Position Title:
Horticulture Supervisor
Work Type:
Full time
Location:
Swarthmore College
Department:
Work Shift:
Pay Range (Please note that this pay range represents the
College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the
time of posting.):
19.00 USD - 21.00 USD
The Opportunity:
Provides timely and reliable support for the supervision of
gardeners, as well as directly performing gardening care and
maintenance of the Scott Arboretum & Gardens plant collections
and garden areas. Supervises horticulturists, interns and student
workers. Performs necessary grounds maintenance tasks, including
turf renovation, snow removal, event set up and other jobs to
support College and Arboretum events and classes. Coordinates
restoration projects and regular maintenance of the Crum Woods and
other campus areas. Provides knowledge and guidance for sustainable
landscapes and integrated pest management and oversees monitoring
for insects and diseases for the department. Oversees proper record
keeping and inventory of horticultural chemicals, pesticides,
application equipment and personal protection equipment for the
department. Assists in the execution of and participates in the
Arboretum’s educational and outreach programs. Works to fulfill the
missions of the Arboretum and Swarthmore College.
Essential Responsibilities:
HORTICULTURAL TASKS 50%
- Performs horticultural tasks and maintains the plant
collections and garden spaces by doing timely planting, weeding,
mulching, pruning, fertilizing, irrigating, leaf raking and other
plant cultural practices in order to maintain campus aesthetics and
provide proper horticultural care, and supervises others to do the
same.
Performs detailed horticultural work to maintain specialty
garden areas, endowed gardens, various courtyard gardens and major
horticultural collections to provide proper horticultural care and
maintain these garden areas as the most intensively-maintained
gardens on campus.
Oversees restoration projects and regular maintenance of the
Crum Woods. Coordinates and implements the deer control program of
the Crum Woods.
Oversees pest management practices for staff being supervised
within their area of responsbility.
Oversees proper record keeping and inventory of horticultural
chemicals, pesticides, application equipment and personal
protection equipment for the department.
Provides knowledge and guidance for sustainable landscapes and
integrated pest management, and monitors for insects and diseases
for the department.
GROUNDS MANAGEMENT 30%
- Keeps campus areas, turf, roads, sidewalks and patios
maintained in an efficient way. Has the ability to prioritize these
tasks to provide a safe and aesthetically-pleasing campus, alone
and supervising others to do the same.
- Leads and performs trash removal, irrigation, turf renovation,
turf mowing, snow removal and leaf raking to efficiently maintain
safety and high horticultural aesthetics on campus.
- Leads special function set-up and tear-down to prepare the
facilities in a timely way for College-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.
OPERATES AND MAINTAINS EQUIPMENT 10%
- Safely and proficiently uses all hand gardening tools,
consisting of pruners, shovels, rakes, loppers, hedge shears and
other gardening tools, and ensures that supervisees can do the
same.
- With proper training, safely and proficiently uses grounds
power equipment consisting of: tractor, loader, trucks, lawn mower,
chain saw, weed whip, turf aerator, turf slicer/seeder, snowplow
and thrower, chain saw, brush chipper and other grounds maintenance
equipment, and ensures that supervisees can do the same.
- Is proficient at and performs daily maintenance of all grounds
hand and power tools and equipment and ensures that supervisees can
do the same.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT 5%
- Interfaces with designers and contractors for a variety of
maintenance construction projects throughout campus.
- Oversees the deer control program, and meadow management across
campus.
COMMUNITY/EDUCATION SUPPORT (5%)
- Provides general horticultural information to all members of
the community who phone or visit in order to help solve problems or
give expert advice.
- Assists with teaching classes offered by the Arboretum; gives
lectures as requested; assists with guided campus tours open to the
public and can train staff to do the same.
- Assists staff with various programs (e.g. evening lectures,
Perennials and Woody Conferences, Greens Sales) as needed.
Additional Responsibilities
- Ensures safety among employees and coordinates needed training
for those supervised. Ensures that crew is adequately trained in
performing all aspects of horticulture and grounds
maintenance.
- Conducts educational sessions as requested by the Learning and
Engagement staff, including workshops, lectures, field trips, in
order to help fulfill the Arboretum's educational mission.
- Serves as a member of the Collections Committee. Works with
curator to maintain accurate plant records.
- Occasionally writes articles for the Arboretum's quarterly
Hybrid newsletter and contributes to the annual year-in-review
report and departmental brochures as necessary.
- Leads campus tours and assists with arboretum workshops and
educational functions in order to aid in fulfilling the Scott
Arboretum’s mission of education.
- Cooperates in the function of the entire Facilities Management
Department and assists in meeting the department’s goals.
- Acts as a lead in the department’s landscape sustainability
efforts by coordinating programs such as development and
maintenance of sustainable landscapes, lawns, tree care and storm
water best management practices.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
- The position is considered Emergency-On-Call for campus and
housing properties.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Supervises, schedules and coordinates six (6) horticulturists,
interns, student workers and volunteers, and coordinates crew’s
daily activities.
- Supervises and trains, gives feedback and works along with
horticulture staff, arboretum volunteers, students and interns in
order to enable them to competently perform horticulture
duties.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in horticulture or related discipline; or
practical horticultural training course (two or four-year program)
with five to seven years of gardening/horticulture experience.
- Demonstrated supervisory experience.
- Experience in landscape sustainability, native ecosystem
restoration, contract management, landscape design, public garden
administration, college/university arboretum administration are
desirable.
- Strong knowledge of nomenclature and a strong interest in
ornamental plants.
- Demonstrates familiarity with the identification and
maintenance of a broad range of trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous
perennials, annuals and turfgrass; has advanced knowledge to
provide proper horticultural care in a timely, efficient manner and
can lead crew members in doing the same. Is up-to-date on accepted
practices relative to soil care, pruning and planting to implement
best management practices.
- Demonstrates familiarity with the common diseases, insects,
weeds and cultural problems of landscapes and turf in the
mid-Atlantic region 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 Crum Woods.
- Must possess a pesticide applicator's license and a valid
driver's license.
- Adapts with a positive attitude to new work situations, people,
ideas, procedures, and organizational structures, to accommodate an
evolving work environment.
- Builds successful relationships with constituents and
co-workers. Communicates and works effectively as a team member, to
maximize the effectiveness of the department.
- Exhibits maturity, reliability, composure, and stability under
pressure to handle on-the-job challenges.
- Understands and abides by a high standard of professional
ethics to ensure the integrity of the organization.
- Works successfully with diverse others and upholds the
College’s commitment to equal employment opportunity and
affirmative action, in order to help the organization realize its
commitment to excellence through diversity.
- Is optimistic and constructive in work conduct and
outlook.
Preferred
- Experience in working in a public garden or college/university
setting.
- Attention to detail and an interest in working with volunteers
and the public.
PA Criminal Clearance Required
Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all
staff positions prior to the start of employment.
MVR Clearance Required by Position
Due to operating a College owned motor vehicle while performing
essential job responsibilities for this position, a motor vehicle
report (MVR) clearance is required prior to the start of
employment.
Preview our
Benefits Flyer . We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost!
Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an
employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100%
vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.
2026
Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook
Retirement
Plans
Tuition Grant Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Paid Time Off (Staff)
Holiday Schedule
Applications received are reviewed on a rolling basis until the
position is filled. An optional cover letter indicating how your
qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position
is preferred. 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).
Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect
and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense
of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse
perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a
demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world.
Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not
discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by
law or College Policy.
