilities

In this role, you will be responsible for the following:

• Perform general landscape installation (pre-exhibition opening) and ongoing maintenance tasks including watering, weeding, grooming, mulching, removing debris, path raking, fertilizing, and monitoring for plant health issues.
• Care for the living butterfly collection by collecting and properly disposing of any caterpillars and dead butterflies, morning and afternoon releases of adult butterflies and daily monitoring for pupae diseases and health of the adults.
• Collect and prepare supplemental diets and monitor level of natural nectar sources. Replace as needed.
• Comply with all USDA containment requirements and assure that all workers follow proper procedures. Report all inconsistencies to the Plant Health Care supervisor.
• Report all escaped butterflies/moths and plant, pupae, and butterfly disease and pest problems to the Plant Health Care supervisor.
• Oversee and coordinate activities of plant and butterfly care volunteers.
• Monitor the number and variety of species (adult butterflies, pupae, and plants) in the exhibition. Update exhibition signage and provide species identification for volunteers and visitors.
• Interact daily with staff, volunteers, and the public. Be able to speak to a wide variety of visitors, and answer questions from volunteers and visitors about the exhibition and butterfly gardening.
• Work with Visitor Events & Programs to staff interpretive positions and doors as needed to provide breaks and to cover for unexpected absences of scheduled staff and volunteers.
• Maintain a high level of computer literacy for purposes of interdepartmental documentation and communication.
• Assist with special exhibition programs, tours, or events as needed.
• Assist with weekend watering responsibilities throughout the Chicago Botanic Garden Entrance Gardens.

Qualifications
Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• The ability to lead a volunteer group in maintaining the garden.
• Ability to maintain accurate records.
• Completed a horticulture training program or taken classes in gardening with experience in landscape maintenance and installation.
• Completed some undergraduate or graduate studies in biology or entomology, or have a degree in any of the life sciences, and have a desire to learn about the life cycle and handling of butterflies.
• Candidate should be available to work from May through mid-September.
• Available to work Thursday - Saturday.
• A valid driver's license and insurable by the Chicago Horticultural Society.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Able to and comfortable in responding to visitor questions.
• A high energy level and passion for working with the public.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
• An enthusiastic interest in working with volunteers.
• The ideal candidate will be flexible, able to work in a fast-paced environment, and possess exceptional interpersonal skills. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is essential.

Physical Demands:

Position requires extensive periods of walking and standing with lifting/pushing up to approximately 20 pounds. Most of the work is conducted outside, rain or shine. Candidate must be comfortable working outside in all types of weather including hot summer days and cool rainy days.

Why Apply?
Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today. Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call (847) 835-8264 to contact our Title IX Coordinator should you have questions or concerns. Please do not call this number to inquire about job postings or the status of your application, or with solicitations from companies or third-party recruiters.